Easiest Airfield to get to from Central London (without a car!)
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Harpenden
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Eagle at Luton ?
Thameslink to Luton airport Parkway, station shuttle bus, car park bus, walk a bit.
Fast train from King's Cross is pretty quick.
Pro: Good instruction, well maintained aircraft, reliable operation
Con: Not cheap, not massively pricey, but not cheap. No solo circuits at Luton (do them elsewhere, so not too bad) sometimes long waits to get back in with commercial traffic (very little waiting to depart though).
Thameslink to Luton airport Parkway, station shuttle bus, car park bus, walk a bit.
Fast train from King's Cross is pretty quick.
Pro: Good instruction, well maintained aircraft, reliable operation
Con: Not cheap, not massively pricey, but not cheap. No solo circuits at Luton (do them elsewhere, so not too bad) sometimes long waits to get back in with commercial traffic (very little waiting to depart though).
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Essex
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Damyns Hall is about 10 mins away from me. Not very big. New Helicopter training opened there.
Potentially quite easy to get to London if you could get someone to give you a quick lift to Upminster station.
From there it's 15-20 mins c2c train into Fenchurch Street.
Non motorised/public transport to station is not really an option as it's a narrow country lane into Upminster. I wouldn't recommend cycling as it's also used as a bit of a traffic beating commuter road so people hammer down there 60+ enjoying the twisties. Myself included
Potentially quite easy to get to London if you could get someone to give you a quick lift to Upminster station.
From there it's 15-20 mins c2c train into Fenchurch Street.
Non motorised/public transport to station is not really an option as it's a narrow country lane into Upminster. I wouldn't recommend cycling as it's also used as a bit of a traffic beating commuter road so people hammer down there 60+ enjoying the twisties. Myself included
Official PPRuNe Chaplain
Join Date: Apr 2001
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Liverpool Street to Rochford, bike or taxi to London Southend Airport.
There is a plan, timing I don't know, to build a railway terminal next to the field. That may, of course, drive out all the flying clubs.
You get full ATC, radar, NDB and ILS, and several clubs to choose from.
There is a plan, timing I don't know, to build a railway terminal next to the field. That may, of course, drive out all the flying clubs.
You get full ATC, radar, NDB and ILS, and several clubs to choose from.
Join Date: Jan 2001
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Stapleford
Theydon Bois on the central line is just over 3 miles from Stapleford, taxi is about £6 and a cycle ride of 10 mins so i would say that is reasonably accessible?
I had no car to drive and I had to take the tube each time to get there and then a 5' mini cab ride to the airfield. Nowadays it is easier to get a mini cab from Debden, the station before TB on the Central line.
Just call Stapleford and they'll give you the phone number to call.
On some sunny days when I got there earlier I walked all the way from TB station to the airfield. I believe it was some 45' walk through nice country roads of Essex !
I can still remember these endless hours in the tube as well as the days when I went there and got some flights canceled due to marginal weather and had to take the train back to c. London
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Stapleford
Theydon Bois on the central line is just over 3 miles from Stapleford, taxi is about £6 and a cycle ride of 10 mins so i would say that is reasonably accessible?
I had no car to drive and I had to take the tube each time to get there and then a 5' mini cab ride to the airfield. Nowadays it is easier to get a mini cab from Debden, the station before TB on the Central line.
Just call Stapleford and they'll give you the phone number to call.
On some sunny days when I got there earlier I walked all the way from TB station to the airfield. I believe it was some 45' walk through nice country roads of Essex !
I can still remember these endless hours in the tube as well as the days when I went there and got some flights canceled due to marginal weather and had to take the train back to c. London
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Join Date: Aug 2007
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I've spent hours looking at the sites and phoning round on the basis of all the reccomendations, so first off, thanks very much for all the suggestions.
just for the benefit of others reading this thread in the future, I have come to several conculsions
1. From central london (holborn) Stapleford is by far the easiest to get to - Direct on the central line - no changes - 30 mins. then cab ride.
2. I definately would like to learn on a low wing piper rather than a high wing cessna due to the visability, and (if we ever have any!) to be in the sun.
however as nothing in live is perfect i have also found the following about stapleford http://www.flysfc.com/ -
1. They dont have any 2 seater piper pa-38s
2. For the seems to be really bloody expensive in comparison to lots of the other places ive looked at (160ph dual on a piper pa-28 warrior) - is there any reason for this that I am missing?
the only reason i ask this as biggin hill schools seem to have Pa-38s availiable for between 110-120 ph - thats quite a significant difference per hour. All I can think is that the other prices at the other airfields dont include landing fees? is there anything else im missing?
just for the benefit of others reading this thread in the future, I have come to several conculsions
1. From central london (holborn) Stapleford is by far the easiest to get to - Direct on the central line - no changes - 30 mins. then cab ride.
2. I definately would like to learn on a low wing piper rather than a high wing cessna due to the visability, and (if we ever have any!) to be in the sun.
however as nothing in live is perfect i have also found the following about stapleford http://www.flysfc.com/ -
1. They dont have any 2 seater piper pa-38s
2. For the seems to be really bloody expensive in comparison to lots of the other places ive looked at (160ph dual on a piper pa-28 warrior) - is there any reason for this that I am missing?
the only reason i ask this as biggin hill schools seem to have Pa-38s availiable for between 110-120 ph - thats quite a significant difference per hour. All I can think is that the other prices at the other airfields dont include landing fees? is there anything else im missing?
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160/hour dual in a Warrior's not that bad - it's a much more expensive aircraft to operate than a Tomahawk. Perhaps you should get over your C152 prejudice (I used to have one too - I learned on the Tomahawk)...
Tim
Tim
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160 GBP per hour, it seems a little above average at first glance, but only a little.
I note that the costs at Stapleford include landing fees at Stapleford. that can be quite a saving on circuit details.
Alouette flying club are listing 7GBP per touch and go and 18GBp for a full stop.
a typical circuit detail might involve six landings in an hour. that would add about fifty quid to a one hour circuit detail.
I just looked at my log book and there's a lot of excercise 12 and 13.
A total of approximately 159 landings during the course. They weren't charged for, so I used to keep it tight and practice a lot of landing. (okay so I took a fair bit more than minimum time to pass too.)
All in all, the pounds per hour you save might be offset by landing fees.
You might want to revise your opinion of the c152, yes they are a bit cramped, but they're easy to fly and low wings have their problems too. A bit of shade can be nice in the summer.
I see that Stapleford have a Super Cub...
It might be worth checking the exact basis of the rates that are being charged. It's usually brakes off to brakes on, that will include taxi time and waiting at the hold while a load of other people have all the fun.
Some schools charge tacho hours, which are different in length to regular hours.
I've seen charges based on take off to landing plus fifteen minutes which takes care of the taxying and holding.
Holding can be particularly annoying, I recall lining up for on my GFT and realising that it had already cost me forty quid. Orbiting on return is annoying too, but at least you get a bit of practice doing maths (one two minute turn = four quid, two two minute turns = eight quid).
I note that the costs at Stapleford include landing fees at Stapleford. that can be quite a saving on circuit details.
Alouette flying club are listing 7GBP per touch and go and 18GBp for a full stop.
a typical circuit detail might involve six landings in an hour. that would add about fifty quid to a one hour circuit detail.
I just looked at my log book and there's a lot of excercise 12 and 13.
A total of approximately 159 landings during the course. They weren't charged for, so I used to keep it tight and practice a lot of landing. (okay so I took a fair bit more than minimum time to pass too.)
All in all, the pounds per hour you save might be offset by landing fees.
You might want to revise your opinion of the c152, yes they are a bit cramped, but they're easy to fly and low wings have their problems too. A bit of shade can be nice in the summer.
I see that Stapleford have a Super Cub...
It might be worth checking the exact basis of the rates that are being charged. It's usually brakes off to brakes on, that will include taxi time and waiting at the hold while a load of other people have all the fun.
Some schools charge tacho hours, which are different in length to regular hours.
I've seen charges based on take off to landing plus fifteen minutes which takes care of the taxying and holding.
Holding can be particularly annoying, I recall lining up for on my GFT and realising that it had already cost me forty quid. Orbiting on return is annoying too, but at least you get a bit of practice doing maths (one two minute turn = four quid, two two minute turns = eight quid).
Join Date: Jun 2003
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Southend
Further to the earlier response, Southend Airport is just over a mile and a half from Rochford Station, which is a very manageable distance on foot (As the line runs past the Airport perimeter - even less from a slam-door train!!). Trains from Liverpool St. are pretty regular seven days per week.
It really depends on what side of London you live in?
It really depends on what side of London you live in?
