Solent Flight
 

Hello all,. .. .Does anyone have any comments to make about Solent Flight School at Southampton Airport. As a refugee from Biggin I need a local flight school. Solent seems like the only one, unless of course you know differently... .. .Any comments welcome.. .. .Also if anyone wants to share a few flights in and around this area then please e mail me.. .. .Cheers. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="smile.gif" /> )

I dont know about the only one, there are two at Soton, and more than that at B'Mouth, (too far)plus Goodwood, not too sure about Popham ?

Used to fly with the gang at solent. If ganners is still running ops it should be a good ship still.. .Plenty of gleaming new warriors most of the time and reasonabley priced in an expensive game.. .Although Southampton is supposed to be a busy commercial site, this really only has any effect during normal office hours. ie 8-9 and 4-6 weekdays. Even so never much of a delay to get airbourne and they way solent charge you it won't matter anyway (TO to LD plus 5 mins each way).. .Pitty they don't have a Duchess any more I might still give them some business ?. . <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

I am a Solent Student, They are a good friendly school and I hope to complete my PPL there. I would reccommend them. Though they dont have the duchess anymore they must have access to a twin as they do multi ratings.

I fly with Carill Aviation, the other school at Southampton. They are very good but a little short on PPL instructors just now. Their main business appears to be in training commercial pilots and I often feel that student PPL's are a little short changed. Would be interested to hear comments from others who have tried Carill and Solent. Solent do have a gleaming fleet of new Warriors. Carill's aircraft are a lot older.Rates are slightly higher with Carill.. . . . <small>[ 21 March 2002, 14:01: Message edited by: Thumpango ]</small>

Just finished training at Carill Aviation - very very impressed with quality of aircraft and instructors, but it is more geared up towards CPL and IR than PPL I would agree - still I would seriously consider checking them out.

I trained at Solent about 3 years ago. I found them generally pretty good. There was a change of ownership near the end of my course (PPL) - I don't know what effect that would have had. (The original CFI, John Nuter sold the club).. .. .I had an instructor called Mathew Hampton who I got on well with. He was a good pilot & instructor with the funny dry sense of humour common in aviation instruction. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="smile.gif" /> . .. .I think the only thing lacking was the lack of club atmosphere which tends to be the case with these organisations, where the school is a business rather than a members' club. I guess being in the location they were in (ie large airport without nice social facilities) didn't help.. .. .I haven't visited them recently as my a/c is based at Shoreham and Southampton is expensive to visit. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="frown.gif" /> . .. .Rich

Fujuflyer you should pay a visit there is a club atmosphere especially when we are grounded due to weather. There is a good sense of camaradire there.

FujiFlyer. .Knew Matty Hampton well. After solent he went on to city flyer and the 146. Agree good laugh.. .. .Yes solent may seem more of a business. Mainly due to the lack of space upstairs for any social gathering. But that the nature of Southampton (no space) also no dedictaed parking (car).. .. .Solent has really changed hands twice since old nutter, john nutter and wife sue had it. The good old AA5's are long gone, replaced by leased warriors. It was first sold to Mark Temple and Steve Skilton and is now in the hands of Andy Temple, although Steve owns the planes and about 30 others mainly leased to flying schools.. .. .And yes it is cheaper that Carill, who are very good for a dedictaed IR.