Learning to Fly Maidenhead / High Wycombe
 

Can anyone put me in touch with a good, and reasonably priced instructor from Maidenhead or Wycombe.

If anyone has any comments good or bad about the training there, please let me know!

I can't help with any independent instructors, but I know several people who've gained their PPLs through Wycombe Air Centre (01494 443737) and who've been perfectly happy with their service. Probably not the cheapest around, but you'll also have all the fun of dodging helicopters and non-radio gliders as you pootle around the circuit.

Don't know about the instruction at either place, but have flown to and from both fields quite a lot, so offer the following thoughts for what it's worth:-

Wycombe has full ATC with very slick, user-friendly controllers. Learning there will familiarise you with operations at towered fields and help you pick up good RT skills early on. Also, the hard runway may be usuable in conditions when grass strips are too wet and muddy. The circuit pattern is a bit daft cos of noise abatement requirements, but no dafter than at many places.

Waltham has a lot going for it as a traditional grass 3 runway field, so you can usually get a runway more or less into wind, and operating on grass teaches you useful airmanship stuff (short/soft field techniques, what happens when grass is wet, looking after the nosewheel and prop when on rwy and taxiing etc.) Waltham also has more of the ambience of an old-style flying club. There are lots of interesting aeroplanes, often going upside down, and a jolly clubhouse. Wycombe is very modern and professional, but perhaps lacks something in atmosphere.

Wherever you go, have fun.

I am halfway through PPL at British Airways Flying Club at Wycombe (see http://www.bafc.co.uk) and I am very happy there!

• Standards are high
• The instructors are excellent
• The aircraft are very well maintained
• You can do all your ground exams/RT etc. there
• Club facilities are very good for family/friends to relax in and wait around while you're flying :)

They are definitely not the cheapest, but I can wholeheartedly recommend BAFC to anyone. Hope this helps,

Andy

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"Andy sang, Andy watched, Andy waited 'til his billy boiled..." (It was written for me!)

[This message has been edited by Aussie Andy (edited 03 October 2000).]

Both are good, but my money would be on WLAC. The aircraft aren't as pretty, the clubhouse and hangers are old, but the atmosphere is wonderful and much more likely to get you hooked for life than the organisations at Wycombe (which are good though!). Food is much better too.

Thats my tuppence worth

All above is true,go visit them all and just pick the one you like the best.

Can only echo Dan Dare and FNG about WLAC. I didn't train there, I must admit, but based there now for about 6 years.
A friend described it to me on Sunday as more akin to the atmosphere at a cricket match!!
Go an dchat to an instructor or ops -tell'em Mel sent ya!!

Go for Wycombe Air Centre, not the cheapest, but you will save money in the long run. I did my Night, CPL and IR course there, all first time passes with minimum QUALITY hours.

Many thanks for all the advice.

When you say Wycombe is not the cheapest... what is "not the cheapest"??

What is considered a good training rate for a PPL?

I'm now living in Wycombe, and with the M40 on my doorstep, any training facility along the M40 corridor would be perfect.. Any other suggestions?

Thanks again guys...

Dear Best,

I think we must be very close, I live off New road and run to Booker Aerodrome and back every morning...can't miss me....rather large, with the sweaty look of 'I will get in that Tomahawk' on my face.
I have just been through your process and have looked at BA, WAC, WLAC and Denham.
They are all quite expensive (WAC coming out top), but WLAC has a bit of a disadvantage in that you are under the 'Heathrow Umbrella' which could be a pain in the arse when training.
The atmosphere in WAC is by far the friendliest, the BA club is very professional..
However, what I plan to do (re-validating my PPL) is to go to Welshpool and live there for a couple of weeks next year, (saving appx £1.2 K) and then come back and join the WAC club (serious benefits and discounts compared to other clubs)
If you want a chat, post your email address and I'll send you my number...
All the best

Neil И


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Кожедуб...навсегда!

Best Western
I can give you names and tel. of four privet instructors. I know that one charge £100 fees and you pay for the aircraft. I know that he is Very Good and I know that he is commited. Another (an airline captain) is linked to 2 schools and charge £25-30 + aircraft. If you want e-mail.

BW

As a member of WAC, I would agree with most of the comments made with respect to the Club here (professionally run, with it's own maintenance organisation, good variety of aircraft available for hire, good atmosphere....but you do pay for all this good stuff). I have been a member for approx 3.5 years, and am currently doing my IMC, using the club Archers.

If you want to fly at a busy airfield (lots of SA required in the circuit, due to non-standard joining procedures, no dead-side due gliders, funny shaped circuits due noise
abatement etc etc), then Wycombe is for you.
Lots of open FIR with good radar service from
Brize/Benson/farnborough nearby aswell.

We have quite an active touring group at WAC aswell, if you are into using the aeroplanes to go places.

Cheers

WLAC
 

I'm currently mid-way through a PPL at WLAC in Maidenhead / White Waltham.

The instruction, advice and support I've received from WLAC has been fantastic. It's a pleasure to walk into the place. All the instructors that you bump into are friendly (and you get to know them all very quickly) and the ops team are fantastic as well. It seems that most of the instructors know roughly how I'm getting on, even though I've only trained with one of them (apart from a ride with the CFI prior to a QXC).

Maybe the level of instruction and camraderie is similar at most FTOs - I don't know as I've only ever flown out of WLAC. If it is, then I'd be pleasantly surprised.

It's worth popping in to the FTO's before committing yourself to see for yourself how the place feels. At WLAC, people there took time to answer my questions, walk me round an aircraft I'd be training in, and generally seemed interested. I made a similar visit to Blackbushe, and stood waiting at the counter for 5 minutes before anyone came along to see what I wanted. Then walking round one of the aircraft, I realised that if the instructor was anything more 50kgs, we'd have trouble fitting in.

Sit and listen to other students in the bar etc - you'll soon get the feel for whether they're happy with the place.

LHR airspace isn't an issue at WLAC - they are close to the perimeter - but that's to the E of the airfield. N/W/S are all fine and it's not been a problem for me at all.

In case you think I'm evangelising the merits of WLAC, I can assure you that it's only because of my very positive experiences training there. I have no links to WLAC other than being a very satisfied PPL student.

WLAC = 01628 823272 08h00-20h00 daily.

Drop me a PM if you need any more info.

M

:ok:

Wow, is this a record for the thread coming back from the dead...? 3 years, 4 days 8 hours and 2 minutes... :O :)

Seems to be a bit of a trend for reviving threads from the PPRuNe crypt at the moment. Perhaps it's because it's nearly Hallowe'en!

.
 

Evo......WAP?

:)

Dont even mention witches mate...:\

Wow! I remember this thread... since my original reply, I have passed and got 150 fun filled hrs under my belt! Off to Bembridge tomorrow.. yiha!


Alasdair: looking fwd to Denham...!

Andy :8

I wonder which school Best Western went for in the end?

Speedy, it must be a sign. Now you just need really old threads about Bournemouth and "how my QXC went really well" :ok: