Wikiposts
Search

Notices
Private Flying The forum for discussion and questions about any form of flying where you are doing it for the sheer pleasure of flight, rather than being paid!

Bfc

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 6th August 2002 | 11:41
  #1 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 136
Likes: 0
From: DXB
Cool Bfc

It pays to ask and this is the best place to do so.

Has anyone learned to fly at the club at RAF Benson? Any comments?

Is seems very reasonably priced. Any thoughts?

Cheers people
Elvis21 is offline  
Old 6th August 2002 | 12:20
  #2 (permalink)  
 
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 2,212
Likes: 0
From: Anywhere
Not knowing there was a club at Benson I can't be specific
but
Military clubs run at reduced rates because they get subsidies from military sports and welfare funds (not the defence budget ). Because of that they tend to be for serving personnel only unless you have something to offer the club (i.e being an instructor).

Quite happy to be proved wrong of course, but I may not be.

CM
Chilli Monster is offline  
Old 6th August 2002 | 14:08
  #3 (permalink)  
 
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 424
Likes: 0
From: UK
AFAIK Benson is a Grob based outfit...could be wrong.

Military clubs will allow civvies in - but it is on a case by case basis.

If local you could try RAF Brize Norton Flying Club, we have 3xPA28s @ the mo & a 4th due to make its return in the near future...The person you want to contact is Wendy on 01993 896133. Have a chat with her and see what the current club policy is, etc etc...

As for subsidised....well not really...I dont think Brize receives money from the RAF...could be wrong...at Brize some cost reduction comes from the fact that students are NOT charged for instructors..therefore solo or dual is the same rate, and some operating charges are reduced/waived.

Hope this helps,
FormationFlyer is offline  
Old 6th August 2002 | 15:51
  #4 (permalink)  
 
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 2,212
Likes: 0
From: Anywhere
FF

How were the aircraft at Brize purchased? That's the sort of subsidy / grants I was referring to.

Also you'll find the Avgas prices you pay are less than at civil airfields.

CM
Chilli Monster is offline  
Old 7th August 2002 | 08:34
  #5 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 136
Likes: 0
From: DXB
Seems to be many more advantages than not. Cheaper all round.
Elvis21 is offline  
Old 7th August 2002 | 10:28
  #6 (permalink)  
 
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 424
Likes: 0
From: UK
Chilli Monster

The AVGAS is not miltary supplied...the club has its own bowser. As for prices...possibly is cheaper - but there again the club isnt trying to turn a large profit on it either like other a/d do.

As for the a/c purchase - good point....dunno!
FormationFlyer is offline  
Old 7th August 2002 | 13:20
  #7 (permalink)  
 
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 187
Likes: 0
From: Blackpool, UK
RAF Woodvale operate Grobs and use them for training their University Air Squadron pilots (Salford and Liverpool Uni's I think).

Wish I'd known about them when I did my degree as I would have gone to Salford just to get the flying in!!
RotorHorn is offline  
Old 13th August 2002 | 18:29
  #8 (permalink)  
 
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: Oxfordshire
RAF Benson Flying Club

There is a Flying Club at Benson, yes it is amazingly cheap - it is not subsidised by the military but it is mainly for military personnel. We can accomodate some civilian members but they have to make 'a significant contribution to the Club'.

We operate a C152 in the training role, a PA28 for touring and are hoping for the return of our T67C Firefly in the near future. If we have what you're looking for give me a call at work on 01491 827220.

Mark
MarkB is offline  
Old 13th August 2002 | 23:22
  #9 (permalink)  
 
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 339
Likes: 0
From: Abingdon, Oxfordshire, U.K.
Formation flyer.
Your comment that Benson is a Grob based outfit is the same as me saying that, as far as I know, Brize is a VC10 based outfit. Interesting proposition, I wonder what the hourly rate would be.

Mark B
I wouldn`t hold your breath for the Firefly if I were you. I had a look at it sitting amongst the weeds at Hinton the other day and it is looking very, very sad. It needs a lot more than a new engine now. If you can get hold of the owner, I suggest you offer him £500 for the thing as is and then spend the winter rebuilding it. With the cost of a new engine added, it wouldn`t be worth it.

Mike W
Skylark4 is offline  
Old 14th August 2002 | 12:09
  #10 (permalink)  
 
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 424
Likes: 0
From: UK
Skylark4

????? I was talking about the flying club not the RAF owned a/c based there - I genuinely thought they operated Grob a/c - have I misunderstood some connotation of my statement? It was perfectly innocent I can assure you...

As for the firelys at Hinton....well when the owner finally pays the bills they might actually get worked on....he owes money AFAIK...in the meantime as you say - they look very very sad....crying shame I think...
FormationFlyer is offline  
Old 14th August 2002 | 12:49
  #11 (permalink)  
 
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 329
Likes: 0
From: Home
Fireflies at Hinton

Every now and then, one of them gets cleaned up a bit (water bailed out, moss scraped off the wings, birds nests removed....), is dragged out of the mud and takes to the air. It never seems to take long before they get abandoned again, though.

G-BLUX was going nicely a few months back, although it had clearly developed an aerodynamic fault that dashed all my attempts at doing a clean vertical half-roll....
Aerobatic Flyer is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.