Rant time

[Ianp83]

Lesson cancelled...again...due to weather. It's so frustrating. It's taken me a year to do my PPL as I'm working f/t, the stupid Olympic restrictions ruined the best 6 weeks of weather last year and the shtty weather has ruined 50% of my other planned lessons.

I'm at 41.5 hrs and have been since November.

Time to move overseas I think.....

Aaaaaargh!

[localflighteast]

Overseas ain't much better
Until yesterday I hadn't soloed since October due to weather

Winter is meant to be good flying weather here but warmer winters mean that the lake isn't freezing so the weather isn't stable !

Crappy lake effect

[Johnm]

You should worry, I'm supposed to be in the Channel Islands but had to blow out yesterday due fog and today due icing risks.

[Tom the eagle]

Clubs are all finding it tough at the moment. If it wasnt the olympics, it was the dreadful summer- the wettest for 100 years, then the snow, now low clouds.

Surprised more clubs havent folded!.

Lets all hope for a summer like 1976!

Surely we are due one???????

[Ianp83]

The one glimmer of light.....at least I can enjoy a beer with the rugby now.

Most annoying for me is that this is the last chance I had to finish my night rating. I need 90mins and my school only do it for another 2 weeks and I'm away for that!!

[Gertrude the Wombat]

Lets all hope for a summer like 1976!

Be careful what you wish for. That summer I acquired hay fever and an allergy to cats, both of which I'd be happier without.

[RTN11]

Everyone feels this way at some point. Going abroad may sound a good idea, but when you get back it's still the UK weather and airspace you have to contend with, so just get used to it.

If you are looking to go elsewhere for training, I've always found Scotland has the best flying weather in the UK, particularly around Dundee or Inverness, a lot less stratus cloud and drizzle than you get down south, just more windy. All the rain seems to fall on Glasgow.

Alternatively try taking a week off to power through and get it done. How flexible is your work? When I was working full time and doing PPL, my boss was very understanding and I could book a day off, but then if the weather was going to be pants come to work and save the day off for another time.

[Echo Romeo]

Lets all hope for a summer like 1976!

You can hope all you like I fear the climate has changed since then, I bet that will never be repeated, theres more chance of 3 months of rain than sun

[John R81]

Or switch to helicopters

No problem of waterlogged grass strips
Less restricted by cloudbase and fwd visibility
And when it really is too bad to get far from the ground, the hover square beccons!

The only down-side..... it is more expensive to run a helicopter

[dont overfil]

Three weeks of excellent flying weather in Perth Scotland has just come to an end:-( Snow today. Sorry, I don't mean to rub it in.

D.O.

[stickandrudderman]

I was very lucky in that I did my PPL in the summer of 2003 and only lost 2 lessons to weather. Coupled with the fact that I a bit more time on my hands back then I was able to knock out the whole thing in 6 months. I can imagine that interruptions would be very frustrating indeed.

[S-Works]

The only down-side..... it is more expensive to run a helicopter

And once the novelty has worn off you realise that you can't actually go anywhere beyond the equivalent of the fixed wing £100 burger unless you have very very very deep pockets.

I did my PPL(H) several years ago and let it lapse when I discovered that at 80kts and very limited fuel an R22 goes nowhere, a massive increase in costs and an R44 still did less than my Cessna and flying the Jet Ranger just made my eyes water but was actually the only practical one of the bunch.

Give me a plank and an IR anytime.....

[Ianp83]

The idea is to do some further training. I did apply for FPP but was not successful. I am quite taken with the idea of instructing although I know the money will be a bit tight compared to the relatively well paid (but misery-making) job I have now.

[AviatorRodent]

I initially started my PPL training in Biggin Hill back in 2008.

There were times I would go months without flying thanks to weather, until finally after 2 years my flight school went bust, 35hrs or so in.

Worst part was I paid for the full course, and lost a fair amount of money in the process.

Now picking up my training again at Headcorn, and so far no cancellations (and paying as I fly!)

[WALSue]

Think it took me a good two years to get my licence due to schools going bust and bad weather. Frustrating and often having to re-learn things due to the gaps.
Even now I've passed I can often only get an hour or two in per month.

I'd suggest persevering, get used to the weather that gets thrown at us here then do some hour building abroad

[Old skool Alex]

The weather has been making me crazy too. I started my ppl at the end of October 2012 with 7 day a week availability,so far I have done 9 hours due to the poor weather conditions. At the end of January beginning of February we had some nice days and during this it was my instructors 10day holiday.So frustrating, hoping that the weather this year is better than 2012.

[Ianp83]

Here here. Our 'spring' is a bit snowy at the moment but hoping things improve soon.

I paid up front at Stapleford, knowing there was always a risk of any business going busy but hoping they were strong enough and touch wood things are looking good at the moment - my instructor is always fully booked and others seem to be as well. I suppose this bodes well for me if I do go down the FI route.

I know I need to get used to the weather here but at least when I have my licence I will have more flexibility on timings etc. nothing worse than having a lesson booked on a Sunday to see beautiful Saturday weather be replaced with a rainy Sunday. One of the great things about Stapleford is there are always a/c available.