Falling GBP v USD affecting your plans?

[AlphaMale]

I'm getting really frustrated at the fact that the '£' is worth less and less these days and if it falls much more I'll have re-think my training plans.



Example.

PPL with FlyEaa is around $10,000 + 4 or 5 weeks accommodation, flights and living expenses.

3 months ago this was £5,000 + the extras. Today it's £6,500 + extras and it's not looking to rosy for the future either.

I'm now contemplating doing a JAA PPL with Highland (Cheap at £4,600 or Cardiff as it's a stones throw away) as it'll be the same price (without the added benefit of a NR of course).

Anybody else feeling frustrated having planed to do their training on the other side of the pond?

[debeers]

Why not try South Africa?

South African Rand (ZAR) has recently collapsed - it normally hovers around 12 ZAR per GBP. It has recently been hitting 18:

[Aerospace101]

Why not the UK

Why not the UK? Support our economy/flying schools/flying jobs

[safta]

Come to South Africa and you can do a complete Multi CPL from around GBP17,000, including accommodation. As of September next year the SACAA is adopting the JAR exam syllabus so if you write your CPL theory exams after September then it will be a piece of cake to write them again when you return to the UK, and you will have obtained your CPL for a fraction of the cost of a UK license but, if you choose the right academy in South Africa, you will have received excellent training. PM me for more info.

[AlphaMale]

I've got no problem with doing it in the UK, in fact I'd prefer to do it in the UK.

But after dropping into my local school I was told to budget for £8,000 to complete my PPL over 8 months (April - Nov) I asked the school in April and they said there is no reason I can't get my PPL by the end of the year if I started that month. The fastest anybody gained their PPL in Cardiff was over 3 months and that guy was full time

So with these 21 day FAA PPL adverts for £5k ... I guess it's pretty inviting. I know 21 days might not be achievable but my employer owes me 7 weeks in holiday leave (I've been saving them for this course) and I can make a maximum of 6 consecutive weeks.

As for your comment on supporting our economy ... if our government looked after us and kept the fuel costs down I'm sure the flight schools would have a better chance at being competitive.

Diamond C1 at $129 (£83)
Piper Warrior at £145

Can you blame anybody for doing their PPL as cheap as chips in order spend their saved cash on ATPL exams?

[BigGrecian]

with these 21 day FAA PPL adverts for £5k ... I guess it's pretty inviting. I know 21 days might not be achievable

The only thing inviting about that is that it pleases your boss.

Any 21 day PPL leads to a non correlated view of flight training, as it all just happens too fast. 4-5 weeks is more reasonable from a learning point of view.
Given the two I would strongly recommend the 8 month PPL over the 21 days - you'll be a much better Private Pilot at the end of it - and that way you won't go over on your CPL or IR - which I'm prepared to bet you will with a 21 day PPL.

[BelArgUSA]

ZIM $$$

Would love to be in Harare, and become a billionaire...

Happy contrails

[preduk]

I refuse to do it abroad, I want to support the economy here. Plus I can do the full PPL for around £5,000 up in Inverness.

[TheBP]

I had been considering several options (US - specifically Pelican and Riverside/Airways, Armed Forces, UK only) - finally settled on taking the modular route over here.

I produced a timeline and costings for several different training options, which was quite an eye-opener. Sure, it may have looked like costing that much more - but the experience of actually doing everything in the UK where I want to do most of my flying together with my circumstances eventually made it the logical choice. When it was £1 = $2 it might have gone the other way, but at $1.75 I decided it wasn't worth while in the States.. let alone $1.55.

So now I've started my PPL again, as full-time as possible. Have 10 hours booked for next week Of course, there's the problem of English weather - I don't actually expect to get 10 hours! Maybe I'll get a few hours, maybe I'll get none. But I've still got 6 of the theory subjects to go and keep me busy in the downtime.. and if I finish those early, I'll probably make a head-start on the ATPL material as I intend to go straight onto them.

Training during this current situation, I (we) must be stark raving mad! Anyway, I certainly wouldn't bemoan anyone for saving money where possible, as long as it's not sacrificing quality or opportunities then make every penny count.

[MMeddie]

all the best to u bp!

I notice u've mentioned starting your PPL "again"....did you start sumtime before and then pause for some reason and therefore do your hours have a sort of lapse/gap in them?

[moona]

I was considering the US for an intensive CPL at Oba, Oft or Naples due to the cost savings. Now that the cost savings wont be as significant im planning on doing the CPL locally.

I am still considering the FAA IR and convert option though as this still seems to offer significant cost savings.

[SparksFlyHigh]

When the rate was around $2.05 to £1, I was so close to changing £5000 or so into $ ready to do a ppl out there....not a lot of point now

[AlphaMale]

Training during this current situation, I (we) must be stark raving mad!

Tell me about it!

When the rate was around $2.05 to £1, I was so close to changing £5000 or so into $ ready to do a ppl out there....

I had the same idea, change £5,000 to $10,000 and that way my plan didn't have a big variable in it with regards to cost.

I must say having looked at a few South African schools and getting 18 Rands to the pound makes it a good deal I've always fancied flying in Africa and with my father having lived out there for a while I've heard some nice stories about the place. Jo Burg, Durban and Cape Town etc

I'll look into the SA schools and see what I can find, but frustratingly the US schools are not such a good deal as they were, It seems 65,000 Rand will get you a PPL in SA.