Trial Flights in SE England
Not so N, but still FG
Join Date: May 2000
Location: London, UK
Posts: 1,417
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Don't let the weather get you down: moaning about the weather is part of pilot tradition, and new JAR regs require all PPLs to whinge about the weather at least three times a week in order to remain current and legal.. .. .There are still plenty of good flying days. Depending on how often you can take time off to fly, you can look forward to completing the PPL course, in UK weather, in something between a season and a year. It took me 11 months, which seems fairly average. Threads about flying hours show that it is perfectly possible for recreational pilots to log 50 to 150 hours a year if they are keen and have ready access to flying machines (and avoid the wicked perversions known as "playing golf", also talking to their families, doing the shopping, etc etc). . .. .As for getting committed, the only commitment comes from the enthusiasm you will (very probably) feel once you have taken a few lessons. If you don't like it, you can bin it whenever you like (assuming that you don't pay up front on a non-refundable basis, which wouldn't be a great idea in any event).. . . . <small>[ 22 March 2002, 09:45: Message edited by: FNG ]</small>
Why do it if it's not fun?
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Bournemouth
Posts: 4,779
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Chickenhawk,. .. .If you're looking for something between a trial lesson and full commitment, take a closer look at White Waltham. They generally start you off with a trial lesson, then they offer you a two-hour package at a highly discounted rate. (Or at least that's the way they did it 2 years ago when I started my PPL - I'm not aware of it having changed.) After 3 hours, you should have enough information to decide if this is what you really want to do.. .. .As for weather, someone mentioned that grass fields get waterlogged, and this is true of many fields. It doesn't seem to be the case at Waltham, though. I don't know the exact details, but apparently there was a drainage system fitted during the 2nd World War to ensure that the field could be used during wet weather. FNG might know more, he's a source of all kinds of uselss aviation information and a Waltham regular!. .. .However, you will find that you won't be able to fly in rain (unless it's extremely light), fog, mist or low clouds (until you get a little further along in your training, when you will be able to fly circuits under reasonably low cloud but won't be able to go away from the the airfield.) Obviously these conditions are far more common during winter than summer. And it will always rain non-stop when you book a week off work to go flying. Or when you're expecting to have a trial lesson, or go solo, or take your first passenger up, or take up that really fit bird from finance, or any other important flight!. .. .FFF. .--------
Not so N, but still FG
Join Date: May 2000
Location: London, UK
Posts: 1,417
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hmmmm, you may have got me there FFF....Not sure about the drainage details, but agree that the field stays usable despite wet weather. Grass is good: if God had intended light aircraft to use hard runways, he would have given us better glue for the instructor's dentures.. .. .To draw attention away from my anorak malfunction on the drainage system, I'll venture to suggest that Waltham probably did have a FIDO system during the war. Being so near the meandering part of the Thames, there are occasions (eg most sunny mornings) when it could do with still having a FIDO. Have you guessed what it is yet?
Paid my first ever visit to WW last Sunday and it took three of us a good half hour to clean the mud off. Another highlight was having some maniac in a Warrior cutting in front when I was on a half mile final - great place!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: London
Posts: 47
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I appreciate all the advice very much. I will let you know in due course how it goes - within a couple of months I hope to have made a choice and a start towards my ppl.
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: SW London
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well, after some consideration, it will be either Denham or (probably) White Waltham.
Just to make things more difficult I am planning to cycle from Fulham/Chelsea to my chosen field... White Waltham is doable (Thames path) as is Denham (Grand Union Canal towpath!!).
Must admit I havent seen too many happy faces at White Waltham yet... maybe they are waiting for me to flash the plastic or maybe the ride from London made me look a bit scary...
.
By the way the Chickenhawk name seems to have gone AWOL in the above pre-changeover post.
Just to make things more difficult I am planning to cycle from Fulham/Chelsea to my chosen field... White Waltham is doable (Thames path) as is Denham (Grand Union Canal towpath!!).
Must admit I havent seen too many happy faces at White Waltham yet... maybe they are waiting for me to flash the plastic or maybe the ride from London made me look a bit scary...
.By the way the Chickenhawk name seems to have gone AWOL in the above pre-changeover post.
Last edited by Chickenhawk66; 9th May 2002 at 00:23.
