Drop Out Rates post PPL
Intelligent Idiot
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Drop Out Rates post PPL
I read that 90% of new PPLs give up within 1 year of qualifying.
Is this statistically proven or just a guesstimate.
If it is the case, why do so many drop out having achieved it.
Is it cost?
It just seems strange to me that having gone to the trouble and expense of getting qualified that so many should drop out and if the figures are correct, then a fairly large proportion of the remaining 10% will be wannabee commercial pilots leaving the smallest amount to excercise the rights of thier PPL.
It has me wondering.
(I got the info from the headset thread but didnt want to hijack it)
Is this statistically proven or just a guesstimate.
If it is the case, why do so many drop out having achieved it.
Is it cost?
It just seems strange to me that having gone to the trouble and expense of getting qualified that so many should drop out and if the figures are correct, then a fairly large proportion of the remaining 10% will be wannabee commercial pilots leaving the smallest amount to excercise the rights of thier PPL.
It has me wondering.
(I got the info from the headset thread but didnt want to hijack it)
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A lot of people want to learn to fly, then they lose sense of direction. They either don't know what use the licence for after (always plenty of ideas asking on here), or they feel lost without an instructor to guide them along, again easily solved as there is no reason you can not still get instructional guidance after gaining the licence. 
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I'd say that its because once you have the PPL there is no where else for the PPL to go regarding flight training, without resorting to serious amounts of money. I probably would have given up a long time ago if I hadn't turned to the dark side.....
The FAA system is very different, you can bolt on extras along the way for minimal time / jumping through hoops and continuously improve yourself. I had a PPL at 60 hours and I had an IR at about 120 hours, which would no doubt be unheard of in JAR land. To get an IR here I'd need to firstly get a JAA class 1 audiogram, then pass the JAA IR ground exams, then do the course and be tested. At least a £10,000 venture I'd guess.
There are several problems with the way the JAA system is set up if you want to progress. Firstly you have this massive hurdle of the JAA ATPL exams. You can do the CPL exams but there really is no point, because if in the future you want to upgrade, you have to do the whole damn lot again???? You're looking at least a year to complete these exams, plus a couple of weeks residential course, whereas in the US I can self study for the CPL / ATP exams from a good book, then just turn up and take them for $90.
Secondly once you have spent £2700 and a year doing the ATPL ground exams, which in all honesty are interesting, but irrelevant for a light aircraft driver (B737 FMS???) and you have done the CPL skills test, you MUST then do an IR within 3 years I think, else the exams expire or something funny along those lines.
The next hurdle (or probably the first one) is the JAA Class 1 medical which you would need to pass. Not a problem if you're healthy, but anouther £400 and a day to get it done. Then the renewal needs to be carried out annually for someone of my age. In the USA they have three classes of medical, Private, Commercial and ATP. This makes perfect sense, why should a CPL or even instructor be medically tested to the same standard as a pilot who is in command of a 600 seat A380? It is nonsense.
The content of the CPL/IR flight training in the UK is fair enough, however I notice that IR training costs are hiked up extrordinarily. Some places charge £400 per hour for ME IR training. This is surely a rip off, and what is a rip off is paying £200 per hour in a FNPTII sim which uses exactly the same software as many FAA approved Sims, which cost $50 per hour.....but are not JAA approved.
The whole JAA system is geared towards airline pilots. Ideally I'd like to be a part time flight instructor in the UK (who also flys for fun), with CPL/IR FI ratings. But for me to get to this point in JAR land, I need to spend £2700 and a year doing the ATPL exams, get a class 1 medical, convert the CPL and IR and do an FI rating.....and extrordinarily expensive and time consuming quest. (I passed my FAA instrument instructors ground exam, it cost me $90 and I self studied in my own spare time.....).
Cheers
The FAA system is very different, you can bolt on extras along the way for minimal time / jumping through hoops and continuously improve yourself. I had a PPL at 60 hours and I had an IR at about 120 hours, which would no doubt be unheard of in JAR land. To get an IR here I'd need to firstly get a JAA class 1 audiogram, then pass the JAA IR ground exams, then do the course and be tested. At least a £10,000 venture I'd guess.
There are several problems with the way the JAA system is set up if you want to progress. Firstly you have this massive hurdle of the JAA ATPL exams. You can do the CPL exams but there really is no point, because if in the future you want to upgrade, you have to do the whole damn lot again???? You're looking at least a year to complete these exams, plus a couple of weeks residential course, whereas in the US I can self study for the CPL / ATP exams from a good book, then just turn up and take them for $90.
Secondly once you have spent £2700 and a year doing the ATPL ground exams, which in all honesty are interesting, but irrelevant for a light aircraft driver (B737 FMS???) and you have done the CPL skills test, you MUST then do an IR within 3 years I think, else the exams expire or something funny along those lines.
The next hurdle (or probably the first one) is the JAA Class 1 medical which you would need to pass. Not a problem if you're healthy, but anouther £400 and a day to get it done. Then the renewal needs to be carried out annually for someone of my age. In the USA they have three classes of medical, Private, Commercial and ATP. This makes perfect sense, why should a CPL or even instructor be medically tested to the same standard as a pilot who is in command of a 600 seat A380? It is nonsense.
The content of the CPL/IR flight training in the UK is fair enough, however I notice that IR training costs are hiked up extrordinarily. Some places charge £400 per hour for ME IR training. This is surely a rip off, and what is a rip off is paying £200 per hour in a FNPTII sim which uses exactly the same software as many FAA approved Sims, which cost $50 per hour.....but are not JAA approved.
The whole JAA system is geared towards airline pilots. Ideally I'd like to be a part time flight instructor in the UK (who also flys for fun), with CPL/IR FI ratings. But for me to get to this point in JAR land, I need to spend £2700 and a year doing the ATPL exams, get a class 1 medical, convert the CPL and IR and do an FI rating.....and extrordinarily expensive and time consuming quest. (I passed my FAA instrument instructors ground exam, it cost me $90 and I self studied in my own spare time.....).
Cheers
Intelligent Idiot
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Thanks for that Al.
Certainly food for thought and this is the sort of stuff that should be fired at those who are formulating future policy for the UK and EU.
Time to become the 51st State methinks.
far more preferable to being a european.
Certainly food for thought and this is the sort of stuff that should be fired at those who are formulating future policy for the UK and EU.
Time to become the 51st State methinks.
far more preferable to being a european.
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Rather than assuming it is because of JAA, CAA or FAA rules you need to understand why people do their training in the first place.
I know some people who trained just so they could prove they had the ability. Once they passed it was mission accomplished, thanks very much, bye.
People's financial circumstances change, some quite dramatically, either through work, health, marriage/divorce.
People's priorities change, too, either through marriage/divorce, health, moving etc.
Then there's the external "motivation" -- the hard-sell of PPL training from clubs/schools right up to when the test is passed. Once you're licenced unless you own an aircraft or share, schools will hire you aircraft but only if they're not needed for PPL training that day -- planning/booking lessons is easy in comparison to planning/booking the hire of school aircraft...
IO540 talks a lot about the state of rental aircraft -- and he's right. What is acceptable to a keen student might not be seen in such a good light by a nervous passenger. Once the wife/girlfriend has said "no" (because the aircraft is so old and ropey and looks "dangerous") there's a strong incentive to stop, and spend the money flying in a brand-new Easy/Ryan B737
There's also the choice of destinations available to fly to commercially for <£50. Where it previously made economic sense to learn to fly so you could take your wife/girlfriend/kids (whatever) on holiday or off the beaten track somewhere, the likes of Easy/Ryanair etc have bought commercial flying costs down to far less than you could fly there yourself -- and Ryanair particularly will take you to off the beaten track destinations
I don't believe the blame for 100% of the dropout rate can be laid at the door of the regulator. Somewhere along the way individuals have choices to make, and those choices might not include spending £100 to grab a burger from a soggy airfield in the middle of nowhere.
I know some people who trained just so they could prove they had the ability. Once they passed it was mission accomplished, thanks very much, bye.
People's financial circumstances change, some quite dramatically, either through work, health, marriage/divorce.
People's priorities change, too, either through marriage/divorce, health, moving etc.
Then there's the external "motivation" -- the hard-sell of PPL training from clubs/schools right up to when the test is passed. Once you're licenced unless you own an aircraft or share, schools will hire you aircraft but only if they're not needed for PPL training that day -- planning/booking lessons is easy in comparison to planning/booking the hire of school aircraft...
IO540 talks a lot about the state of rental aircraft -- and he's right. What is acceptable to a keen student might not be seen in such a good light by a nervous passenger. Once the wife/girlfriend has said "no" (because the aircraft is so old and ropey and looks "dangerous") there's a strong incentive to stop, and spend the money flying in a brand-new Easy/Ryan B737
There's also the choice of destinations available to fly to commercially for <£50. Where it previously made economic sense to learn to fly so you could take your wife/girlfriend/kids (whatever) on holiday or off the beaten track somewhere, the likes of Easy/Ryanair etc have bought commercial flying costs down to far less than you could fly there yourself -- and Ryanair particularly will take you to off the beaten track destinations
I don't believe the blame for 100% of the dropout rate can be laid at the door of the regulator. Somewhere along the way individuals have choices to make, and those choices might not include spending £100 to grab a burger from a soggy airfield in the middle of nowhere.
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what to do?
There is a certain path a lot of ppl's will take post qualification. First solo (qualified), take the mates up, take your mum and dad up, take the g'friend / wife up, take the dog up (oh yeah, I already said that)................
What then?
I qualified back in March this year and can relate to pretty much everything suggested by foxmoth. On the flip side, I thought nothing of booking some lessons post Q. Did me the world of good.
W/x permitting, next Tuesday will be a landmark for me when I will use my little bird to take me to a meeting. Now that is something I would really like to use it for long term!
The Wombat
What then?
I qualified back in March this year and can relate to pretty much everything suggested by foxmoth. On the flip side, I thought nothing of booking some lessons post Q. Did me the world of good.
W/x permitting, next Tuesday will be a landmark for me when I will use my little bird to take me to a meeting. Now that is something I would really like to use it for long term!
The Wombat
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Rustle,
I understand that circumstances change for many people due to work/wife/motivation etc but I cannot believe that these changes happen to most post qual PPL's within a year of achieving thier licence.
The rental issue, now thats something else.
If all you want is the odd hour then I cannot see it being too much of a problem but longer trips or a weekend away, yes, I agree.
The cost issue is a big one though and Englishal hits the nail on the head with his comparisons of FAA v CAA/JAA and the respective approaches to furthering your skills.
I wont be able to afford a share once qualified (well not for a good while) so would like to see what it is that causes this drop out rate and if I am likely to fall victim to it myself.
This is something I have wanted to do since I was 4 years old so cannot forsee myself tiring of the thrill but the figures quoted set me thinking.
I understand that circumstances change for many people due to work/wife/motivation etc but I cannot believe that these changes happen to most post qual PPL's within a year of achieving thier licence.
The rental issue, now thats something else.
If all you want is the odd hour then I cannot see it being too much of a problem but longer trips or a weekend away, yes, I agree.
The cost issue is a big one though and Englishal hits the nail on the head with his comparisons of FAA v CAA/JAA and the respective approaches to furthering your skills.
I wont be able to afford a share once qualified (well not for a good while) so would like to see what it is that causes this drop out rate and if I am likely to fall victim to it myself.
This is something I have wanted to do since I was 4 years old so cannot forsee myself tiring of the thrill but the figures quoted set me thinking.
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The drop rate post PPL is huge, but I don't think it's as high as 90% after the first year. If I remember correctly, it's around 75% after a couple of years. To be honest though, the exact figure is irrelevant, it's ridiculously high.
It really is a travesty that the flight training industry is just that, only seemingly interested in training for initial licence issue, but some of the blame must go onto the govt. as well. With Fuel being so crazily expensive due to tax, the cost of a/c hire is still prohibitively high, most people seem to be able to justify the cost when they have a goal (licence issue) but as soon as they are flying only for pleasure, then other factors come into play (the home front if you like).
The club I help to look after was set up specifically to try and reverse this trend, by offering something for the PPL holder. Firstly we have good a/c availability and a wide range of more touring based machines as well as the more usual training orientated a/c. This allows members to have good availability as they aren't competing with the training side in any way. In fact we have more PPL members than we do students. Couple this to actively getting people to meet up and share flying, experiences etc. It gives a good base for people to try out new things and get their confidence up whilst sharing the cost and getting a good social element built in.
So far it seems to be working well and none of it is rocket science (can't be if I have anything to do with it!) if we can help even a small bit to try and reverse this crazy trend of dropping out after just a few flights post licence, then I'll feel happy.
Good well, equipped a/c help alot as well!
It really is a travesty that the flight training industry is just that, only seemingly interested in training for initial licence issue, but some of the blame must go onto the govt. as well. With Fuel being so crazily expensive due to tax, the cost of a/c hire is still prohibitively high, most people seem to be able to justify the cost when they have a goal (licence issue) but as soon as they are flying only for pleasure, then other factors come into play (the home front if you like).
The club I help to look after was set up specifically to try and reverse this trend, by offering something for the PPL holder. Firstly we have good a/c availability and a wide range of more touring based machines as well as the more usual training orientated a/c. This allows members to have good availability as they aren't competing with the training side in any way. In fact we have more PPL members than we do students. Couple this to actively getting people to meet up and share flying, experiences etc. It gives a good base for people to try out new things and get their confidence up whilst sharing the cost and getting a good social element built in.
So far it seems to be working well and none of it is rocket science (can't be if I have anything to do with it!) if we can help even a small bit to try and reverse this crazy trend of dropping out after just a few flights post licence, then I'll feel happy.
Good well, equipped a/c help alot as well!
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I can't speak for anyone else, but I learned to fly in 1987 and spent years in the wilderness searching for motivation and direction. £65 an hour (in 1987) and limited options made for great frustrations until I stumbled into the world of PFA & BMAA.
I never wanted to be an airline pilot and I felt uncomfortable amongst eppaulette wearers and the grass roots of aviation in the UK seemed a perfect home for me.
I would suggest that ALL new PPL's who have reached their goal and got their license take an urgent look at the Permit aircraft available with the PFA & BMAA and taste the camaraderie of those organisations.
I, for one, found a new lease of life and still love my flying and without this direction I would have no doubt just drifted off like so many others.
Tony
I never wanted to be an airline pilot and I felt uncomfortable amongst eppaulette wearers and the grass roots of aviation in the UK seemed a perfect home for me.
I would suggest that ALL new PPL's who have reached their goal and got their license take an urgent look at the Permit aircraft available with the PFA & BMAA and taste the camaraderie of those organisations.
I, for one, found a new lease of life and still love my flying and without this direction I would have no doubt just drifted off like so many others.
Tony
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Rustle, I have to agree with your point there. I found it almost impossible to rent aircraft from my club post PPL. The only bookings I could get where for 1 hour at a time. Certainly not enough time to make good use of my license
Luckily for me there is a club not too far from where I live that only do aircraft rental.
Luckily for me there is a club not too far from where I live that only do aircraft rental.
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Wherabouts are you based S a Slowly.
It would be nice to think you were within a reasonable distance but I am assuming you are in the southern half of the UK.
Such a club as yours sounds ideal to keep the interest.
It would be nice to think you were within a reasonable distance but I am assuming you are in the southern half of the UK.
Such a club as yours sounds ideal to keep the interest.
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I think I would have been included in the drop out stastic if it wasn't for a piece of luck.
Just after passing the Skills Test, I met another bloke, who had passed 6 months previous, and had bought into a largish group. I also joined the group, and we became good friends. Over the next couple of years we flew a lot together - pushing the boundaries each time. I really don't think I had the confidence to push myself very far immeduately post PPL. Having a buddy to fly, and learn with, helps immensely.
I have now left that group, and bought a Europa with a coupe of friends. This has reduced the cost dramatically. My first flight post PPL, was a check out in a PA28. Six circuits with an instructor (at Biggin) cost £160 !!! I'm now paying £25 per hour wet, in a faster aeroplane, and don't have to pay for home landings.
So, my tips to avoid dropping out after gaining your licence ? Find a similarly experienced buddyto fly with, and fly a PFA type.
Tango.
Just after passing the Skills Test, I met another bloke, who had passed 6 months previous, and had bought into a largish group. I also joined the group, and we became good friends. Over the next couple of years we flew a lot together - pushing the boundaries each time. I really don't think I had the confidence to push myself very far immeduately post PPL. Having a buddy to fly, and learn with, helps immensely.
I have now left that group, and bought a Europa with a coupe of friends. This has reduced the cost dramatically. My first flight post PPL, was a check out in a PA28. Six circuits with an instructor (at Biggin) cost £160 !!! I'm now paying £25 per hour wet, in a faster aeroplane, and don't have to pay for home landings.
So, my tips to avoid dropping out after gaining your licence ? Find a similarly experienced buddyto fly with, and fly a PFA type.
Tango.
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I agree with much of what Russel says.
I'm sure IO540 will be here soon, saying that PPL's don't get enough training to be able to do the sort of flying that they actually want to do. ie. they are afraid to venture too far from home. This I agree with too.
The simple fact is that by the time you've got your licence, you have been to pretty much everywhere that is within 1 hours flying of your home base. Anywhere that you haven't been to, will be soon covered by taking friends and family flying.
After the novelty of taking friends and family up, you'll want to go further afield. Then a number of issues arise.
1. Do you feel confident enough in your navigation over longer distances? Most people supplement their training with a gps to add confidence.
2. Do you feel confident operating into large international airports (especially if required to clear customs) or grass fields (which ever you didn't train on)?
3. Will your club let you take the aircraft away for more and half day?
4. Can you justify they cost of going further than 1 hour away from base? To travel 2 hours from base, means a 4 hour return journey, which is expensive.
As much as I love flying, I could have easily dropped out of flying too because of the above. I was lucky enough to join a club based at a large international airport (having learnt at an uncontrolled field). This gave me confidence at operating into places that I would never have dreamed of going near before, and increased my confidence to a very large extent. This club also had no problems with me taking an aircraft away for 2 days, with no minimum hours, and longer durations on request. I've also been Lucky enough to form some friendships with other pilots, which halves the costs. As a result over the past year, much of my flying has involved weekends away, rather than just a 1.5 hour bimble.
If I was still renting from a school, and could only take the plane for 2 or 3 hours, and I didn't have the confidence to go further afield, I'm sure I would have much more difficulty in justifying the vast quantities of cash that I am spending on it.
Last weekend I took my father for his second flight, and we went from Dublin to Sligo for lunch. To me it was a great day out, as I got to spend a very enjoyable day with my father, doing something that I love. He really enjoyed himself too. When he noticed the rates on the notice board, he did a quick calculation and declared with shock, that for the cost of the trip we did, I could have bought an off peak return flight to the US. That sort of cost can be hard to justify if you're simply doing local bimbles over and over, in the same area. But with a club with good availablility, the confidence to travel internationally, and some flying buddies to share the flying & costs, the flying world beings much more interesting, and takes a lot longer to explore!
dp
I'm sure IO540 will be here soon, saying that PPL's don't get enough training to be able to do the sort of flying that they actually want to do. ie. they are afraid to venture too far from home. This I agree with too.
The simple fact is that by the time you've got your licence, you have been to pretty much everywhere that is within 1 hours flying of your home base. Anywhere that you haven't been to, will be soon covered by taking friends and family flying.
After the novelty of taking friends and family up, you'll want to go further afield. Then a number of issues arise.
1. Do you feel confident enough in your navigation over longer distances? Most people supplement their training with a gps to add confidence.
2. Do you feel confident operating into large international airports (especially if required to clear customs) or grass fields (which ever you didn't train on)?
3. Will your club let you take the aircraft away for more and half day?
4. Can you justify they cost of going further than 1 hour away from base? To travel 2 hours from base, means a 4 hour return journey, which is expensive.
As much as I love flying, I could have easily dropped out of flying too because of the above. I was lucky enough to join a club based at a large international airport (having learnt at an uncontrolled field). This gave me confidence at operating into places that I would never have dreamed of going near before, and increased my confidence to a very large extent. This club also had no problems with me taking an aircraft away for 2 days, with no minimum hours, and longer durations on request. I've also been Lucky enough to form some friendships with other pilots, which halves the costs. As a result over the past year, much of my flying has involved weekends away, rather than just a 1.5 hour bimble.
If I was still renting from a school, and could only take the plane for 2 or 3 hours, and I didn't have the confidence to go further afield, I'm sure I would have much more difficulty in justifying the vast quantities of cash that I am spending on it.
Last weekend I took my father for his second flight, and we went from Dublin to Sligo for lunch. To me it was a great day out, as I got to spend a very enjoyable day with my father, doing something that I love. He really enjoyed himself too. When he noticed the rates on the notice board, he did a quick calculation and declared with shock, that for the cost of the trip we did, I could have bought an off peak return flight to the US. That sort of cost can be hard to justify if you're simply doing local bimbles over and over, in the same area. But with a club with good availablility, the confidence to travel internationally, and some flying buddies to share the flying & costs, the flying world beings much more interesting, and takes a lot longer to explore!
dp
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Have to say agree with EA and the rest on this one! The cost of progressing beyong the PPL and actually starting to improve yourself is prohibitively expensive.
/Rant mode on
I paid $200/hr for my ME(IR) training in a turbo charged Seneca II including instructor - thats about £115/hr. I have spoken to a student of a well known school in middle England that people like to get on their CV who was being charged £400/hr dual !!!!
Another problem, as previously hinted at here, is that a lot of training aircraft look like they would collapse if you washed them and the FTO still wants £170/hr for you to hire them! If you are going to charge those sums of money at least present your client with a reasonble aircraft and not one that makes them want to say a few Hail Marys before they start her up. Nothing p1sses me off more than getting in a hire aircraft to find inop stickers over half the kit! Maybe they should deduct a proportional amount from the hire rate for all non-working kit
The fact that you can sit a PPL with an instructor and pay £30/hr for him/her and then all of a sudden you get in an aircraft with them for CPL and they suddenly charge £70/hr is mad!!! I paid the same rate throughout my training in the US $35/hr, that was ME, CPL(SE), CPL(ME) and IR(SE) and IR(ME), funny huh? - bet there are a few people here with clenched butt cheeks thinking of all the money that the US flight schools are missing out on
The example given of sitting 14 exams over a year not to mention having to take 2 wks out of work to attend ground school just to even start the IR training just goes to show what a complete joke our system is!!!!!
Anyone who has read 'The Killing Zone' would know that one section it deals with how the FAA looked at accident statistics and as a result reduced the requirements needed to commence the IR course - the result was that accidents statistics fell. As quite a few people on this board bleat on about how much worse our weather is than the US then you would think people would actually take this on board and do something about it here.
The more open the IR was to PPLs the safer our skys would be.
Not everyone who wants to take an IR wants to fly commercially, we should reduce the requirements to take an IR in both terms of exams required and cost. The flight training industry can recoup its costs by making people sit the exams for the CPL and charging a fortune per hour for that instead, after all fewer people would be inclined to take a CPL unless they were serious about becoming a pilot and the overall cost could remain the same.
/Rant mode off
Apart from that - nothing wrong with UK flight training
Julian
/Rant mode on
I paid $200/hr for my ME(IR) training in a turbo charged Seneca II including instructor - thats about £115/hr. I have spoken to a student of a well known school in middle England that people like to get on their CV who was being charged £400/hr dual !!!!
Another problem, as previously hinted at here, is that a lot of training aircraft look like they would collapse if you washed them and the FTO still wants £170/hr for you to hire them! If you are going to charge those sums of money at least present your client with a reasonble aircraft and not one that makes them want to say a few Hail Marys before they start her up. Nothing p1sses me off more than getting in a hire aircraft to find inop stickers over half the kit! Maybe they should deduct a proportional amount from the hire rate for all non-working kit
The fact that you can sit a PPL with an instructor and pay £30/hr for him/her and then all of a sudden you get in an aircraft with them for CPL and they suddenly charge £70/hr is mad!!! I paid the same rate throughout my training in the US $35/hr, that was ME, CPL(SE), CPL(ME) and IR(SE) and IR(ME), funny huh? - bet there are a few people here with clenched butt cheeks thinking of all the money that the US flight schools are missing out on
The example given of sitting 14 exams over a year not to mention having to take 2 wks out of work to attend ground school just to even start the IR training just goes to show what a complete joke our system is!!!!!
Anyone who has read 'The Killing Zone' would know that one section it deals with how the FAA looked at accident statistics and as a result reduced the requirements needed to commence the IR course - the result was that accidents statistics fell. As quite a few people on this board bleat on about how much worse our weather is than the US then you would think people would actually take this on board and do something about it here.
The more open the IR was to PPLs the safer our skys would be.
Not everyone who wants to take an IR wants to fly commercially, we should reduce the requirements to take an IR in both terms of exams required and cost. The flight training industry can recoup its costs by making people sit the exams for the CPL and charging a fortune per hour for that instead, after all fewer people would be inclined to take a CPL unless they were serious about becoming a pilot and the overall cost could remain the same.
/Rant mode off
Apart from that - nothing wrong with UK flight training
Julian
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Leicestershire
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Confidence was a problem for me too.
I used to book aircraft and secretly hope that the weather wouldn't be good enough so I'd have an excuse. I decided that more training was needed so I did an IMC then bought a share in an aeroplane with another like-minded chap.
That was about 8 years ago and now I can't imagine giving up!
I used to book aircraft and secretly hope that the weather wouldn't be good enough so I'd have an excuse. I decided that more training was needed so I did an IMC then bought a share in an aeroplane with another like-minded chap.
That was about 8 years ago and now I can't imagine giving up!
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Surrey, UK.
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I'm surprised he didn't refer us to one of the many previous threads on the same subject Eh rustle
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: England
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Several things would count in my case:
- Confidence ("well you're qualified now, you make all the decisions")
- Getting down to FTO where the aircraft was booked in not-so-great weather; being told to take it up or cough up for a cancellation fee; and finding from the tech log that all the other recently-qualified PPLs have done that day is 1 circuit and brought it back again.
- Actually wanting to get to ME/IR but can't afford to spend that sort of money
- Getting bored doing the same old routes that I did during training
- Watching the regulation getting tighter and wondering whether it's worth carrying on
- Getting shouted at/humiliated by ATC for asking for clarification of an instruction (yes, it really happened and I actually had an instructor beside me at the time who didn't understand what we'd been told either).
At the moment it's lack of time that's preventing me getting back in the LH seat, but I could quite easily also count the reasons above if I'm honest. By next spring I will hopefuly change from passenger to PIC again!
- Confidence ("well you're qualified now, you make all the decisions")
- Getting down to FTO where the aircraft was booked in not-so-great weather; being told to take it up or cough up for a cancellation fee; and finding from the tech log that all the other recently-qualified PPLs have done that day is 1 circuit and brought it back again.
- Actually wanting to get to ME/IR but can't afford to spend that sort of money
- Getting bored doing the same old routes that I did during training
- Watching the regulation getting tighter and wondering whether it's worth carrying on
- Getting shouted at/humiliated by ATC for asking for clarification of an instruction (yes, it really happened and I actually had an instructor beside me at the time who didn't understand what we'd been told either).
At the moment it's lack of time that's preventing me getting back in the LH seat, but I could quite easily also count the reasons above if I'm honest. By next spring I will hopefuly change from passenger to PIC again!