Which Flying School?

[Mr Pax]

I have a freind who wants to buy her Husband flying lessons for his birthday and she has asked me to find out some details, she lives in the Cranfield Bedfordshire area and has already had one quote for £5899 this is what has been quoted for,
"The JAR PPL licence Including 45 hours training, briefing, Cranfield landing fees, & all 7 CAA written exam fees/In addition he will receive: Free 12-month Club Membership, a Pilots Logbook, PA38 Aircraft Checklist, HandlNotes Volume 1 Flight Training Manual, Free Access to the Flight Simulator & Training DVDs "
Is this a good deal or are there any other flying schools in the Bedfordshire area that anyone can recommend?
Any help with this would be appreciated.

Thanks

MP

[airpolice]

Flying school advice.

DO NOT Pay up front.

DO NOT Pay up front.

DO NOT Pay up front.

DO NOT Pay up front.

DO NOT Pay up front.

DO NOT Pay up front.

DO NOT Pay up front.

DO NOT Pay up front.

DO NOT Pay up front.

And, most importantly, DO NOT Pay up front.

[ak7274]

I wouldn't pay up front if I was you.

[RTN11]

If they are asking for all that up front, I would run a mile. Should the school enter any financial difficulty with £5k of your money, you'll never see that money again.

If it's an hourly rate at £131 an hour, that's pretty good. Things they haven't included:

Full student ground pack about £200
Medical, about £100
test about £300
licence issue £150
radio practical, £150?
Petrol to and from the airfield, including wasted trips when the weather wasn't good enough...?

Plus the fact the average PPL is more like 50-60 hours, so whatever the hourly rate is after your initial 45 hours.

[Genghis the Engineer]

Here's one recommendation.

I've done a few bits of training with them - small, a little basic, but affordable and professional where it actually matters.

And they've never asked me to pay up front, although looking on their website they do seem to do something paying about 6 hours at a time - which I'm certain isn't essential.

G

[cirrusdancer]

I can also vouch for Genghis the Engineer's recommendation. Did my NPPL with them and found all the instructors a good bunch, though I did 99% of my training with one guy.

The instalment system gives you a discount for a small exposure to some risk, no refunds though .

Good luck whatever you do.

[mrmum]

DO NOT Pay up front.
DO NOT Pay up front.
DO NOT Pay up front.
DO NOT Pay up front.
DO NOT Pay up front.
DO NOT Pay up front.
DO NOT Pay up front.
DO NOT Pay up front.
DO NOT Pay up front.
And, most importantly, DO NOT Pay up front.

However, should your friend choose to ignore this advice, at least put some of it on a credit card See other threads about flying schools going bust.

[The500man]

If it includes all landing fees that is a good price. Usually schoools will quote an unrealistic number of landings/ circuits in the price and then charge you when you go over that. Check out what the airfield charges for circuits/ landings. It's definitely something to be mindful of.

test about £300
licence issue £150
radio practical, £150?

Closer to £450 for test, £180 for license issue and maybe only £50 for r/t practical.

[Miroku]

If it's not too far I'd suggest you speak to Turweston.

[mrmum]

Closer to £450 for test,

WOW! Is that what FE's are charging for a PPL(A) skill test round London? I presume that you are not including aircraft costs in that as the OP had a block price for a PPL on minimums, which would include doing the skill test within the 45 hours.

[Obi_Wan]

Hourly fees

I'm not paying up front, and I'm paying the school less than 130 per hour to fly from a very nice length of tarmac
but then I do fly in East Anglia...

[Genghis the Engineer]

Originally Posted by mrmum

WOW! Is that what FE's are charging for a PPL(A) skill test round London? I presume that you are not including aircraft costs in that as the OP had a block price for a PPL on minimums, which would include doing the skill test within the 45 hours.

No, that's likely to include the aircraft.

G

[McGoonagall]

I have no financial interest in these chaps.

http://www.exodusairsports.co.uk/

I had a wander down to look at the set up and was very pleased. Perhaps a NPPL(M) on the Eurostar at £115 per hour may be the way to start? Friendly bunch and the NPPL(M) can always be converted into an (A) at a later date.

[thing]

Closer to £450 for test

Crikey, glad I don't live down your way.

[7of9]

Quote:
Closer to £450 for test
Crikey, glad I don't live down your way.

Me Too!! I paid £200 for the test then aircraft hire on top.

DO NOT Pay up front.

DO NOT Pay up front.

DO NOT Pay up front.

DO NOT Pay up front.

DO NOT Pay up front.

DO NOT Pay up front.

DO NOT Pay up front.

DO NOT Pay up front.

DO NOT Pay up front.

And, most importantly, DO NOT Pay up front.

I fell into this trap 2 years ago when learning, he buggered off with £400 of my money saying he had gone into liquidation!! in all i heard he went with £36000 of members money & 6 months later he was at another airfield starting again!!!! As if nothing had happened..............

[The500man]

Sorry yes I was including aircraft hire, I thought you guys were too! FE's charge about £175 down my way. The test is about 2 hours so going on a typical rate of £130 p/hr that's £260 + £175 = £435. Add a few circuits and there's your £450.

I wouldn't expect the school package to include a/c hire for the test in the price. The OP did say:

JAR PPL licence Including 45 hours training

[pitofrost]

"Here's one recommendation.

I've done a few bits of training with them - small, a little basic, but affordable and professional where it actually matters.

And they've never asked me to pay up front, although looking on their website they do seem to do something paying about 6 hours at a time - which I'm certain isn't essential.

G"


Have just finished my PPL with Billins and I can't recommend them highly enough. I shopped around at Cranfield before going with Richard and must say they have been excellent. And you get free sweets...

[L'aviateur]

With regards the earlier comments about paying up front. Many of the schools will offer discounts for pre-paid packages. These can be worth looking at, but often exclude tests costs and include only the minimum hours. The pre paid packages can benefit you when the price of fuel rises.
Essentially the biggest problem is that every year a few flying schools seem to go into liquidation.
The only way to prevent yourself being at financial risk is to pay using a credit card (or a visa debit) who will refund you should anything happen. I once lost about 600 hundred pounds when a flying school went down, I called my credit card company and they refunded the entire 1000 pound initial payment that i'd put down.

When choosing a school, it's important to find one thats accessible, with instructors that the student is comfortable with and where they feel happy learning.

[Mr Pax]

Thanks to everyone for there help, it looks as though it might be Billins and she says she definitely won't be paying up front.
Happy Flying and thanks again.

MP