Is it that much cheaper to train in the US?
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TJF,
Aha yes I have heard that before but to be honest you will find that those clubs are just after your money. I have heard of one guy who when he told the instructor he had learnt in the US was told he would need " at least 5 hours extra training" BEFORE he had even flown with him. The guy held an IR at the time as well as a PPL and I believe he turned around and walked away!
As regards RT procedure, spend an hour or so ground school brushing up if required but to behonest I found the transition pretty easy.
Other items to factor in with US:
- No club membership fees.
- No landing fees.
- No approach fees (though not applicable to PPL students).
On the down side I have just been looking at flight myself as wanted to go to CA again in Sept but they are quoting £750 RTN!!! I think I may be delaying until Oct when all the kiddies have gone back to school and the prices drop again! (I paid £350 lasy yr to go in November and have got there for £200 before).
I have never factored in lost wages into my calculations as if I did I would never take any leave
Julian
Aha yes I have heard that before but to be honest you will find that those clubs are just after your money. I have heard of one guy who when he told the instructor he had learnt in the US was told he would need " at least 5 hours extra training" BEFORE he had even flown with him. The guy held an IR at the time as well as a PPL and I believe he turned around and walked away!
As regards RT procedure, spend an hour or so ground school brushing up if required but to behonest I found the transition pretty easy.
Other items to factor in with US:
- No club membership fees.
- No landing fees.
- No approach fees (though not applicable to PPL students).
On the down side I have just been looking at flight myself as wanted to go to CA again in Sept but they are quoting £750 RTN!!! I think I may be delaying until Oct when all the kiddies have gone back to school and the prices drop again! (I paid £350 lasy yr to go in November and have got there for £200 before).
I have never factored in lost wages into my calculations as if I did I would never take any leave
Julian
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5 Hr UK test?
Yes I agree, wrong to judge that someone needs at least 5 hrs training before the instructor has even flown with the PPL holder.
However, anyone who has experienced both JAA and FAA trainng systems (or UK and USA based JAA systems) cannot deny that there are major 'Procedural' differences (i.e the flying skills are the same, but the operational procedures differ).
If you want to fly in the UK after completing an American based PPL (whether that's JAA or FAA) it is prudent to get some sort of differences training. Otherwise you may find yourself unable to do an overhead join, or ask for a QDM for just 2 examples!
Whilst getting the cheapest deal is often appealing - the consequencies may prove rather expensive!
GQ (who has trained under both JAA and FAA)
However, anyone who has experienced both JAA and FAA trainng systems (or UK and USA based JAA systems) cannot deny that there are major 'Procedural' differences (i.e the flying skills are the same, but the operational procedures differ).
If you want to fly in the UK after completing an American based PPL (whether that's JAA or FAA) it is prudent to get some sort of differences training. Otherwise you may find yourself unable to do an overhead join, or ask for a QDM for just 2 examples!
Whilst getting the cheapest deal is often appealing - the consequencies may prove rather expensive!
GQ (who has trained under both JAA and FAA)
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Join Date: May 2005
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Well here's an update to my situation:
After spending what seemed to be ages looking around at schools in the UK and schools in the States my fed up girlfriend told me "Just book it and stop talking about it" So that was it I decided that I'd go off to the states, San Diego to be precise.
So I booked off the whole of November with work, contacted the school in San Diego and they told me to register with Sevis and the TSA. I then got a visa after losing the will to live at the American Embassey in London (waited 5 hours!!)
However this is where the complications started, I then find a club in the Oxfordshire that charges virtually the same for flight training as a US school would! There is virtually a couple of hundred quid difference between this club and a US school once you add your air fare, under £4000!
(Before anyone asks I'm afraid membership is limited to service personnel, sorry)
Personally I would prefer to train in the UK, but what concerns me most is the weather especially in November. I was supposed to have a couple of lessons today but they were cancelled due to the weather, could this be a sign of things to come??
So I'm in a right old dilemma now! Do I go to the States or Stay in the UK and sleep in my own bed at night??
TJF97
After spending what seemed to be ages looking around at schools in the UK and schools in the States my fed up girlfriend told me "Just book it and stop talking about it" So that was it I decided that I'd go off to the states, San Diego to be precise.
So I booked off the whole of November with work, contacted the school in San Diego and they told me to register with Sevis and the TSA. I then got a visa after losing the will to live at the American Embassey in London (waited 5 hours!!)
However this is where the complications started, I then find a club in the Oxfordshire that charges virtually the same for flight training as a US school would! There is virtually a couple of hundred quid difference between this club and a US school once you add your air fare, under £4000!
(Before anyone asks I'm afraid membership is limited to service personnel, sorry)
Personally I would prefer to train in the UK, but what concerns me most is the weather especially in November. I was supposed to have a couple of lessons today but they were cancelled due to the weather, could this be a sign of things to come??
So I'm in a right old dilemma now! Do I go to the States or Stay in the UK and sleep in my own bed at night??
TJF97
PPL in US
I've been looking around this thread having the same dilemmma myself. UK or US? Well i'm lucky that i got 42 hours from the space cadets on the Grob 109b but of course this doesn't count in the eyes of the CAA so I just said sod it and decided to do the bloody thing out there. (In San Diego).
When finished i'll write a post on the pros and cons comparing them.
P.S. I also decided to have a 2 week holiday afterwards to look around Southern CA.
I mean San Diego or Barton?
P.P.S. Nowt wrong with Barton but why not go the whole hog and have a totally different experience!
When finished i'll write a post on the pros and cons comparing them.
P.S. I also decided to have a 2 week holiday afterwards to look around Southern CA.
I mean San Diego or Barton?
P.P.S. Nowt wrong with Barton but why not go the whole hog and have a totally different experience!
Join Date: Sep 2005
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Interesting thread, some very good points made 
, I am off to the USA, FL, very soon to do my JAA PPL, and I made my choice on the following:
1) £ price, at £2800 all in, inc all textbooks, exam fees, skills tests, TSA and sevis fee's. JAA medical, accomodation, 45Hrs, and night rating, it can't be too bad!!!
2) weather- has got to be a better bet than UK weather all year round!
3) the "block learning" idea, ie spent 4 weeks living and breathing flying, in the UK you have distractions like work, women ( or men if you are a member of the fairer sex
), beer, time etc, and inevitably end up covering old ground as its been a week/ 2 weeks from your last lesson.
4) even though its a intensive pakage, and bound to be hard work, its still a bit of an experience and a small hobby holiday.
My flight is £372 return, and food/drink I recon £10 a day should cover it easily so, working on the average UK PPL package of £5000-£6000, this still leaves me around £2000 "change" to do checkout rides and additional flying training should I need it,and I intend to grab a UK instructor and fly for a bit to make sure I am happy in UK airspace when I return
I hope I havn't been blinkered, I will post a report up when I get back, and If I have neglected to include anything please tell me
, I am off to the USA, FL, very soon to do my JAA PPL, and I made my choice on the following:1) £ price, at £2800 all in, inc all textbooks, exam fees, skills tests, TSA and sevis fee's. JAA medical, accomodation, 45Hrs, and night rating, it can't be too bad!!!
2) weather- has got to be a better bet than UK weather all year round!
3) the "block learning" idea, ie spent 4 weeks living and breathing flying, in the UK you have distractions like work, women ( or men if you are a member of the fairer sex
), beer, time etc, and inevitably end up covering old ground as its been a week/ 2 weeks from your last lesson.4) even though its a intensive pakage, and bound to be hard work, its still a bit of an experience and a small hobby holiday.
My flight is £372 return, and food/drink I recon £10 a day should cover it easily
so, working on the average UK PPL package of £5000-£6000, this still leaves me around £2000 "change" to do checkout rides and additional flying training should I need it,and I intend to grab a UK instructor and fly for a bit to make sure I am happy in UK airspace when I return I hope I havn't been blinkered, I will post a report up when I get back, and If I have neglected to include anything please tell me
Little known fact
Here's a little gem;
If you have completed your JAA written exams at home,
Hold a JAA medical,
You can go to any school in the USA, train for the US PPL, pass the checkride with a US examiner, then go and find a JAA examiner who can do a conversion-skill test and an RT test.
Leaves you with both FAA and JAA licenses and no need to go to a JAA certified school.
Any questions PM please and I can give you more details.
If you have completed your JAA written exams at home,
Hold a JAA medical,
You can go to any school in the USA, train for the US PPL, pass the checkride with a US examiner, then go and find a JAA examiner who can do a conversion-skill test and an RT test.
Leaves you with both FAA and JAA licenses and no need to go to a JAA certified school.
Any questions PM please and I can give you more details.
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Join Date: May 2005
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Thanks for all the replies, although no one gave me any advice about my dilemma, go to the States or stay over here 
Although to help me make my mind up I've had two lesson cancelled this week due to the weather around Oxford
Kengineer-130, good luck and let me know how you get on in Florida.
Shaft109, I've sent you a PM
B2N2, I was vaguley aware of that little gem, I may look into it.
Although to help me make my mind up I've had two lesson cancelled this week due to the weather around Oxford
Kengineer-130, good luck and let me know how you get on in Florida.
Shaft109, I've sent you a PM
B2N2, I was vaguley aware of that little gem, I may look into it.
Join Date: Jan 2004
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Thre is of course annother way.....
you go to the USA take your FAA PPL which comes with a Night Rating, you will need this for CPL anyway.
Are you going to take your JAA CPL???? if so you do not need a JAA PPL. In fact as the FAA License is an ICAO License you dont need a JAA PPL to take your JAA ATPL exams or JAA CPL Test.
However if you want a JAA PPL you can always build 100 Hours in the USA, Take AIr Law,Human Factors and the R/T Exam then you just need to sit the skill test.
Thats what I did, it is legal as I am now a fATPL Holder.
This route is somewhat cheaper and the FAA written exam is also eaiser.
FF
you go to the USA take your FAA PPL which comes with a Night Rating, you will need this for CPL anyway.
Are you going to take your JAA CPL???? if so you do not need a JAA PPL. In fact as the FAA License is an ICAO License you dont need a JAA PPL to take your JAA ATPL exams or JAA CPL Test.
However if you want a JAA PPL you can always build 100 Hours in the USA, Take AIr Law,Human Factors and the R/T Exam then you just need to sit the skill test.
Thats what I did, it is legal as I am now a fATPL Holder.
This route is somewhat cheaper and the FAA written exam is also eaiser.
FF
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TJF97
Having gone through this dilemma myself and now a number of years on, I've managed to hear a lot of other people have experienced the same. My advice - do your training in Europe. You want to fly in Europe - train in Europe and believe me, once everything is said in done, you aren't talking a huge savings if any when you convert.
Best of luck whatever you choose.
Having gone through this dilemma myself and now a number of years on, I've managed to hear a lot of other people have experienced the same. My advice - do your training in Europe. You want to fly in Europe - train in Europe and believe me, once everything is said in done, you aren't talking a huge savings if any when you convert.
Best of luck whatever you choose.
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Considering that I have got the whole of November off out of the three lessons I've had this week, two have been cancelled due to the weather. So what are the chances of the weather in November being any better in the uk?
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Another lesson cancelled today due to the weather! Thats six lessons cancelled in the last three weeks now.
I'd really love to stay in the UK and do the PPL but because of time and money I think I'm going to have to go over to the States and then get my Club Instructor to sort out the gaps when I get back.
Cheese
TJF97
I'd really love to stay in the UK and do the PPL but because of time and money I think I'm going to have to go over to the States and then get my Club Instructor to sort out the gaps when I get back.
Cheese
TJF97
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Two more lessons cancelled this week due to the weather!! I'm beginning to sound like a broken record!!
I havn't had the heart to tell my club instructor that I'm going to the States yet, he'll probably go mad! I was going to tell him on Sunday and ask if he'll sort out all the "little issues" when I get back, ie R/T procedure.
TJF97
I havn't had the heart to tell my club instructor that I'm going to the States yet, he'll probably go mad! I was going to tell him on Sunday and ask if he'll sort out all the "little issues" when I get back, ie R/T procedure.
TJF97
Intelligent Idiot
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Ok, heres the price advertised from one of my local clubs,
JAR approved PPL aeroplane 45 hour course £4140.00
Personal equipment, extra hours, extra landings, tests and exams extra.
Wondering how much these extras will amount to.
Another club offers the 45 hour course at £6000 with the following info posted.
In conclusion, your Pilots Licence will cost approximately £6,000 based on our 45 hour course including equipment. Your first objective is to fly Solo, say 10-15 hours at a cost of some £1750
How long does it take to qualify as a pilot?
Continuity is the key. Many students have completed their Licence in less than a month with others earning theirs part-time over 12 months. The majority of xxxxxxx students complete their flying course within the 45 hour syllabus - the UK national average being some 75 hours.
The cheapest Licence is one which is achieved in the minimum time.......45 hours.
Subject only to a one hour Assessment Flight with the Chief Flying Instructor, xxxxxxx will GUARANTEE your flying course in the minimum time.... OR WE PAY! YES.... up to 10 hours free training to ensure the completion of your full-time Pilot Licence Course.
Which one represents the best value or will they both end up around the same.
This question isnt about US training being cheaper, just the value of this in the UK
JAR approved PPL aeroplane 45 hour course £4140.00
Personal equipment, extra hours, extra landings, tests and exams extra.
Wondering how much these extras will amount to.
Another club offers the 45 hour course at £6000 with the following info posted.
In conclusion, your Pilots Licence will cost approximately £6,000 based on our 45 hour course including equipment. Your first objective is to fly Solo, say 10-15 hours at a cost of some £1750
How long does it take to qualify as a pilot?
Continuity is the key. Many students have completed their Licence in less than a month with others earning theirs part-time over 12 months. The majority of xxxxxxx students complete their flying course within the 45 hour syllabus - the UK national average being some 75 hours.
The cheapest Licence is one which is achieved in the minimum time.......45 hours.
Subject only to a one hour Assessment Flight with the Chief Flying Instructor, xxxxxxx will GUARANTEE your flying course in the minimum time.... OR WE PAY! YES.... up to 10 hours free training to ensure the completion of your full-time Pilot Licence Course.
Which one represents the best value or will they both end up around the same.
This question isnt about US training being cheaper, just the value of this in the UK
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Ask yourself this question... are you after just passing the test? or do you wish to be a safe pilot? It is very easy to advertise first time pass etc or we pay deals. they are not always the best option. What you learn here will be with you for the rest of your flying career.
FF
FF
