Just done PPL at EFT
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Just done PPL at EFT
I returned back from EFT on Monday after having completed my PPL in just 18 days!! I thought I'd share my experience of the Academy and indeed flying in Florida, and seeing as the topic of flying at EFT, OFT, OBA etc is a much discussed and debated issue I figured many of you would be very interested to hear of my experiences.
Also, I will try and give a complete overview of the whole process as believe me, it's not just about going to America and flying. You have to jump through many hoops to get your Visa, TSA clearances etc etc and this is something you must be aware of.
So where do I start. Well, originally I had booked myself to go out to OBA for my training. After receiving notification that my i20 form was in the post I started running searches on the web for feedback on this FTO and I was shocked to find so much negative feedback about the school. Now, I'm a realist and after doing more research about this, and after having spoken with OBA about my concerns I realised that much of this was probably down to the individuals who may have not shown the commitment and hard work required to complete a PPL in such a short period of time. However, I also know that there usually isn't smoke without some amount of fire so I started looking into other FTO's and made the call to EFT.
Right from that very first phone call I was impressed and felt more relaxed about EFT as my training provider. Mathew Adams, Assistant Chief Flying Instructor, was extremely helpful and professional and took the time to talk me through everything I needed to know. Over the next few days I made more phone calls to the school as and when new questions came up and each time my queries were dealt with professionally. I also spoke to Trevor Brackston who owns EFT, and Ian Poll, Chief Flying Instructor (he also did my Skills test), all of which were great and took the time to answer my questions and provide advice.
Decision made, I booked with EFT and paid my $500 deposit.
Within 2 days my i20 form had arrived from EFT (the i20 still hadn't arrived from OBA at this point!). This is the form you need to complete and take with you to get your Visa and TSA clearances. Once this is completed and you have applied for the Visa you are then bound to that FTO and your Visa will only allow you entrance to the USA on the basis that you will be permanently bound to that FTO during the period of your stay.
Now, usually you will get your Visa sorted and will then go for your TSA clearances once you arrive in the USA, and I believe this is part of the package deal that you get from the school. However, this process can take about 3 days before you get approval from the TSA to train, and so I wanted to jump start things and actually got my TSA approval done in the UK, at Farnborough airport. This had an additional cost of £170 (If I remember correctly) but meant I was able to get flying as soon as I arrived in the USA. What I will say is that getting your Visa and TSA clearances is a pain in the arse and takes ages to go through all the online forms, get the appointments booked in etc, and also costs a lot of money too (£300 to £400) so make sure you think about all of this, are organised ahead of time and get it done so that you can concentrate on the other more important things, flying and study.
So onto the actual bit you all wanna know about. Learning to fly at EFT. I arrived late on a Thursday night and was due to start flying on the Friday (without TSA clearance this would have been Monday at the earliest). The Academy looked nice and I was impressed by the accommodation which was large and clean, and more importantly was onsite at the airfield. To give you some idea it took me about 40 seconds to walk into the Academy and through to the Apron with all the planes. This was a big plus and you are given access to the Academy 24hrs a day and are allowed to go out to the planes whenever you want. I spent many a very late evening sitting in the PA28 going through my Engine Failure drills and running through other checklists to commit them to memory. This was a massive plus point for me.
Also, the Academy buildings were very nice, clean, professional outfits with a great free use study area with online computers etc etc, so all in all the facilities were excellent. Also, just across from the Academy was a Tiki restaurant (good food) and a PartsMart where you could buy your headset, pilots uniform, pens, kneeboards etc etc. Everything right where you need it!
So as I said, I was due to fly on the Friday. To my horror there was a problem with the plane that I was booked on and the flight was cancelled. I was very tired from the jet lag and this made me panic as it was not the start I was hoping for. Something else I didn't mention yet was that I had only 3 weeks 4 days to complete my course as my company would not allow me any more holiday! I was under pressure the whole way! However, I needn't have panicked as the maintenance team at EFT are awesome and get planes up and running in no time at all. We used the Friday for flight briefing and were booked in for the first flight on the Saturday now.
Once we got that first flight done on the Saturday things just seemed to fly by and I managed to get nearly 2 flights done every day. My instructor, Anders Waerling, was awesome and worked his ass off to get me through the course. He even came in on Sundays so we could keep flying and this made a massive difference. If you do go to EFT and get Anders as your instructor you're in very safe hands indeed. To be honest, as far as I could see all of the instructors were bloody brilliant, and they will all take the time to talk with you, help you with problems or questions and I have to say that by the end of my time I knew many of them very well and would consider them as very good friends. Look out for the Danish crew, Anders, Thomas Jensen, Martin, and Ronni. I think they're planning to take over the school and rename it DFT! :-)
Onto the planes. Well, as to be expected they're not brand new shiny things. On the contrary they look a little old, tired and battered, which might have something to do with the fact they are being hammered left right and centre by many different students day in day out. However, as previously mentioned the maintenance team are superb and do an amazing job of repairing and maintaining the planes every day. Some very clever guys indeed when you consider they are working on Cessna's, Piper's, Beech Duchess's etc etc. Also, the instructors are not silly and will not fly a plane if they are aware of an issue just because they have a student nagging them. They are very safety conscious and will have planes checked out before getting airborne if they feel it necessary.
Well I think I've given a pretty good overview of the facilities and instructors now, so onto doing an intensive PPL course in at EFT in Florida, or any other place in the USA for that matter. 'INTENSIVE' is the right word!!! DO NOT think it will be anything close to a holiday and DO NOT part with your cash if you are not prepared to work your ass of to get through the course. The instructors are not there to carry you and if you are not going to commit 100% of everything you have then you run the risk of not getting through. To give you some idea, I completed the course in 18 days, way ahead of schedule but during my stay there I did not leave the campus, other than to do my food shopping and drive to Starbucks for a well earned coffee here and there. When I had flights scheduled for 7am I was at the Academy by 6am doing my mass and balance calculations and pre-flighting the plane so that we were ready to fly at 7am on the dot. I was NEVER late for any briefing or flight and when I wasn't flying I was studying the Flying Training Book by Jeremy Pratt so that I knew what the next lesson would involve. If I had a Navigation flight I spent the evening before hand planning my routes and getting my PLOGs filled out and ready. I think you get the idea that this was HARD, and I mean HARD work. I was not there to play games or relax, I had paid lots of money and had a job to do. Because of my hard work and commitment my instructor showed me lots of respect and hard work and commitment too, and as a result we managed to get through the course.
I would easily say that this was one of the hardest and most stressful things I have ever done, and at times I didn't know if we could do it, but the hard work paid off and this was also easily the most incredible and rewarding things I have ever done.
Something else to bear in mind is that I had completed 6 of the 7 theory tests before I went. I would say that this is a must if you want to be able to focus on the flying and reduce your stress levels while you are there. The theory stuff takes up time so GET THEM DONE in the UK and you will have a huge headstart.
Sadly I heard stories of people who didn't get through but I was told that these were the people who didn't turn up to some lessons, were out drinking or partying during the week, and clearly weren't focused or driven. I find this astonishing, particularly when you consider the cost of these course. So if you are considering a PPL in Florida please do realise that it is very hard work and very exhausting too. If you put the time in your will reap the benefits and get through.
EFT is a fantastic FTO and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone, as long as you are prepared to work and are fully aware of what is involved.
All in all, a superb experience and you will thoroughly enjoy your training at EFT.
Also, I will try and give a complete overview of the whole process as believe me, it's not just about going to America and flying. You have to jump through many hoops to get your Visa, TSA clearances etc etc and this is something you must be aware of.
So where do I start. Well, originally I had booked myself to go out to OBA for my training. After receiving notification that my i20 form was in the post I started running searches on the web for feedback on this FTO and I was shocked to find so much negative feedback about the school. Now, I'm a realist and after doing more research about this, and after having spoken with OBA about my concerns I realised that much of this was probably down to the individuals who may have not shown the commitment and hard work required to complete a PPL in such a short period of time. However, I also know that there usually isn't smoke without some amount of fire so I started looking into other FTO's and made the call to EFT.
Right from that very first phone call I was impressed and felt more relaxed about EFT as my training provider. Mathew Adams, Assistant Chief Flying Instructor, was extremely helpful and professional and took the time to talk me through everything I needed to know. Over the next few days I made more phone calls to the school as and when new questions came up and each time my queries were dealt with professionally. I also spoke to Trevor Brackston who owns EFT, and Ian Poll, Chief Flying Instructor (he also did my Skills test), all of which were great and took the time to answer my questions and provide advice.
Decision made, I booked with EFT and paid my $500 deposit.
Within 2 days my i20 form had arrived from EFT (the i20 still hadn't arrived from OBA at this point!). This is the form you need to complete and take with you to get your Visa and TSA clearances. Once this is completed and you have applied for the Visa you are then bound to that FTO and your Visa will only allow you entrance to the USA on the basis that you will be permanently bound to that FTO during the period of your stay.
Now, usually you will get your Visa sorted and will then go for your TSA clearances once you arrive in the USA, and I believe this is part of the package deal that you get from the school. However, this process can take about 3 days before you get approval from the TSA to train, and so I wanted to jump start things and actually got my TSA approval done in the UK, at Farnborough airport. This had an additional cost of £170 (If I remember correctly) but meant I was able to get flying as soon as I arrived in the USA. What I will say is that getting your Visa and TSA clearances is a pain in the arse and takes ages to go through all the online forms, get the appointments booked in etc, and also costs a lot of money too (£300 to £400) so make sure you think about all of this, are organised ahead of time and get it done so that you can concentrate on the other more important things, flying and study.
So onto the actual bit you all wanna know about. Learning to fly at EFT. I arrived late on a Thursday night and was due to start flying on the Friday (without TSA clearance this would have been Monday at the earliest). The Academy looked nice and I was impressed by the accommodation which was large and clean, and more importantly was onsite at the airfield. To give you some idea it took me about 40 seconds to walk into the Academy and through to the Apron with all the planes. This was a big plus and you are given access to the Academy 24hrs a day and are allowed to go out to the planes whenever you want. I spent many a very late evening sitting in the PA28 going through my Engine Failure drills and running through other checklists to commit them to memory. This was a massive plus point for me.
Also, the Academy buildings were very nice, clean, professional outfits with a great free use study area with online computers etc etc, so all in all the facilities were excellent. Also, just across from the Academy was a Tiki restaurant (good food) and a PartsMart where you could buy your headset, pilots uniform, pens, kneeboards etc etc. Everything right where you need it!
So as I said, I was due to fly on the Friday. To my horror there was a problem with the plane that I was booked on and the flight was cancelled. I was very tired from the jet lag and this made me panic as it was not the start I was hoping for. Something else I didn't mention yet was that I had only 3 weeks 4 days to complete my course as my company would not allow me any more holiday! I was under pressure the whole way! However, I needn't have panicked as the maintenance team at EFT are awesome and get planes up and running in no time at all. We used the Friday for flight briefing and were booked in for the first flight on the Saturday now.
Once we got that first flight done on the Saturday things just seemed to fly by and I managed to get nearly 2 flights done every day. My instructor, Anders Waerling, was awesome and worked his ass off to get me through the course. He even came in on Sundays so we could keep flying and this made a massive difference. If you do go to EFT and get Anders as your instructor you're in very safe hands indeed. To be honest, as far as I could see all of the instructors were bloody brilliant, and they will all take the time to talk with you, help you with problems or questions and I have to say that by the end of my time I knew many of them very well and would consider them as very good friends. Look out for the Danish crew, Anders, Thomas Jensen, Martin, and Ronni. I think they're planning to take over the school and rename it DFT! :-)
Onto the planes. Well, as to be expected they're not brand new shiny things. On the contrary they look a little old, tired and battered, which might have something to do with the fact they are being hammered left right and centre by many different students day in day out. However, as previously mentioned the maintenance team are superb and do an amazing job of repairing and maintaining the planes every day. Some very clever guys indeed when you consider they are working on Cessna's, Piper's, Beech Duchess's etc etc. Also, the instructors are not silly and will not fly a plane if they are aware of an issue just because they have a student nagging them. They are very safety conscious and will have planes checked out before getting airborne if they feel it necessary.
Well I think I've given a pretty good overview of the facilities and instructors now, so onto doing an intensive PPL course in at EFT in Florida, or any other place in the USA for that matter. 'INTENSIVE' is the right word!!! DO NOT think it will be anything close to a holiday and DO NOT part with your cash if you are not prepared to work your ass of to get through the course. The instructors are not there to carry you and if you are not going to commit 100% of everything you have then you run the risk of not getting through. To give you some idea, I completed the course in 18 days, way ahead of schedule but during my stay there I did not leave the campus, other than to do my food shopping and drive to Starbucks for a well earned coffee here and there. When I had flights scheduled for 7am I was at the Academy by 6am doing my mass and balance calculations and pre-flighting the plane so that we were ready to fly at 7am on the dot. I was NEVER late for any briefing or flight and when I wasn't flying I was studying the Flying Training Book by Jeremy Pratt so that I knew what the next lesson would involve. If I had a Navigation flight I spent the evening before hand planning my routes and getting my PLOGs filled out and ready. I think you get the idea that this was HARD, and I mean HARD work. I was not there to play games or relax, I had paid lots of money and had a job to do. Because of my hard work and commitment my instructor showed me lots of respect and hard work and commitment too, and as a result we managed to get through the course.
I would easily say that this was one of the hardest and most stressful things I have ever done, and at times I didn't know if we could do it, but the hard work paid off and this was also easily the most incredible and rewarding things I have ever done.
Something else to bear in mind is that I had completed 6 of the 7 theory tests before I went. I would say that this is a must if you want to be able to focus on the flying and reduce your stress levels while you are there. The theory stuff takes up time so GET THEM DONE in the UK and you will have a huge headstart.
Sadly I heard stories of people who didn't get through but I was told that these were the people who didn't turn up to some lessons, were out drinking or partying during the week, and clearly weren't focused or driven. I find this astonishing, particularly when you consider the cost of these course. So if you are considering a PPL in Florida please do realise that it is very hard work and very exhausting too. If you put the time in your will reap the benefits and get through.
EFT is a fantastic FTO and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone, as long as you are prepared to work and are fully aware of what is involved.
All in all, a superb experience and you will thoroughly enjoy your training at EFT.
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Forgot to mention that I also did the Night Qualification too which was just incredible. Shame there's practically no night flying in the UK this time of year. GA in the UK really does suck.
However, I did my check ride at Shoreham yesterday on the PA28D FADEC which was great so any Shoreham goers who wanna share flights let me know.
However, I did my check ride at Shoreham yesterday on the PA28D FADEC which was great so any Shoreham goers who wanna share flights let me know.
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Great post
Very interesting. I, originally, was booked to learn to fly with OBA but due to a software project overrun, couldn't get out and opted to do my PPL in the UK.
I've often thought it would be impossible to go from nothing to PPL in 21 days, as promised by OBA. I think, just getting the exams done, in 14 days even with ground school would be difficult enough but maybe possible. Leaving around 7 days to go from 0 -> 45 which would just be insanely difficult.
I guess somebody has done nothing to 45 in 21 days before, but they would be doing nothing else but that 18 hours a day / 7 days a week.
0 to 45 and skills test, does seem possible if you have the exams done, but you must have absolutely worked your butt off to get there. Well done! Not software engineer are you by any chance ? My company is always looking to recruit hardworking chaps like you!
I've often thought it would be impossible to go from nothing to PPL in 21 days, as promised by OBA. I think, just getting the exams done, in 14 days even with ground school would be difficult enough but maybe possible. Leaving around 7 days to go from 0 -> 45 which would just be insanely difficult.
I guess somebody has done nothing to 45 in 21 days before, but they would be doing nothing else but that 18 hours a day / 7 days a week.
0 to 45 and skills test, does seem possible if you have the exams done, but you must have absolutely worked your butt off to get there. Well done! Not software engineer are you by any chance ? My company is always looking to recruit hardworking chaps like you!
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Interesting you should ask. I was a software engineer for the company I work for but it wouldn't be the type of software that your company would be involved with. I'm now a Sales Manager at my company.
I did indeed work my butt off, and I think that if you get lucky with the weather and maintenance issues, and are prepared to work very hard a 21 day PPL is possible.
I did indeed work my butt off, and I think that if you get lucky with the weather and maintenance issues, and are prepared to work very hard a 21 day PPL is possible.
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Congratulations ct8282, and what a cool story. I think you might have just sold EFT to me, even though I was going to do my PPL in the UK.
I thought the accommodation was shared houses at EFT? Did you hire a car or did they give you one to use?
I think its kinda scary to think its possible to do a PPL in 21 days - many people would struggle to pass their driving test in that time!!
I thought the accommodation was shared houses at EFT? Did you hire a car or did they give you one to use?
I think its kinda scary to think its possible to do a PPL in 21 days - many people would struggle to pass their driving test in that time!!
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Congrats on passing in such a short time - you really must have worked hard at it. And also for sharing your experience here too.
What I'd be most interested in is how you find the next stage - familiarisation with UK radio procedures, weather etc. There are various claims about how long it takes to reach the same level of confidence with UK flying as you now have with US.
It would be great if you could post an update in a few months time about this and let us know how you've got on - I've seen several reports from those attaining their PPL in the US, but few followups.
SD
What I'd be most interested in is how you find the next stage - familiarisation with UK radio procedures, weather etc. There are various claims about how long it takes to reach the same level of confidence with UK flying as you now have with US.
It would be great if you could post an update in a few months time about this and let us know how you've got on - I've seen several reports from those attaining their PPL in the US, but few followups.
SD
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The accommodation is shared from the point of view that you have a communal lounge and kitchen area, but you have your own massive room with en suite bathroom and toilet facilities so I'd class it as own accommodation myself. And to be honest I absolutely loved all of my house mates and we all got on very well. Also we were all there to help each other and share ideas and advice.
We did indeed have a car too which is part of the package. We had 4 people sharing our car and basically just put in your own fuel each time you used it. We often shared journeys to Walmart for shopping etc.
So onto migrating into the British way of doing things. I had my check ride at Shoreham yesterday on the PA28D FADEC. Whilst the radio was different, I wouldn't say it was frightening at all. It will take me a few flights to get used to it but apart from that I would say I'm confident enough to go flying here already. However, I will have a couple more lessons mainly to get me used to things such as the 'overhead' join which of course they don't do in the states. However, I do already feel confident enough to fly here solo and will just put a bit of study time to swat up with these differences before I fly solo here for the first time.
I will defo keep you posted.
We did indeed have a car too which is part of the package. We had 4 people sharing our car and basically just put in your own fuel each time you used it. We often shared journeys to Walmart for shopping etc.
So onto migrating into the British way of doing things. I had my check ride at Shoreham yesterday on the PA28D FADEC. Whilst the radio was different, I wouldn't say it was frightening at all. It will take me a few flights to get used to it but apart from that I would say I'm confident enough to go flying here already. However, I will have a couple more lessons mainly to get me used to things such as the 'overhead' join which of course they don't do in the states. However, I do already feel confident enough to fly here solo and will just put a bit of study time to swat up with these differences before I fly solo here for the first time.
I will defo keep you posted.
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congratulations ct8282!
I wanted to do the same thing when I still lived in the UK last year - I only managed to get up to 20 something hours and now live in New Zealand.
A busy job, busy family life and lack of holidays are now preventing me from doing my PPL training as quickly as I would like - to be honest, I'm getting quite frustrated that it has taken me about 2 years now to accumulate around 25 hours. I won't give up though but wish that I had done an intensive course too when I had the opportunity to do so.
Speaking of which - Once I have more time again - would it be possible for me to do something similar in the U.S (finish my ppl) and then convert my license when I'm back here in NZ? Or maybe I should consider Australia?
I know that New Zealand don't have JAA licenses so going to the US may be a waste of time - thinking out loud - I just reckon the weather in NZ can be as bad as the UK so an intensive course over here would not really be as guaranteed as other places.
Sorry for asking questions in your thread ... but to return to your post - I think you have done the right thing and wish I had done the same - congratulations once again!
Vabsie
I wanted to do the same thing when I still lived in the UK last year - I only managed to get up to 20 something hours and now live in New Zealand.
A busy job, busy family life and lack of holidays are now preventing me from doing my PPL training as quickly as I would like - to be honest, I'm getting quite frustrated that it has taken me about 2 years now to accumulate around 25 hours. I won't give up though but wish that I had done an intensive course too when I had the opportunity to do so.
Speaking of which - Once I have more time again - would it be possible for me to do something similar in the U.S (finish my ppl) and then convert my license when I'm back here in NZ? Or maybe I should consider Australia?
I know that New Zealand don't have JAA licenses so going to the US may be a waste of time - thinking out loud - I just reckon the weather in NZ can be as bad as the UK so an intensive course over here would not really be as guaranteed as other places.
Sorry for asking questions in your thread ... but to return to your post - I think you have done the right thing and wish I had done the same - congratulations once again!
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Great post ct8282! If I wasn't already so far through the PPL course in the UK I'd strongly consider going out to EFT.
Big respect for completing the course in 18 days, that shows some real self-discipline and determination. I think you should be proud of yourself.
Big respect for completing the course in 18 days, that shows some real self-discipline and determination. I think you should be proud of yourself.
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I found that a very interesting post from a couple of angles. Having read previous advice on here about the US route to PPL, I would certainly heed the notes about taking exams prior to travel, but for myself, would allow many more days for the aerial learning! 
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I would echo ct's comments. I found the attitude of my US training school as highly positive compared with my experience in the UK. They knew I was there for a limited time and wanted me to get a licence. Therefore they were geared up to the whole process. In the UK the approach was half hearted, there was no pressure to pass exams.
Like ct we shared reasonable accommodation so there was peer pressure to study. The discussions at night were about flying, the quality of the aeroplanes and the instructors. It would not have been a trip to take a wife/husband/partner unless they were of like mind.
Unfortunately the school I trained with no longer trades but there are plenty more out there.
Folk here say that the Florida weather is too good but it wasn't. There were proper cold fronts going through, so plenty of winds, clouds and thunderstorms. Also there were fires all over Florida which reduced visibility to UK levels.
I had a lapsed PPL so I did know what to expect but as an experience it was enjoyable, economical and worthwhile. Highly recommended.
Like ct we shared reasonable accommodation so there was peer pressure to study. The discussions at night were about flying, the quality of the aeroplanes and the instructors. It would not have been a trip to take a wife/husband/partner unless they were of like mind.
Unfortunately the school I trained with no longer trades but there are plenty more out there.
Folk here say that the Florida weather is too good but it wasn't. There were proper cold fronts going through, so plenty of winds, clouds and thunderstorms. Also there were fires all over Florida which reduced visibility to UK levels.
I had a lapsed PPL so I did know what to expect but as an experience it was enjoyable, economical and worthwhile. Highly recommended.
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Wise words from many there. If I was to do it all over again I would probably want to allow at least 4 but preferably 5 weeks to do a PPL, and thats without the theory too. This way you would have the odd day here and there to relax and soak it all up, and also would have spare days in case any flying was cancelled due to bad weather or maintenance issues.
In regards to the weather, we had 6 awesome storms while I was out there, and a tornado just 3 or 4 miles away which we watched, and I can assure you all that some of my flying was rough and bumpy, and we had some pretty good cross winds to deal with so I would say it does give you a taste of what to expect in the UK aviation bag.
I would definitely agree that the attitude to flying out there is very positive indeed, and the extra freedom you have with regards to landing at other airfields, and night flying makes the whole experience totally worthwhile. I was disappointed to learn that there is practically no night flying in the UK until winter as most aerodromes close. In the USA you can practically land where you like, and when I was flying down to Stuart International (which was closed) at about 11:45pm I tuned in the Control Tower frequency, pressed my PTT button 7 times and the entire airport just iluminated for me like a giant Christmas Tree. It was one of the most incredible experiences of my life and something you would never see here. I landed my little PA28 at this huge airport, taxiied about and then took off and went on my merry way. AWESOME.
In regards to the weather, we had 6 awesome storms while I was out there, and a tornado just 3 or 4 miles away which we watched, and I can assure you all that some of my flying was rough and bumpy, and we had some pretty good cross winds to deal with so I would say it does give you a taste of what to expect in the UK aviation bag.
I would definitely agree that the attitude to flying out there is very positive indeed, and the extra freedom you have with regards to landing at other airfields, and night flying makes the whole experience totally worthwhile. I was disappointed to learn that there is practically no night flying in the UK until winter as most aerodromes close. In the USA you can practically land where you like, and when I was flying down to Stuart International (which was closed) at about 11:45pm I tuned in the Control Tower frequency, pressed my PTT button 7 times and the entire airport just iluminated for me like a giant Christmas Tree. It was one of the most incredible experiences of my life and something you would never see here. I landed my little PA28 at this huge airport, taxiied about and then took off and went on my merry way. AWESOME.
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PPL in Florida
Congratulations ct8282.
I did my PPL earlier this year at OBA in Florida, and had the time of my life.
I allowed 28 days, and needed them all to complete the course. I agree with your comments about doing the theory in the UK (I did 5 exams before going to the States). Since my return, I have done a few hours with Instructors, both in the UK and Portugal, to get familiar with the differences, in aircraft (C152 and TB9 as I trained on PA28's) and R/T. Had one solo trip (well me and a friend), and hope to do more in the near future. Been thwarted by the weather more than once.
Would definately recommend the trip to anyone who can afford the time.
I did my PPL earlier this year at OBA in Florida, and had the time of my life.
I allowed 28 days, and needed them all to complete the course. I agree with your comments about doing the theory in the UK (I did 5 exams before going to the States). Since my return, I have done a few hours with Instructors, both in the UK and Portugal, to get familiar with the differences, in aircraft (C152 and TB9 as I trained on PA28's) and R/T. Had one solo trip (well me and a friend), and hope to do more in the near future. Been thwarted by the weather more than once.
Would definately recommend the trip to anyone who can afford the time.
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Join Date: Feb 2011
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A valid point. I guess in summary I just need to move to the USA. The freedom and attitude towards GA in America is just so much more positive.
And I'm feeling a little ticked off right now as I've just been robbed of £270 by the CAA so that they can provide me with a license and Night rating. :-(
And I'm feeling a little ticked off right now as I've just been robbed of £270 by the CAA so that they can provide me with a license and Night rating. :-(
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Newfound Glory - you are kind of correct. To get your night rating you need to do 3 hours of dual flight training at night, and 2 hours of solo flying including a nav/cross country flight.
Solcal - not correct. The CAA charge £87 for the night rating as a seperate service. I applied for both licenses at once and certainly did not receive any saving as a result. The PPL cost me £181, so all in all they stung me for £268. Gutted.
Solcal - not correct. The CAA charge £87 for the night rating as a seperate service. I applied for both licenses at once and certainly did not receive any saving as a result. The PPL cost me £181, so all in all they stung me for £268. Gutted.
Join Date: Apr 2011
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Newfound Glory - you are kind of correct. To get your night rating you need to do 3 hours of dual flight training at night, and 2 hours of solo flying including a nav/cross country flight.
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Newfoundglory - As Solcal states this can be done as part of the total 45 hours requirement to achieve the PPL.
However, I've realised that in this pants country we live in there's really no point in doing a Night Qual as you can't exercise the privelages of this license anywhere until winter anyway. Man the UK sucks!
However, I've realised that in this pants country we live in there's really no point in doing a Night Qual as you can't exercise the privelages of this license anywhere until winter anyway. Man the UK sucks!
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Firstly well done on your achievement, sounds like you worked hard but enjoyed it.
Don't be too hard on the night rating, it is worth it just for the flights around bonfire night in November. To take off and see the whole of the south east of the UK exploding with fireworks is fantastic! As you can see for miles at night and everything looks closer you can choose the next firework display to fly to, and then the next etc.. Great fun, I highly recommend it.
The night rating is not just for flying at night, there were many times when we would fly in from France late in the day and it was good to know we were legal to get in at or after dusk.
On the flip side to not having official night at the moment till after everywhere is closed, it means that you have many more daylight hours to fly around!
Don't be too hard on the night rating, it is worth it just for the flights around bonfire night in November. To take off and see the whole of the south east of the UK exploding with fireworks is fantastic! As you can see for miles at night and everything looks closer you can choose the next firework display to fly to, and then the next etc.. Great fun, I highly recommend it.
The night rating is not just for flying at night, there were many times when we would fly in from France late in the day and it was good to know we were legal to get in at or after dusk.
On the flip side to not having official night at the moment till after everywhere is closed, it means that you have many more daylight hours to fly around!