Flying around London
 

I spent the last 4 years flying in France...The Clubs there are 'charitable' status - At 'Les Alcyons' - St Cyr, near Paris, everyone chips in and it feels like a great social group of like minded pilots rather than a "business"...

Club fees just cover the cost of keeping the club going...They arrange fly-outs at least twice a month...either day trips or longer fly-outs over long weekends etc...

Members support each other, experienced pilots and new qualified fly together and share experiences, instructors join the organised 'fly-outs'...

Bar B Q's every week through the summer...I have spent lots of happy, happy, happy hours in the planes and in the club-house...

OK..

Now I will move to London (South west)...and I am looking to find a similar club.

I don't want to turn up and rent a plane for 200 GBP an hour from somebody in a crisp white shirt...I am happy to pull the a/c out of the hanger and wash it after the flight...I want to find a group of people to fly with, learn from share the pleasure of flying with...

Any ideas welcome!

ANCO

London transport flying club

I think that your best bet is to look to joining the Spitfire Flying Club at Popham - admittedly a bit of a treck out of London, but in the right direction. Popham has a plethora of variously priced and usually very friendly syndicates, a real "pro-aviation" attitude, a well regarded resident instructor when you need one, and is in a really good spot to go flying from.

There are a few reasonably priced aeroplanes to rent from private owners down there as well.

There's usually not a complete set of information about the activities and aeroplanes at Popham online - everything revolves around the clubhouse. I'd recommend going down there on a nice day for a few hours, chat to the locals, have lunch, look at the noticeboard, and work from there.

G

White Waltham is hard to beat.

ANCO,

I used to fly from from the Paul TIssandier club right next to you at St Cyr! I returned to London a few years ago and have flown into or at a fair few of the clubs around the SE.

For better or worse, you'll find the clubs around London, although they are a varied bunch, for the most part a great deal different from a French set-up.

There is only one place I can think of that truly resembles the best of a French club...and is a gem in its own right.....The Tiger Club at Headcorn.

PM if you want some specific info on other places.

BFA