Ah yes, clean and tidy, and just back from maintenance.....

Do you think I should mention to all these newbies the caveat that follows?
Naah. Leave it up to their instructor! Don't want their illusions to implode.

Any instructor worth thier salt will tell you it's more fun with a dirty auld girl.

"Never fly an aircraft that's still got paint on the rudder pedals"


Wish I could remember where that comes from, but its good advice.

While I'm quite happy to rent old, mechanically well-maintained aircraft, and normally fly a rather tatty Permit Group owned wood and fabric 54/50* year old Jodel, when renting from the Colorado Flight Centre, I never had a C172 which was as old as 10 years, and they were immaculate - costing about half of what a 25+ year old Pa28 would cost per hour here.
*rebuilt from 2 crashed aircraft, many years before we bought her.

@Maoraigh1
That is one of the key problems I think flying in the UK is relatively expensive to other countries.

It's not the flying that is expensive in the UK it is the business rates, local restrictions and generally money grabbing attitude of the UK authorities who assume that if you can afford an aircraft you must have too much money.

That is what pushes up the cost along with the stupid over regulation from EASA.

Heston - your quote made me smile. Apart from the fact that I never knew they painted the pedals, the (limited number of) planes I have been in have such shiny, smooth pedals that a) it is hard to see whether they say "Piper" or "Cessna"; and b) my wet shoe slipped once and there we were turning off to the right on the ground due to the lack of traction, fortunately, it wasn't on the take-off roll.

Falcons11 - Most schools seem to have C152, 172 and PA28 so you could always start in the C152 and if it is really uncomfortable, upgrade to the roomier and slightly costlier aircraft.

I just did the conversion to the PA28 and discovered that apart from "looking the business" vs a C152, space, speed, instruments, fuel pump etc. it is quite a stable plane and you need less rudder input to coordinate turns than a C152. So on the one hand, if I had done my training in the PA28, I would have more experience in it (and spent more money due to training delays due weather), but at the same time, I discovered to my surprise that I have some wierd soft spot for the C152 (battered though they may have been) as you kind of have to work at it to make it do what you want (not sure if this makes sense or just sounds like some hippy rambling).

Ultimately, whilst it would be nice(r) to fly in new(er) aircraft, training for the PPL is a means to an end.

Happy to talk more about TPC, but perhaps PM me. At the end of the day, TPC or elsewhere, most schools around London seem to have a good rep so it is down to chemistry with the instructor (and the plane which was one of your original comments I think!)

> Age or cosmetic appearance? The two are linked.

I absolutely agree there's a link, but they aren't the same.

The OP talked about age originally, and we're now talking about having refitted seats. A new plane is going to cost 100 times more than new upholstery.

Sea Oxon, you said a while back that being over 6 ft 2 inches you had trouble getting your legs comfortable in a C152, but your instructor, who was just as tall, had no trouble.

All you lofty chaps, when I am fitting a parachute onto a tall guy having a trial lesson in a glider, your secret is out.

Some blokes have short bodies and long legs. Other blokes have long bodies and short legs.

If we can close the canopy without crunching your head, we can usually squeeze in the rest of you....

Some of us just have short bodies with short legs :ouch: ;)

SS