Learning to fly at Halfpenny Green....
 

First of all, I'd like to say Hi!

Im planning to get my PPL started shortly, but I really dont know which of the schools at Halfpenny Green i should pick. Today I spoke to Andrew Clarke at The Flight School, which is on your right as you go through the main gates. But then I started thinking about the other schools. I did a trial flight at what I believe to be the school that changed hands to Jetstream, and the pilots there were very friendly. I also noticed that the Flight Academy has its own website, but on Wolverhampton Airports website, it seems to suggest that they are the company as the new Halfpenny Green Flight Centre.


Whats your guys opinion on all of this?

Andy Clarke and Bob Kirk (not sure what his school is called but someone there will tell you) are both fine. Last time I heard Andy had only one C152 (G-JIMH) but Bob had both C152(s) - 2 I think, and a PA28.

I learned at Halfpenny Green Flight Centre, now defunct, but Halfpenny Green is a good place to learn. A great choice of runways so there is usually one pretty much into wind, or, if you need to practise - crosswind. :ok: The airfield staff are helpful and friendly, the cafe is good and the FISOs are polite, pleasant and helpful too. :ok:

Only thing I can recommend at Halfpenny Green is the AME Dr Steve Lim. He's fantastic, and he knows a lot about flying, being a qualified instructor himself.

Do they still do Parachuting at Ha'penny Green ?
Years ago I did a charity parachute jump there when you could do it on your own and not be tethered to an instructor, and ended up doing four or five as it was such a rush !

I can recommend Bob Kirk at Wolverhampton Flight Training. Top instructor and nice bloke with lots of experience. Worth popping in to have a chat. They have the yellow sign and are next door to the flying academy or whatever they are called now.

Great airfield to fly from too. Enjoy!

half penny is a great airfield, I wish I lived closer to have it as my local place.

My advice for half penny is not the most positive, it involves cash and making sure you keep as much as possible of it in your pocket and not the flying schools, it's unfortunate but I now know of more than a couple people that have found themselves with little come back after the school re-invented itself under a new name or closed.:sad:
From where I'm sat up at Liverpool as an instructor things are getting much better economy wise, typically if the weather wasn't so bad I could be up dawn to dusk 7 days a week atm so lets hope all schools prosper in 2012 :ok:

I have a fact sheet on things to watch out for when looking for a PPL just drop me a pm for the link or see the link on my profile page.

happy flying :)

Sound advice however solvent the school is. I didn't follow it, and I got away with it; but the school I learned with went bust a few months later, so I very nearly got my fingers burned.

Tim

Does that mean we all can get free advertising now?

Minstermineman - no, they haven't done it for several years.

I can highly recommend Bob Kirk at Wolverhampton Flight Training. He is always patient and calm.

The school is friendly and it is in a great location on the field. Just opposite the tower.

Pop in for a chat with them.

Adrian

PPL Halfpenny green
 

Bob Kirk is your man. I was instructed by him and now have 800+ hours

How nice to see it being called Halfpenny Green again instead of that awful,Wolverhampton Business Airport :-)

Yes but for how much longer will it even exist?

It won't be the end of the world if it is developed. Sleap is not too far away.

Yup, as long as we are left with at least one GA airfield in the country for all the displaced aircraft to go to, we'll be alright.

Pilot magazine's April issue implies it will be around for some time. At least they hope so!

Let us pray;
Otherwise, more and more aircraft displaced to fewer and fewer airfields until eventually everyone has nowhere to go.