What would you do?
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Nottingham
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flights by day only
No non radio flights to/ from aerodromes with ATC.
No mention of VFR / IFR.
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Wor Yerm
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Another approach might be to ask yourself what you really want to do. You are probably correct when you say you might not be able to hold a Class 1 medical, so from that starting point you will have to move forwards. The first thing to ditch is the simulator. They are as complicated as the real thing and after an hour you will have learnt little other than it is complicated and you are probably out of your depth. It take us 10 - 20 hours to get our feet under the table when we know what we are looking for. If you must, spend the money on a PC based simulator.
Now you have to decide what sort of flying to do. I started gliding and for 800 hours or so it kept me amused. I then got a PPL and for a time flew both. But the gliding was for more interesting. In a glider I could fly higher, for longer, faster and further and I could go racing, do aerobatics and have an adventure. In a bug smasher I paid huge amounts of money and achieve very little. Not long afterwards I become a tug pilot and that was great fun. I never tried microlights; I never liked the idea of weight shift flight but a three axis jobby might be fun. I did a few hours in a helicopter and that was a bit of a novelty but was only fun when close to the ground. I also never flew an auto gyro. They look like fun. I also enjoyed flying model aircraft but never did enough to become any good. I will take this up again when I have more time.
My suggestion be that if you don't know what you want to do, go for some trial lessons. Gliding, power, microlights, autogyros, motor gliders and model aircraft. Each are very different, each have compromises and all have different costs. As for pricing, assume you are average and ask how much it will cost you to learn and also to keep proficient. What you don't want to do is get your ticket and not be able to afford to use it or worse, become a danger to yourself.
I hope you find what you are looking for
PM
Now you have to decide what sort of flying to do. I started gliding and for 800 hours or so it kept me amused. I then got a PPL and for a time flew both. But the gliding was for more interesting. In a glider I could fly higher, for longer, faster and further and I could go racing, do aerobatics and have an adventure. In a bug smasher I paid huge amounts of money and achieve very little. Not long afterwards I become a tug pilot and that was great fun. I never tried microlights; I never liked the idea of weight shift flight but a three axis jobby might be fun. I did a few hours in a helicopter and that was a bit of a novelty but was only fun when close to the ground. I also never flew an auto gyro. They look like fun. I also enjoyed flying model aircraft but never did enough to become any good. I will take this up again when I have more time.
My suggestion be that if you don't know what you want to do, go for some trial lessons. Gliding, power, microlights, autogyros, motor gliders and model aircraft. Each are very different, each have compromises and all have different costs. As for pricing, assume you are average and ask how much it will cost you to learn and also to keep proficient. What you don't want to do is get your ticket and not be able to afford to use it or worse, become a danger to yourself.
I hope you find what you are looking for
PM
I'd recommend 3 axis microlight. You have to be a club member so you're off to a good start with people to share flying with once you're qualified. Less than half the cost of a PPL with a route to upgrade so your time and money spent isn't wasted. You'd nearly have your licence for what you're thinking of spending in a sim.
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Gosport Hants
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I can confirm that IR(R) with colour blindness is not a problem as I've done it and had the rating issued! I believe that it is also now possible to get a full IR with the "Daylight only" restriction. I'd love a go in a big jet sim and a few hundred quid for a one off experience sounds great but I cant see the attraction of doing further "training" on one for fun certainly not if real flying even a simple aircraft is an alternative.
Join Date: Feb 2016
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Gliding and motorgliders, best of both worlds. Forty quid an hour, way more social than spamcan flying clubs and the chance to fly many interesting and varied types at low cost, plus achievement awards and if you're so minded, competitions.
Always wanted to fly professionally myself, however farcically high training costs and an unrealistically unreliable jobs market driven by lo-cost Hire 'n' Fire airlines made me see common sense. Fighting over thousands of other folks for the chance to fly some clapped-out 737 on £20K a year, 6-day-week rosters whilst £150K in debt, then get sacked after 6 months? Nae thanks, others are welcome to it.
ATC or engineering a much better career! Still get time and money to fly on your terms for fun.
Always wanted to fly professionally myself, however farcically high training costs and an unrealistically unreliable jobs market driven by lo-cost Hire 'n' Fire airlines made me see common sense. Fighting over thousands of other folks for the chance to fly some clapped-out 737 on £20K a year, 6-day-week rosters whilst £150K in debt, then get sacked after 6 months? Nae thanks, others are welcome to it.
ATC or engineering a much better career! Still get time and money to fly on your terms for fun.
My experience may help a little.
I too am colour blind, I failed both the Ishahara and the three lantern tests so didn’t get the flying scholarship or the airline training I had banked on.
I got a PPL and the first few years I flew colts, tripacer, terrier and chipmunk, then of course the money got tight and for a while I flew Fourniers from Biggin but I was living in London and the traipse down and back to do 50 mins of flying became over tedious and as time went on I had even less disposable income. (Well, I was disposing it on a wife and many kids.)
Years later (29 years!) in Canada I saw an advert for a local flying school so I called to find out what I needed to do to get a licence. 5 hours, apparently. But flying spam cans was still expensive so I built an airplane and flew it for five or six years but once again cash got short. Sold it last year.
Maybe the world will turn yet again and I’ll build or buy another aircraft.
Learn to fly. It will always be with you and you never know where it will lead.
I too am colour blind, I failed both the Ishahara and the three lantern tests so didn’t get the flying scholarship or the airline training I had banked on.
I got a PPL and the first few years I flew colts, tripacer, terrier and chipmunk, then of course the money got tight and for a while I flew Fourniers from Biggin but I was living in London and the traipse down and back to do 50 mins of flying became over tedious and as time went on I had even less disposable income. (Well, I was disposing it on a wife and many kids.)
Years later (29 years!) in Canada I saw an advert for a local flying school so I called to find out what I needed to do to get a licence. 5 hours, apparently. But flying spam cans was still expensive so I built an airplane and flew it for five or six years but once again cash got short. Sold it last year.
Maybe the world will turn yet again and I’ll build or buy another aircraft.
Learn to fly. It will always be with you and you never know where it will lead.
Back in the early 60s i was told by RAF CMB that i was red/green colour vision deficient as as such could not fly. i persevered and was re-assessed as "colour vision safe" The RAF did not want me but the AAC were very happy to have me and I then went on to fly for various airlines for the next 34 years. Still fling now.
Take heart all may not be lost.
Take heart all may not be lost.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: UK
Age: 39
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I continue to be really grateful for all the responses.
Of course I fully understand that a 3k course to 'fly' a 737 sim is barely going to scrape the surface - I'm not that naive to think otherwise, it's just that is where I always wanted to end up.
I failed the Ishihara, the Holmes Wright (only when they turned the darned intensity down though!) and also failed the most recent colour vision test with the grey squares and the box moving off into the corners. I am quite significantly Protanope (red deficient) and I while I appreciate your heartening message Wrecker, I don't think I could ever be considered colour vision safe.
Gliding has not appealed previously I have to admit, and I was a passenger in a microlight (not 3 axis) that actually scared the bejesus out of me (turbulent day, French pilot who insisted I have a go no matter how many times I couldn't get my head around the push left to go right etc.) but all new experiences take some getting used to!
Being able to do an IMC rating eventually (I don't think I could afford an IR) would make me so much happier with the UK weather as it is and it is encouraging to see posts that think that might be possible which I will research.
I'd like to thank everyone again; I guess I figured the majority would be pro-actual flying but a 100% majority really speaks volumes... cheers all
Of course I fully understand that a 3k course to 'fly' a 737 sim is barely going to scrape the surface - I'm not that naive to think otherwise, it's just that is where I always wanted to end up.
I failed the Ishihara, the Holmes Wright (only when they turned the darned intensity down though!) and also failed the most recent colour vision test with the grey squares and the box moving off into the corners. I am quite significantly Protanope (red deficient) and I while I appreciate your heartening message Wrecker, I don't think I could ever be considered colour vision safe.
Gliding has not appealed previously I have to admit, and I was a passenger in a microlight (not 3 axis) that actually scared the bejesus out of me (turbulent day, French pilot who insisted I have a go no matter how many times I couldn't get my head around the push left to go right etc.) but all new experiences take some getting used to!
Being able to do an IMC rating eventually (I don't think I could afford an IR) would make me so much happier with the UK weather as it is and it is encouraging to see posts that think that might be possible which I will research.
I'd like to thank everyone again; I guess I figured the majority would be pro-actual flying but a 100% majority really speaks volumes... cheers all
Join Date: Feb 2009
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Like a lot of the replies I spend my working day operating (and I do mean operating) some interesting kit.
There's a PA32 and an LAA single seater waiting on a private strip for my days off.
SND
There's a PA32 and an LAA single seater waiting on a private strip for my days off.
SND
