PPL Training in Florida, September 2009
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I was at the Flyer show as well and came back with exactly the same plan! So perhaps I'll be seeing you at the next Atlantic selection after this summer.
I'm deciding between staying at home and doing the PPL over the summer with a local school (probably Prestwick) or getting myself over to Florida. Let us know what you think of the various schools, unfortunately I'm not able to go out first and check them out. The guy we would both have spoken to from Atlantic did his at Ormond Beach, his opinion being that you were very much getting what you paid for.
Good luck anyway!
I'm deciding between staying at home and doing the PPL over the summer with a local school (probably Prestwick) or getting myself over to Florida. Let us know what you think of the various schools, unfortunately I'm not able to go out first and check them out. The guy we would both have spoken to from Atlantic did his at Ormond Beach, his opinion being that you were very much getting what you paid for.
Good luck anyway!
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was it John you spoke to? i think that was his name anyway!
the only problem i have with going to florida is getting the time off work. im trying to approach the subject with my employer at the moment!
have you applied to any other scheme yet?
the only problem i have with going to florida is getting the time off work. im trying to approach the subject with my employer at the moment!
have you applied to any other scheme yet?
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I just got my letter from GAPAN today saying I'm not shortlisted for the PPL scholarship, which was obviously disappointing- clearly I didn't dazzle them enough on Saturday with the aptitude test!
I think it was John, Irish accent? Seemed like a nice guy, certainly very helpful. I've got an application on hold with OA/Netjets, but even if/when they do start recruiting again I doubt I'll find £60k. Ditto CTC. I'm going to hold off on Atlantic etc. until I've (hopefully) got the PPL this summer. A potential benefit of Florida is most of them do the night rating alongside the PPL which will be desirable for Atlantic in particular.
I'm lucky in the time off respect, I'm off uni for the summer and my p/t employer is pretty understanding about it if I decide do go away for a month, provided I decide ASAP! After I've got my exams out of the way I'll see about the Class 1 and settle on a school.
I think it was John, Irish accent? Seemed like a nice guy, certainly very helpful. I've got an application on hold with OA/Netjets, but even if/when they do start recruiting again I doubt I'll find £60k. Ditto CTC. I'm going to hold off on Atlantic etc. until I've (hopefully) got the PPL this summer. A potential benefit of Florida is most of them do the night rating alongside the PPL which will be desirable for Atlantic in particular.
I'm lucky in the time off respect, I'm off uni for the summer and my p/t employer is pretty understanding about it if I decide do go away for a month, provided I decide ASAP! After I've got my exams out of the way I'll see about the Class 1 and settle on a school.
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yeah that was my logic for florida too. the night rating here is an extra £800.
thats a shame about GAPAN. i sent my application off a few weeks back so im still waiting to hear. i didnt see them at the flyer show. was too busy dodging people to pay any attention!
you will have to email me and let me know if you are going to florida after your exams! [email protected] . i will let you know what i find when i go over in july ( if you havent already decided on a school in that time!)
thats a shame about GAPAN. i sent my application off a few weeks back so im still waiting to hear. i didnt see them at the flyer show. was too busy dodging people to pay any attention!
you will have to email me and let me know if you are going to florida after your exams! [email protected] . i will let you know what i find when i go over in july ( if you havent already decided on a school in that time!)
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hi asianberry
aslong as you do a JAR/JAA PPL it should be fine. even if you do an FAA one i think you can get it converted?! im sure somebody will correct me if i am wrong!
aslong as you do a JAR/JAA PPL it should be fine. even if you do an FAA one i think you can get it converted?! im sure somebody will correct me if i am wrong!
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the night rating here is an extra £800.
In Florida, or basically with any intensive course, you can expect to be ready for your PPL skills test with a little less than 45 hours so you can use some of the "extra" hours till the 45 to do the night hours.
OTOH, if you do a part-time course over a year you will find that there will be large periods (three weeks plus) where you don't fly because of weather, vacation or other external factors. This will cause you to lose proficiency and may lead to needing 60 hours or more to be ready for the basic PPL, without having flown at night. In that case the night rating is indeed an extra five hours, most of them dual. Plus in Europe you've got to worry about landing fees, which are sometimes higher at night. Hence the £800 price tag.
So it all depends on your aptitude and commitment whether you can do the night rating as part of the 45, or whether you need to do extra hours for it.
hey if get my qualifications in america will i be able to work in britain?
aslong as you do a JAR/JAA PPL it should be fine. even if you do an FAA one i think you can get it converted?
Bear in mind though that you will probably need an M-1 VISA. For this you need some paperwork, which can only be issued by a SEVIS approved school. All part 141 schools are SEVIS approved, but not all part 61 schools are. This will limit your choice of schools quite a bit. Not as much as the choice for a JAA school will limit you, but still something to consider.
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Don't rule out South Africa.
Competetive prices, and NO visa required for PPL training. Weather in their winter is similar to what we get in the UK in summer and you will be issued with an ICAO ppl which is valid to start cpl/me/ir training in the UK. You can also fly a 'G' reg a/c in the UK with NO conversions, just a standard club check out - providing you stay in UK airspace. Also NO hurricanes to worry about and you get to do a little bit of "bush" flying, in terrain slightly more challenging than a flat Florida.
Do a search for some of the following South African flight schools to see what has been said about them on here :-
Algoa Flying Club
APTRAC
43 Air School
Progress Flight Academy
Just a suggestion.
Competetive prices, and NO visa required for PPL training. Weather in their winter is similar to what we get in the UK in summer and you will be issued with an ICAO ppl which is valid to start cpl/me/ir training in the UK. You can also fly a 'G' reg a/c in the UK with NO conversions, just a standard club check out - providing you stay in UK airspace. Also NO hurricanes to worry about and you get to do a little bit of "bush" flying, in terrain slightly more challenging than a flat Florida.
Do a search for some of the following South African flight schools to see what has been said about them on here :-
Algoa Flying Club
APTRAC
43 Air School
Progress Flight Academy
Just a suggestion.
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South Africa
I've sent off a few emails about these schools, any idea of current prices there?
Although the SA PPL is valid here in the UK for general aviation, recreational flying, what would be involved in converting it properly into a full UK PPL?
Cheers for the information!
Although the SA PPL is valid here in the UK for general aviation, recreational flying, what would be involved in converting it properly into a full UK PPL?
Cheers for the information!
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Although the SA PPL is valid here in the UK for general aviation, recreational flying, what would be involved in converting it properly into a full UK PPL?
Only when you have more than 100 hours PIC experience are some of the ground exams waived.
Details in LASORS, section C1.2 and C1.3.
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Also looking to do F/T in September
hey guys,
im in a similar position. I've been flying since january on and off, firstly in Cork, but because of "problems" with the Irish Aviation Authority not accepting my UK-JAR Class 1 medical (even though they are meant to according to JAR-FCL-1, but thats a different story.)
I went for a brief stint in the Ulster Flying Club in newtownards, UK, but the sheer expense and 5 hours travelling everyday for 45 mins flying due to weather, just wasn't worth it. So i packed it in for now and put the money back in the bank.
So... now i'm gonna working all summer but im free for a month in September, and I plan to go to florida to complete my training.
I have about 28 hours on C172s, a plane i really like. But to be honest I just wanna get the PPL outta the way and on to the hard stuff.
Ormond Beach seems to do a good deal, with a night rating included, seem relatively cheap and easy to get to on C152s/ Piper Warriors.
Naples and OFT seem to be other likely choices (with 172s and a slightly higher price), but i'd like to get some opinions from people....
Cheers
Steve
im in a similar position. I've been flying since january on and off, firstly in Cork, but because of "problems" with the Irish Aviation Authority not accepting my UK-JAR Class 1 medical (even though they are meant to according to JAR-FCL-1, but thats a different story.)
I went for a brief stint in the Ulster Flying Club in newtownards, UK, but the sheer expense and 5 hours travelling everyday for 45 mins flying due to weather, just wasn't worth it. So i packed it in for now and put the money back in the bank.
So... now i'm gonna working all summer but im free for a month in September, and I plan to go to florida to complete my training.
I have about 28 hours on C172s, a plane i really like. But to be honest I just wanna get the PPL outta the way and on to the hard stuff.
Ormond Beach seems to do a good deal, with a night rating included, seem relatively cheap and easy to get to on C152s/ Piper Warriors.
Naples and OFT seem to be other likely choices (with 172s and a slightly higher price), but i'd like to get some opinions from people....
Cheers
Steve
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Steve, sounds like you have it all figured out already. Go for it!
One tip: don't wait too long for applying for the M-1 visa. I don't know about Ireland but the beginning of summer here in NL is the busiest time for the American embassy: All the Dutch students who passed their exams are then applying for their M-1 visas for their one-year college. Wait times of three months to get a visa interview are not that uncommon.
One tip: don't wait too long for applying for the M-1 visa. I don't know about Ireland but the beginning of summer here in NL is the busiest time for the American embassy: All the Dutch students who passed their exams are then applying for their M-1 visas for their one-year college. Wait times of three months to get a visa interview are not that uncommon.
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Steve
I have no experience of Ormond, but did quite a bit at Naples a few years ago. Good club, but one criticism, a number of instructors were South American. I found it difficult to understand what some were saying. Flying in new air space, in a new and unfamiliar plane, with perhaps complicated IFR training going on, and unable to make out what your instructor is bloody talking about, can raise the stress levels. It may well have changed, and I may just have been unlucky, but worth enquiring.
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Hi Steve
have you done any research on the schools? i am getting alot of positive feedback about naples so im seriously considering applying there. i am going in July so i will look at 3 or 4 different schools then.
i am going to have a few lessons before i go though as i have very limited experience on the pa28.
have you done any research on the schools? i am getting alot of positive feedback about naples so im seriously considering applying there. i am going in July so i will look at 3 or 4 different schools then.
i am going to have a few lessons before i go though as i have very limited experience on the pa28.
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hey,
Well, After 6 hours travelling with a dead iPod to belfast for just 45 mins flying the realistation that you really need VFR weather for a PPL sank in quickly.
I researched Ormond Beach a bit and a friend trained there too, also have a friend who trained in Naples, so its just a matter of deciding. I'll apply for the visa as soon as i know where i'm gonna go and get dates for it, etc.
Do naples/ormond beach do airport transfers does anyone know, or is it always the case of needing to get a car?
Steve
Well, After 6 hours travelling with a dead iPod to belfast for just 45 mins flying the realistation that you really need VFR weather for a PPL sank in quickly.
I researched Ormond Beach a bit and a friend trained there too, also have a friend who trained in Naples, so its just a matter of deciding. I'll apply for the visa as soon as i know where i'm gonna go and get dates for it, etc.
Do naples/ormond beach do airport transfers does anyone know, or is it always the case of needing to get a car?
Steve
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they will do transfers if you ask them. what alot of people do is go there, get to their accomodation and then buy a pushbike from walmart. the schools are normally only about a mile away from their reccommended hotels. but saying that, the car hire there is so cheap. the other benefit of getting a car is you can explore the area a bit more, got to the beach on your days off etc. petrol cost is not even worth considering. its half the cost here. i went to florida on holiday last year, travelled 1000miles and it cost me about £40 in fuel. that was when the fuel over there was about $3.50 per us galon. my girlfriends dad came back from there last week and its now less than $2 per gallon. obscene! just shows how we are ripped off!