PPL instructer
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PPL instructer
I've just had my first lesson and i got on fine with the instructer. im wondering, should i just stick with this one now or would you recommend getting a taste of the other instructers before settling down with one?
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PPL questions
Just a few questions, i posted this in the wrong forum before but i think ive got it right now.
First, i just had a first lesson at biggin hill, i got on with the instructer fine, should i just stick with him or check out some other instructers first?
Second, i visited stapleford and now i was wondering, which would you recommend doing the PPL with, biggin hill or stapleford? biggin hill i just round the corner from me but i know stapleford has a good reputation also. the only thing is stapleford doesnt have landing fees but then again if i went stapleford id have accomodation fees. anyway, as you can i see im very much on the fence so help would be appreciated.
And lastly, how taxing are the 7 exams? how much work would you say is needed a day to keep on top of it? and how long for?
thaanks for the help
First, i just had a first lesson at biggin hill, i got on with the instructer fine, should i just stick with him or check out some other instructers first?
Second, i visited stapleford and now i was wondering, which would you recommend doing the PPL with, biggin hill or stapleford? biggin hill i just round the corner from me but i know stapleford has a good reputation also. the only thing is stapleford doesnt have landing fees but then again if i went stapleford id have accomodation fees. anyway, as you can i see im very much on the fence so help would be appreciated.
And lastly, how taxing are the 7 exams? how much work would you say is needed a day to keep on top of it? and how long for?
thaanks for the help
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Hi Norton,
I've found Air Law a real pain. However, I do have to work in my own business 7 days a week and I have a high-maintenance family with all the attendant time demands and distractions. Plus I'm no spring chicken!
So learning this particular subject (by common consent the most onerous) has been a trial for me. Don't know what your circumstances are, but they play quite a big part in how easy you'll find it to study. 
Kev.
I've found Air Law a real pain. However, I do have to work in my own business 7 days a week and I have a high-maintenance family with all the attendant time demands and distractions. Plus I'm no spring chicken!
So learning this particular subject (by common consent the most onerous) has been a trial for me. Don't know what your circumstances are, but they play quite a big part in how easy you'll find it to study. Kev.
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What is your objective? If you are just doing your PPL for fun and can only have lessons at weekends (my situation) then it is important to be reasonably close to the school. You will lose lessons to weather and if you've driven 1 hour+ each way it can waste a lot of time. So if you are local to Biggin I'd be tempted to go there.
On the other hand if, as I suspect from your comment about accomodation, you want to get your PPL done in a short amount of time as the start to a wider flying career, then look at a variety of schools, and maybe overseas on their own merits.
I'm learning at Stapleford and its great so far, high quality of training. They seem to take it quite slow to start with, leading up to first solo slightly later than many schools perhaps achieve. Personally I like that, solo will come and I want to get the fundamentals down as well as possible. Can't comment on Biggin Hill never been there.
The exams aren't particularly hard, so far I've done Air Law and Principles of Flight, passed both first time, studing a few evenings and a couple of weekends. Next is Met which I'm having to work at a little more. If you've done GCSE's, A Levels etc then you should be fine self studying.
Enjoy the training!
On the other hand if, as I suspect from your comment about accomodation, you want to get your PPL done in a short amount of time as the start to a wider flying career, then look at a variety of schools, and maybe overseas on their own merits.
I'm learning at Stapleford and its great so far, high quality of training. They seem to take it quite slow to start with, leading up to first solo slightly later than many schools perhaps achieve. Personally I like that, solo will come and I want to get the fundamentals down as well as possible. Can't comment on Biggin Hill never been there.
The exams aren't particularly hard, so far I've done Air Law and Principles of Flight, passed both first time, studing a few evenings and a couple of weekends. Next is Met which I'm having to work at a little more. If you've done GCSE's, A Levels etc then you should be fine self studying.
Enjoy the training!
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For PPL I would keep it local to allow more time for study and flying
Believe me there is no way you will be able to commute to Stapleford and keep your sanity so why not save the accomodation money for your advanced training post PPL - If you got on with the instructor then just go for it, Biggin is a very good place to learn and if you learn at an airport with such a variety of traffic then you will be confident anywhere else
Believe me there is no way you will be able to commute to Stapleford and keep your sanity so why not save the accomodation money for your advanced training post PPL - If you got on with the instructor then just go for it, Biggin is a very good place to learn and if you learn at an airport with such a variety of traffic then you will be confident anywhere else
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If your happy with things why change them?
I would try and stick with the same instructor if all seems to be going well, a change or a couple of flights with a different instructor is not a bad thing though, best done later in the PPL when your happy at the controls.
The PPL exams require a bit of work, I would guess approx. 20 hours of self study on each of the 7 subjects. I would recommend signing up to the Met office web site, get the aviation weather for the airfields near you on a daily basis TAF, METAR, spot wind etc. You will quickly pick it up, far more interesting than the book although you will need to look through it.
Some of the items which are examined you will never use and some like altimetry which does not seem to features in the exams so much is very important.
I found reading about the flight computer very painful, a chat with an instructor and one evening on nav later I was very happy with it. The key with it practise.
I would not cry off due to the weather every week (it will improve soon!), turn up anyway and make use of your instructor, there is always things you can go through, if the instructors not in the mood chat to PPL's you will pick lots of useful stuff up. (Some rubbish as well, you will soon be able to separate the useful from the rubbish)
May sound obvious but always be ready for your lesson, relax and enjoy! Don't try to rush it let it sink in! You will be better and save time and money in the long run.
Good luck with it..................
I would try and stick with the same instructor if all seems to be going well, a change or a couple of flights with a different instructor is not a bad thing though, best done later in the PPL when your happy at the controls.
The PPL exams require a bit of work, I would guess approx. 20 hours of self study on each of the 7 subjects. I would recommend signing up to the Met office web site, get the aviation weather for the airfields near you on a daily basis TAF, METAR, spot wind etc. You will quickly pick it up, far more interesting than the book although you will need to look through it.
Some of the items which are examined you will never use and some like altimetry which does not seem to features in the exams so much is very important.
I found reading about the flight computer very painful, a chat with an instructor and one evening on nav later I was very happy with it. The key with it practise.
I would not cry off due to the weather every week (it will improve soon!), turn up anyway and make use of your instructor, there is always things you can go through, if the instructors not in the mood chat to PPL's you will pick lots of useful stuff up. (Some rubbish as well, you will soon be able to separate the useful from the rubbish)
May sound obvious but always be ready for your lesson, relax and enjoy! Don't try to rush it let it sink in! You will be better and save time and money in the long run.
Good luck with it..................
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norton2005
Can I ask you a few questions?
Can I ask you a few questions?
Have you read this thread? http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=259176
(I mean already read it, not now I've mentioned it.)
Are you going to apply?
If not, why not?
Heliport(I mean already read it, not now I've mentioned it.)
Are you going to apply?
If not, why not?
Pompey till I die
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My 2c
It was the thing that suprised me about learning to fly, the sheer amount of reading that it requires.
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If there were two things I could change about Air Law in the PPL exams, they would be:
- Change the title to 'Rules of the Air' That's what they are, and many people are put off by the thought of studying 'law'. Someone told me the other day that's what the paper used to be called, but it's so long since I did my PPL exams I can't remember if that's correct.
- Remove questions about things you're highly unlikely to need to know when flying light aircraft - and, in the unlikely event that you do at some point in the future, you probably won't remember anyway. (That also applies to other PPL exams, IMHO.)
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hi norton,
i would agree with sqwkkfr...but not totally with his comments...particularly about an instructor taking exception to a student flying with another instructor...however the other reasons he/she offers are all valid....however when you have progressed it is no harm to fly with others if the need arises ( as often it does...an instructor is away or leaves )..but by and large best to stick to one. he/she knows what you have done and what you need to do ( training files can only convey so much )...and particularly your weaknesses.if you find you get on well with one person and you are learning then stay with that person at least until you are well into the course.
it happens that for one reason or another you have to fly with a different instructor on an occasion...and suddenly you find that you learn better from that one of you like his/her style more then there may be a reason to change at that stage...but its when you are more advanced and can tell the difference.
so...off with you...and enjoy..
gear up.
the dean.
i would agree with sqwkkfr...but not totally with his comments...particularly about an instructor taking exception to a student flying with another instructor...however the other reasons he/she offers are all valid....however when you have progressed it is no harm to fly with others if the need arises ( as often it does...an instructor is away or leaves )..but by and large best to stick to one. he/she knows what you have done and what you need to do ( training files can only convey so much )...and particularly your weaknesses.if you find you get on well with one person and you are learning then stay with that person at least until you are well into the course.
it happens that for one reason or another you have to fly with a different instructor on an occasion...and suddenly you find that you learn better from that one of you like his/her style more then there may be a reason to change at that stage...but its when you are more advanced and can tell the difference.
so...off with you...and enjoy..
gear up.
the dean.
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Heliport, i haden't read it before but i have now. it looks quite interesting i think i might send off an application, see what happens. a couple of things though, what are the approved schools they will send you to? and whats in it for them exactly, to be sponsoring you?
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STICK WITH THE SAME INSTRUCTOR!!!!
As an instructor there is nothing worse than trying to teach somebody who has swapped and changed so much during the course of their training.
It will cost you more and will add time to your total length as any self respecting instructor will not send you solo until he or she are sure that certain elements are upto scratch (e.g stalling)
Hope this helps and good luck.
As an instructor there is nothing worse than trying to teach somebody who has swapped and changed so much during the course of their training.
It will cost you more and will add time to your total length as any self respecting instructor will not send you solo until he or she are sure that certain elements are upto scratch (e.g stalling)
Hope this helps and good luck.
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Consistency, quality and standardisation are the most important things here, not necessarily the same instructor. The supposed benefits of sticking with the same person all of the time are often over hyped and based on opinion!
The fact is that all of the students I have know (and there have been many) have had enjoyed much benefit from some variation in FI style and methodology. All FIs should be teaching the same syllabus but there is plenty of room for 'style' differences.
Imagine, you might be staying with one FI only because it makes you feel better... however, how do you know they are the best one for you if you don't try a few others? There may be much more compatible instructors waiting around the corner.
To say that one instructor is always best and will cost you less money overall is too simplistic and at best a myth.
Ultimately, you should do what you feel comfortable with.
Have fun!
The fact is that all of the students I have know (and there have been many) have had enjoyed much benefit from some variation in FI style and methodology. All FIs should be teaching the same syllabus but there is plenty of room for 'style' differences.
Imagine, you might be staying with one FI only because it makes you feel better... however, how do you know they are the best one for you if you don't try a few others? There may be much more compatible instructors waiting around the corner.
To say that one instructor is always best and will cost you less money overall is too simplistic and at best a myth.
Ultimately, you should do what you feel comfortable with.
Have fun!
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One instructor
I not only changed my FI but also my FTO at 7 hours as I was not progressing.
New school was a revelation-I made good progress.Up to and a little beyond solo I had the same FI ( although I soloed with another FI as my 'regular' was still restricted).For the last 15hrs or so I had one or two different FI's due to no other reason than availability and felt this was beneficial.
To summarise the above waffle:If you are happy with this person then stick with them for the majority of your training but a couple of lessons with someone else later on may be of benefit. ( this will probably happen anyway if you at a place with several instructors).
Good luck with your training
MM
New school was a revelation-I made good progress.Up to and a little beyond solo I had the same FI ( although I soloed with another FI as my 'regular' was still restricted).For the last 15hrs or so I had one or two different FI's due to no other reason than availability and felt this was beneficial.
To summarise the above waffle:If you are happy with this person then stick with them for the majority of your training but a couple of lessons with someone else later on may be of benefit. ( this will probably happen anyway if you at a place with several instructors).
Good luck with your training
MM
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I learned with a very professional outfit and had around ten hours with my first instructor,he was very good and we are still friends,but I could not get a consistent landing .
The CFI took me under his wing ,we really got on together and my landings quickly improved .
I had two one hour sessions with other instructors mainly due to availability but the rest of my hours ( around 40) were with the CFI.
Unless things are definitely not right I would not like to change around because I think you form a rapport with a an instuctor and should stay with him.
Some students prefer one instructor ,others another but most importantly stick with what is working.
Good luck.
Lister
The CFI took me under his wing ,we really got on together and my landings quickly improved .
I had two one hour sessions with other instructors mainly due to availability but the rest of my hours ( around 40) were with the CFI.
Unless things are definitely not right I would not like to change around because I think you form a rapport with a an instuctor and should stay with him.
Some students prefer one instructor ,others another but most importantly stick with what is working.
Good luck.
Lister
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There really is no hard and fast rule here. I have researched this a bit for something I was doing about a year back and it is clear that you can talk to a number of different people about their experiences at FTA A and B and get very different responses. You need three things to come together, the student, the instructor, and the FTO. Any one of those not being appropriate can reduce the learning.
Sadly as individuals we are all different so require different FTOs and Instructors. The only advice worth listening to is someone who thinks and acts like you. Someone who has the same time constraints, the same learning capacity, the same attitude.
At a rough cut level you can probably pick up some pointers on where not to go but beyond that it is really difficult. If you have got something that works stick with it. The right combination is worth far more than saving even £20 an hour.
Sadly as individuals we are all different so require different FTOs and Instructors. The only advice worth listening to is someone who thinks and acts like you. Someone who has the same time constraints, the same learning capacity, the same attitude.
At a rough cut level you can probably pick up some pointers on where not to go but beyond that it is really difficult. If you have got something that works stick with it. The right combination is worth far more than saving even £20 an hour.
