Hello and suggestions please

[BradE]

Hi,

I just wanted to drop in and say "Hi"...

I've just started my PPL licence with my first lesson at Stapleford Flight Centre yesterday. Absolutely loved it. Can't wait for my next lesson

I was thinking of taking 1 lesson per week (maybe 2 every now and then). Do you think this is sufficient to keep fresh with the course?

Also, when will I need my own headset? Any suggestions which one to get?

Thanks,
Bradley

[Jonzarno]

Hi and welcome to flying!

You'll do well to get one lesson a week, especially outside summer, given problems with the weather. Don't let that worry you, it's normal!

Don't worry about buying a headset before you qualify but, when you do, and if you can, buy a good noise cancelling set. Personally, I use Bose but there are many others and the choice is quite personal so, if you can, try before you buy.

Good luck with the course!

[Jan Olieslagers]

Book two lessons every week, if you can; with any luck you'll fly one of them. The other being cancelled because the plane broke, or the field is water-logged, or the instructor is ill, or the weather is inclement, or whatever.

As for the headset: at most places it is considered a part of the plane, therefore no need to worry as long as you fly a club/school plane. Even when you buy one, there's a fair chance a couple of headsets will be included.

[Sir George Cayley]

I take a different view on headsets. Hi btw.

I'm susceptible to ear problems and so have by own headset. If the club have an adequate hygiene policy with disposable covers you should be ok.

Otherwise take a look at the type they use and get a compatible model.

SGC

[cavortingcheetah]

SFC do not, as far as can be remembered, provide headsets. There are often notices on the boards advertising second hand ones passed on from students and so on who have gone on to far greater things.

[BradE]

Hi,

Many thanks for the advice

I think I'll wait until I get a few more hours under my belt and the maybe start looking for my own headset. I've heard the David Clark H10 are good or the Bose A20.

Thanks,
Brad

[9 lives]

Welcome Brad, you'll find an incredible amount of wisdom here, both current, and if you search. Headsets have been well discussed.

If I were choosing a noise cancelling headset for myself, I would buy the Bose. But, I have not bought one, I'd rather spend that much money on Gas! I have used most of the different brands of noise cancelling, and the Bose is the only one I like at all. I have a David Clark noise cancelling (which was given to me), and I do not like it at all. That said, every non noise cancelling headset I own is a David Clark, and I would not buy any other brand for "regular" use.

Noise cancelling is nice, but not a got to have for most GA flying.

[cavortingcheetah]

A headset can last two or three of decades and sometimes your own headset can be much better and certainly more hygienic, than that provided by many airlines for their crews. Some companies of course will not allow you to use your own set because of perceived compatibility problems, but many will.

[foxmoth]

I presume 1-2 lessons a week is because of financial constraints, this being the case, if you cannot fly on a particular day then book for another day of the week or book an extra lesson for the next week - no problem for most people managing up to three trips a day with sufficient break between, above this some get a bit overloaded. 1-2 trips a week should be ok for progress, but the more intensively you can do it the better.

[Scoobster]

I was told by my Instructor... "The first 25 hours or so are the most challenging as this is building up the basic/fundamental general handling skills"... ready to get you in to the circuit.

So 1 lesson a week IMO may not be sufficient as you will forget things and may need to recap, if you add the glorious british weather at this time of year, and we have rain for 2-3 weeks you will find that you will be doing a lot of recap.

SFC will normally advise 2-3 lessons per week. What you could do depending on your Instructor... they may suggest that you book in 2 lessons a day.. For example, 10am and 2pm and if the morning is cancelled the afternoon may be better.

If you do this twice a week, there is a good chance you will fly. At SFC and probably most other schools things change relatively quickly.. so you will soon know if you are not flying in the form of a text!

Stapleford do not provide headsets.. However you can rent one for (I think) £10 per day with a small refundable deposit... There is a notice on the noticeboard by FORM 214 where you view the spot winds.

Across the other side (by the CFI office) you will find another noticeboard where headsets are advertised.

Personally, I purchased my own Pooley's Student Headset for around £50 ebay which does the job until I upgrade to another model.

Scoobster.

[Pirke]

1 lesson per 1 or 2 weeks is sufficient to keep you in the rhythm. It's way better than doing a 4 week full time course.

The human brain learns by repetition and being able to process the experience. This processing can take several days after 1 lesson!

If you have 1 lesson every 1 or 2 weeks, and also spend some time to study the theory, then you'll be fine.

As a great advantage you'll be flying in many different weather types and seasons, instead of 4 weeks of great weather while not having flown under heavy clouds or in light rain. It's very valuable to do that with an instructor to gain confidence that the aircraft can do that

It also let's you enjoy the whole flying process over a much longer time period and isn't such a burden on your cash supply. If you don't fly more often than once every 1 or 2 weeks after getting a license, don't do it before getting a license.

[foxmoth]

1 lesson per 1 or 2 weeks is sufficient to keep you in the rhythm. It's way better than doing a 4 week full time course.

Personally I would disagree with this, though if you DO go full time I would suggest that you do make sure you have some days off - say 1 day off for every 3 days on, or take weekends off, certainly learning in the UK you would be lucky to get 4 weeks good weather in one hit! Ideal would probably by fly 3-4 days a week, 2-3 hours each day, but most will either have the time and not the money or the money and not the time.

[rej]

I have just (August) finished my PPL having completed it in 45 hours over 4 months; my advice is to fly as often as you can especially in the early days when the learning curve is steepest. But the best piece of advice is to enjoy ever single hour and take as much from he guy or girl sitting to your right.

Good luck and fly safe

[thing]

"The first 25 hours or so are the most challenging as this is building up the basic/fundamental general handling skills"... ready to get you in to the circuit.

Crikey, assuming one hour per lesson that's an awful lot of flying just to get you ready for the circuit. I would be a bit suspicious of a school that tells you that.

To the OP. It depends on what you are like as a learner. The faster I cram stuff in the better for me. Not everyone is the same obviously so you have to see what pace suits you, it's not a race. Try doing two lessons a week, if that is too much then do one. What you don't want to be doing is relearning skills that have gone rusty every time you go for a lesson.

Headsets. Well my instructor told me that there are around 200 different infections you can pick up off a headset. I bought my own the next day. I use DC 13.4's and a cheaper set as a back up. The DC's are fine if like me you do around 6-8 hours a month. If I was doing much more than that I think I might go for the Bose or Lightspeed.

[172510]

There is absolutely no reason to delay the purchase of a good headset. No need to have a Bose if you're tight on money, but get a decent headset (ie DC as suggested previously) and not the horrible thing they usually make available to students in most flying schools
Understanding without effort at a low volume what the radio and your FI says facilitates the learning process.

[glendalegoon]

don't buy gadgets

buy wisdom

BUY THE BOOK: "STICK AND RUDDER", read it. Then read it three more times.

When I got my ppl (back in prehistoric times) I didn't buy a headset until I got my instrument rating.

OK, spring for some of those earplugs that are yellow and squishy.

Hearing the plane is part of learning to fly!

why not try for five lessons a month, instead of looking at weeks. Also get into the habit of watching your local wx (that's weather) forecasts and schedule as much as you can when the wx is good.

[BradE]

Thanks to all for the great advice.

I've been looking at the David Clarke H10 13X headset and found them much cheaper from Marv Golden in the US. I can get them delivered to the UK for a total price incl shipping for $690 USD. Ha anyone bought from this shop before? Would I have any warranty issues if they were faulty?

Thanks in advance.

[glendalegoon]

I can't believe you will spend 700 dollars on a headset at this point in your flying. I think you must be rich or dumb.

[BradE]

Let's just say I have some cash set aside for my PPL and any gear needed. I just though it would be a good idea to get my own set as opposed to picking up germs off of the student headsets

[Jan Olieslagers]

rich or dumb.

or, worse even, rich and dumb?

Seriously, though: you should find a quite acceptable headset on Ebay for well under two hundred quid, perhaps even less than a hundred. Ordering from them US of A may look nice but there's all kind of fun with import duty.