PPL training in London, UK
 

Hi,
I am thinking of taking a PPL in London. Any ideas of good schools for a reasonable price?
Thanks,

Hello,

I believe Stapleford has reasonable prices, there's quite a a big post here somewhere about them have a look, it might interest you.

Cheers.

Hi,
Try the Pilot Centre at Denham, very good school, reasonable prices, nice friendly atmosphere, very good instructors. There is also a thread in the Private Flying Forum from a few weeks back on this very topic.
www.egld.com/tpc

Hi Kurt
I'm hopefully starting my PPL this summer, also around London. Cabair seems to get pretty good comments on here, and quite a bit of praise for Stapleford. I've got a trial lesson at Cabair Denham in 2 wks and am planning to visit Stapleford as well. I'll let you know what I find.

Am debating whether a quieter base with less delays would be better, or if I'd rather be at a larger airport and nearer controlled airspace to get used to it from the off........... any thoughts?

Be interested to hear where you decide to go!

level best,
Ian

Hey Kurt

I'm going with Stapleford, starting this weekend. You still around, where did you decide to go, how is progress?

cheers

i'm at the pilot centre at denham as well . really good school .
125 £ per hr , no landing fees and when your bashing out circuits you'll be very happy with no landing fees !

The Pilot Centre or CABAIR?
 

I did my training with Cabair at Denham, but have recently discovered the Pilot Centre on the other side of the airfield. What a refreshing change!
Not a uniform in sight! Really nice, freindly bunch. Not that there's anything wrong with the instruction at cabair, but it's obviously a much bigger organisation and therefore lacks intimacy.
What's more, if you're really lucky, you can get your insruction from the georgeous Eva at TPC!;)

Have a look at Biggin Hill there are a few flying schools there that are worth a look.

Did my PPL/IMC/Night & aeros at White Waltham.....never had slightest urge to go anywhere else. Training schools are dedicated machines, but at WW you'll fly with people you'll want to fly with *after* you get your PPL.

i found the peeps at WW very friendly, too.
did some time on the warrior there.

http://www.egld.com/tpc/images/eva2.jpg
The CFI :ok:

OC619

Clubs west of London
 

KurtW

Nowhere within 50 miles of London is going to be cheap.

On the West of London, White Waltham seems to be a very nice club and has the best clubhouse in the business, but membership subs are expensive and it has noise abatement issues.

The outfits at Blackbushe and Booker are also good but dear and there is no club atmosphere.

Pilot Centre at Denham seems to offer good training in nice aircraft, but there is little club atmosphere there.

Firecrest Club at Elstree is run by volunteers and very reasonably priced. There is club atmosphere there, but they have only an office and no clubhouse. I suggest you have a look at that one.

Alan Mann at Fairoaks is expensive and there is no club atmosphere.

Finally, avoid the little London Transport Flying Club at Fairoaks, (which is open to all comers and not just LT staff). They only have two Warriors, one old the other pre-historic and only two part time instructors, but their prices are as high as anywhere else. Not recommended.

Broomstick.

what about the clubs at Redhill, Harvard Aviation springs to mind?

I learnt at Redhill with Cubair and recently (April) got my licence. They are very friendly and helpful. I don't think that they are too expensive and have an interesting range of aircraft: Katana, C172, Cub, Slingsby.

C23

Must agree that Firecrest are cheap, but a bit over the top on minimums. I had over 400hrs and the CFI said no flying as a 10Kn cross wind was forecast:ugh: The plane was a C150 and that was well within limits. So i asked for my money back, including the check ride as i didnt at that time need someone to tell me i could fly a C150 as i had over 150hrs on type:= You dont say which side of London, as Bomley to Elstree would take as long as Bromley to Lydd for example. If your north London then i suggest an hour up the A1 to Little Gransden and Skyline School as they are very competitively priced and you get to watch Mark Jefferies in his yaks and Extra for free:D :D :D That will teach you some stuff no ppl cyllabus will even get close to!

WLAC in White Waltham seem friendly. If you can get in as a civvy member then RAF Halton Aeroplane Club is great, and prices are excellent. I would suggest avoiding the various Cabair svhools. Many of the instructors are great, but the company has a poor reputation in the industry.

Anybody tried Panshanger?

Cabair Denham instructors are a very good bunch; yes they wear uniforms but when I was there they were still good people!

In defence of poor little fairoaks....
 

Alan Mann at Fairoaks is expensive and there is no club atmosphere.

Finally, avoid the little London Transport Flying Club at Fairoaks, (which is open to all comers and not just LT staff). They only have two Warriors, one old the other pre-historic and only two part time instructors, but their prices are as high as anywhere else. Not recommended.
Broomstick.[/QUOTE]

Broomstickpilot :=

What you say is generally correct except I think you will find Fairoaks Flight Centre is now under new ownership/management for the very reasons you stated. I beleive new outfit there is called Synergy and they have gone to great effort to try and re-inject some atmosphere into flight centre, I could be wrong. By the way i don't work there or fly there anymore so am not on commission. Also LT flying club only got bad when they had an Aussie CFI who was a bit of a T*@T!, Since then I believe they have made a great effort to sort things out.

Good luck finding a cheap school....

Monkey