Stapleford Flight Centre (Merged 2009)

[Mikehotel152]

Most of your IR training is undertaken in the DA42 simulator, using Cranfield, Cambridge and East Midlands. After about 30 hours you move on to the aircraft and spent approaximately 15 hours flying holds and approaches at Southend. This stage culminates in a couple of airways flights to Southend in the aircraft. Before the Skills Test, you'll fly the Test route from Cranfield to East Mids or Cambridge in the Sim.

[CY333]

Any feedback regarding the school lately?

[davidbrent]

i finished my full Zero-fATPL programme there in March (Modular)

Myself and Three other lads from Stapleford, all finishing bewteen December 2009 - March 2010 are all now flying for Ryanair, First Officer on the 737-800.

I would say it was a fantastic investment for me personally. I've gone from a wannabe PPL to having my dream job flying Jets, in just a little over 2 years.

I would reccommend them as the best modular choice for PPL, CPL, ME & IR.

I would reccommend for hours building you go to Florida (SunState Aviation - Kissimmee)

and for MCC i would definately go somewhere where they have a 737 Sim.
CAE on the 737-800 or Oxford on the 737-400. This was a massive help in my selection and assessment for Ryanair.

Ciao.

[Aitch812]

davidbrent

did you pay for your own TR or did you go through a ryanair sponsored route. do you know if they have age limits. I'm just about to start down the whole training road at 36 and am just curious.

cheers

aitch

[davidbrent]

yes, you have to pay for your type rating yourself.

as far as official rules, ive not heard of any age limit, however, it seems that they tend to recruit more people in their early 20s (although that is only my speculation and in no way a fact)

deffo never too late to start flying, best thing in the world!

[KichalFlyer]

Stapleford Lifestyle

Hi davidbrent,

I am going to attend the open day at SFC on Sep 25th and seriously thinking of taking their frozen ATPL from zero. Since you have been there, could you please explain further regarding the lifestyle near by SFC. Is there any supermarkets/rest/social activities...etc near by SFC? What's the method of transport in that area (car/bus/train)?

Thanks in advance

[davidbrent]

its a quiet area on the outskirts of london, essex. there arent many amenities in the immediate vicinity, but they have a free crew-car for students and a short 10minute drive will take you to Theydon Bois which has a Tesco Supermarket, couple of pubs, café, genral shops. Otherwise your entertainment will come from the lounge in the accomodation, they got TV withDVD player etc.

[KichalFlyer]

Thanks a lot davidbrent... Actually the main purpose of being at SFC is to study and flying but I was woundering if any sort of entertainment would be available around SFC just to refresh myself. Since the accomodation is equiped with such facilities that would great

From your personal opinion, do you think that the place is boring since it's located a bit far?

[PA28Viking]

The student car is no longer free. It used to be "keep et gased up", but nobody did, so now it is 10 p per mile or something like that. Stil chep.

It is no problem going somewere. Shopping no problem in Theydon Bois, Epping or Romford. London is only 45 min away on the tube.

If you will be bored is more a question about how you handle it yourself. There is enough to do, doing your own sessions and backseating others, if you want to.

[skyfish2]

stapleford fto

If its as good as it was in the late sixties and th seventies,unde dear old Eric T,your in

[KichalFlyer]

Thanks a lot guys to share your experience about the location.

In this case I should sort out a way to cargo my motor bike there

[JackN]

Hi, I've done the whole zero-hours to fATPL course at Stapleford. Passed my IR yesterday and can definitely recommend the school, although I agree that when the weather's poor or you have no flights booked in (I flew 5 days on, 2 off) there really isn't a lot to do. Having said that, there's always someone about willing to give you a lift to and from the station - everyone tends to lend the favour around and drive everyone else. I've even heard of the receptionists picking people up who were stuck!

My advice is to get yourself a cheap mountain bike and head out into the countryside - it's a great way of getting away from it all for a bit.

Good luck with your training, it's great fun!

[PA28Viking]

Congratulations Jack!!

Who was your examiner?

[KichalFlyer]

I have attended the open day at Stapleford on 25th last Saturday... The place and people were incredible...
I need anyone's opinion regarding UK weather. I am willing to join on November to start with PPL all the way to fATPL. Does any one think that November would be a good month to start or shall I wait?

Thanks for your quick reply guys...

Congrats Jack

[KichalFlyer]

Thanks a lot Cesco for sharing your experiance. Any one else has experiernced bad weather during Nov till Feb?

[davidbrent]

yes i think, wherever you go in the UK for the winter months, you have to be quite patient, as the weather can always be a bit poor...

ideally starting courses like your PPL in the summer is better, and in an ideal world, timing it so that your ATPL groundschool, or perhaps the sim stage of your IR is in the winter, makes sense...

....however i seemed to mis-time mine... making it take a bit longer, especially having a particularly bad winter last year...

i got there though eventually, lol

[Alicia.C]

Hi!

Just read that the ILS at Southend is unserviceable until 20th December at the earliest (probably until February). Does anyone know how this has affected IR training at Stapleford, has it made flights longer? I was thinking of revalidating my multi IR there early next year. If the ILS is not ready by then, where will the ILS part of the test be conducted, and if this adds more time onto the flight, is it better to revalidate it elsewhere?

Thanks everyone!

Alicia.

[MagicTiger]

Depends what IR renewal you are doing, if you have to do in the aircraft or if you can do it in the sim.

At the moment I think they use Cambridge, does not really make that much difference. In the Sim they used Southend last time I backseated with someone there.

[davidbrent]

i think you can even go to Calais...

the trip time is longer, but offset that cost against cheaper approaches at Calais, not a great difference in price tbh

Enjoy.

[Alicia.C]

Thanks for the replies, will be in the Seneca, not the sim. I know they used 'Stapleford -> Brain -> Clacton -> Tripo -> Southend as an IR reval route in the past, but pointless going to Southend early next year if the ILS is still out. (I'm pretty sure a precision approach is required for an IR reval and cannot be simulator substituted).

Trying to work out what will be the cheapest in terms of flight time. Anyone know the Cambridge or Cranfield route?

Thanks!