Welshpool - how good?
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Join Date: Sep 2001
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Welshpool - how good?
For many months now I have noticed Welshpool Flying School advertising their PPL course at £2,990 including ground exams, home based landing fees and VAT. These are almost the sort of prices you expect to see for training in the States! Perhaps it might be a good place to do some hours building towards CPL. Has anyone used them? How good are they? Are there any snags to training there? Perhaps our Welsh colleagues might care to comment.
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Have a look through the archives using Search. There's lots on WPL.
I worked, and learnt, there many moons ago and it was a great place to learn. Free from controlled airspace (apart from the big airway above) - which I don't get down here in the southeast!
It's over 10 years old now(!) so I'm not sure what state the place is in, but at that price, I don't think there's much argument. You certainly get your licence in most cases - THOUGH DO READ THE PREVIOUS POSTINGS! And don't pay up front, it still happens these days, look at SFT.
I worked, and learnt, there many moons ago and it was a great place to learn. Free from controlled airspace (apart from the big airway above) - which I don't get down here in the southeast!
It's over 10 years old now(!) so I'm not sure what state the place is in, but at that price, I don't think there's much argument. You certainly get your licence in most cases - THOUGH DO READ THE PREVIOUS POSTINGS! And don't pay up front, it still happens these days, look at SFT.
Well avoid Images night club, The Oak has gone right downhill, The Talbot, Pheasant and Churchills are good pubs and the new Indian does a fantastic Balti.
As for the flying school...
The aircraft are OK, the buildings are OK, the facilities on the airfield are OK, the accomodation is OK. Not great, not rubbish but OK.
They have been going 10 years and have turned out a lot of PPLs, me included. They are a sound company but there are no frills at that price so expect to be given the Trevor Thomb books, ask if you get stuck and do the exams when you feel able etc. etc.
I think its a very good deal indeed. I cannot vouch for the instructors there at the moment as I don't know them apart from the odd one whom I last flew with as their instructor (hi Caroline)...
Go take a look is the best advice.
WWW
As for the flying school...
The aircraft are OK, the buildings are OK, the facilities on the airfield are OK, the accomodation is OK. Not great, not rubbish but OK.
They have been going 10 years and have turned out a lot of PPLs, me included. They are a sound company but there are no frills at that price so expect to be given the Trevor Thomb books, ask if you get stuck and do the exams when you feel able etc. etc.
I think its a very good deal indeed. I cannot vouch for the instructors there at the moment as I don't know them apart from the odd one whom I last flew with as their instructor (hi Caroline)...
Go take a look is the best advice.
WWW
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Join Date: May 2001
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Nice place ... nice people ... nice area and scenery ... not too much traffic to interfere with learner pilots like me ... poxy weather when I was there though!
To quote my instructor that day, the course is cheap because "the aircraft are old BUT v.well looked after". Also as they own the airfield and all ground operation aspects they control everything. This allows them to keep costs down alot without sacrificing safety. Quite a perky little setup I think.
BUT visit them and have a chat. Remember to ask Carolyn first mind...
Regards;
Sky
To quote my instructor that day, the course is cheap because "the aircraft are old BUT v.well looked after". Also as they own the airfield and all ground operation aspects they control everything. This allows them to keep costs down alot without sacrificing safety. Quite a perky little setup I think.
BUT visit them and have a chat. Remember to ask Carolyn first mind...
Regards;
Sky
The aircraft aren't all that old - there is a fair old mix but at least they are all owned by the same chap who does know an awful lot about them.
The main reasons that the place is cheap are related to low overheads.
The whole place was built with EU and WDA money because they decided that Mid Wales needed an airport and a local company was willing to build the runway for its own aircraft Ops. The place attracts a very low rent for the current sole operator. He has little in the way of maintenance and operating costs on the new built buildings.
The owner and his wife run the business themselves which reduces management costs. There is a very healthy flying club at the school due to the remoteness of alternative clubs and this helps cross subsidise aircraft utilisation.
Trust me - the owners make a healthy profit from the place even though the prices are rock bottom. I learnt, flew and worked there quite happily. I never had one problem with the aircraft maintenance which is all done on site in a very well run hangar.
It might not suit all, the runway is small and challenging in some respects thus first solo might take a little longer than normal. Otherwise its been pumping out more PPL than a lot of other big name schools for the last decade.
WWW
ps My old Mum keeps threatening to do B&B for Flying School students so if you go to Welshpool you might even end up in Weasley Towers... scary!
The main reasons that the place is cheap are related to low overheads.
The whole place was built with EU and WDA money because they decided that Mid Wales needed an airport and a local company was willing to build the runway for its own aircraft Ops. The place attracts a very low rent for the current sole operator. He has little in the way of maintenance and operating costs on the new built buildings.
The owner and his wife run the business themselves which reduces management costs. There is a very healthy flying club at the school due to the remoteness of alternative clubs and this helps cross subsidise aircraft utilisation.
Trust me - the owners make a healthy profit from the place even though the prices are rock bottom. I learnt, flew and worked there quite happily. I never had one problem with the aircraft maintenance which is all done on site in a very well run hangar.
It might not suit all, the runway is small and challenging in some respects thus first solo might take a little longer than normal. Otherwise its been pumping out more PPL than a lot of other big name schools for the last decade.
WWW
ps My old Mum keeps threatening to do B&B for Flying School students so if you go to Welshpool you might even end up in Weasley Towers... scary!
Join Date: Jul 2001
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After reading all the recommendations, still worried about Welshpool.
Haven't been there but it doesn't seem to add up.
Fuel for 45 hours- £900?
Aircraft depreciation/insurance/maintenance- £1000?
Insructor pay and employment costs- £400?
Exams./Examiner- £200?
Accommodation- £300?
Admin./building/Advertising/Airport cost-£200?
Profit- there isn't any!
So what's wrong or does the Welshpool course actually cost much more than they claim?
Haven't been there but it doesn't seem to add up.
Fuel for 45 hours- £900?
Aircraft depreciation/insurance/maintenance- £1000?
Insructor pay and employment costs- £400?
Exams./Examiner- £200?
Accommodation- £300?
Admin./building/Advertising/Airport cost-£200?
Profit- there isn't any!
So what's wrong or does the Welshpool course actually cost much more than they claim?
Query - with respect you can be as worried as you like.
The business is run by someone who knows it inside out. He owns 25 aircraft himself and has been trading at EGCW for over a decade now. The maintenance hangar is a seperate profitable business in itself which Adam runs with a sense of professional pride.
I have hudreds and hundreds of hours in all the aircraft at Welshpool. I have no hesitation in stating that they are no better and no worse than the UK GA Fleet average.
There are some "hidden" costs to factor in. Clearly you are going to need more than 10 nights accom but it is dirt cheap up the road. The r/t exam is £50 unless Pete has upped the price. Most students opt to buy extra insurance cover for their courses at about £75.
Other than that it is exactly as advertised. There are other schools in the UK who do PPL course for between 3 and 4 grand. You just have to look outside of the SE of England.
WWW
The business is run by someone who knows it inside out. He owns 25 aircraft himself and has been trading at EGCW for over a decade now. The maintenance hangar is a seperate profitable business in itself which Adam runs with a sense of professional pride.
I have hudreds and hundreds of hours in all the aircraft at Welshpool. I have no hesitation in stating that they are no better and no worse than the UK GA Fleet average.
There are some "hidden" costs to factor in. Clearly you are going to need more than 10 nights accom but it is dirt cheap up the road. The r/t exam is £50 unless Pete has upped the price. Most students opt to buy extra insurance cover for their courses at about £75.
Other than that it is exactly as advertised. There are other schools in the UK who do PPL course for between 3 and 4 grand. You just have to look outside of the SE of England.
WWW
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Hi Broomstick_pilot
I spent 6 weeks at Welshpool last summer and enjoyed every day, (well appart from the rainy ones)! I would recommend it for most of the reasons already stated, loads of free airspace, cheap (but perfectly usable) accommodation for just 8 quid a night and a warm friendly atmosphere! I completed all my exams and my Cross Country Quali. in six weeks and then I had to return to work!
I went back for the odd hour here and there to keep myself up to speed, and finally took my Skill test and got my licence last April. All in it took me 52 hrs, and cost me 3,500 quid. (this spanish keyboard does not have a pound sign)!!!
Pete charges about 100 quid for the RT class and test, and I bought a headset, a few books and a few hours to keep me going until my test. I also made some good friends their, some of which had travelled many miles to take advantage of the school.
I got the bug, and am sat here in Jerez having completed 10 weeks of groundschool, waiting for my phase 1 JARs in Feb!!! (must be mad)!
Well, its Friday night, happy hour´s been and gone, and I´m well on my way (so I appologise for my dodgey drunken spelling)....Grafton Street later no-dought!
Hi to Caroline and all in chilly wales, I will try and get down for a couple of hours flying before I have to come back out here in the new year!
I spent 6 weeks at Welshpool last summer and enjoyed every day, (well appart from the rainy ones)! I would recommend it for most of the reasons already stated, loads of free airspace, cheap (but perfectly usable) accommodation for just 8 quid a night and a warm friendly atmosphere! I completed all my exams and my Cross Country Quali. in six weeks and then I had to return to work!
I went back for the odd hour here and there to keep myself up to speed, and finally took my Skill test and got my licence last April. All in it took me 52 hrs, and cost me 3,500 quid. (this spanish keyboard does not have a pound sign)!!!
Pete charges about 100 quid for the RT class and test, and I bought a headset, a few books and a few hours to keep me going until my test. I also made some good friends their, some of which had travelled many miles to take advantage of the school.
I got the bug, and am sat here in Jerez having completed 10 weeks of groundschool, waiting for my phase 1 JARs in Feb!!! (must be mad)!
Well, its Friday night, happy hour´s been and gone, and I´m well on my way (so I appologise for my dodgey drunken spelling)....Grafton Street later no-dought!
Hi to Caroline and all in chilly wales, I will try and get down for a couple of hours flying before I have to come back out here in the new year!
The Original Whirly
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Low lying and can flood; hills around are over 1000 ft and circuits 1500 ft, therefore may get more days you can't fly than some other places if low cloud or heavy rain. Prices kept down partly by paying instructors peanuts and overworking them, so tends to be high turnover of low hours, inexperienced instructors. This means some people do OK, some have a hard time due to standard of instruction and/or never getting airborne due to weather. It's a matter of luck. On the whole in aviation you get what you pay for. Read the archives, go and visit, ask around, see what you think. I got my PPL(A) at Welshpool; feel free to e-mail me if you have any more questions.
Yep it can flood - 11 weeks in the last decade. Long mountain is actually only 832ft high aqnd the circuit height is 1500' although there is a poor weather one at 800'... The average experience of the current instuctor team is just under 1000 hrs which isn't bad and the CFI has 3000+hrs instructional and has been there for many years.
When I worked there as an instructot it was £10 a day retainer plus £10 an hour airborne. Wages have since gone up. Given that the school is busy you make more at Welshpool than at most PPL flying schools. Easily.
But Whirly is right - you don't get ought for nought.
Cheers,
WWW
When I worked there as an instructot it was £10 a day retainer plus £10 an hour airborne. Wages have since gone up. Given that the school is busy you make more at Welshpool than at most PPL flying schools. Easily.
But Whirly is right - you don't get ought for nought.
Cheers,
WWW
The Original Whirly
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WWW,
Who's CFI at Welshpool now then?
Admittedly my info could be a bit out of date; I haven't even dropped in there for some months; no time. And Carolyn hates helicopters, even if I keep to the f/w circuit so as not to confuse her.
Who's CFI at Welshpool now then?
Admittedly my info could be a bit out of date; I haven't even dropped in there for some months; no time. And Carolyn hates helicopters, even if I keep to the f/w circuit so as not to confuse her.
Marsden does CFI with Simon doing all skilltests.
WWW
WWW
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When I posted this topic, I hoped I might get a couple of usable replies. Instead, what do I get but an embarrassment of riches. Sound, detailed, useful information. When my time comes to commence hours-building, I shall prefer somewhere at least slightly challenging and Welshpool sounds more attractive than ever. Very many thanks to one and all.
C'mon Puss. Let's get the 'stick' airborne. We'll go and scatter spells over Slough.
C'mon Puss. Let's get the 'stick' airborne. We'll go and scatter spells over Slough.
Query - why did you cut and paste your "worried about" Welshpool post onto the thread about groundschool feedback from OATS or Bristol?
Is this just a function of your ever zealous campaign to denigrate JAA flight training and send everyone to the USA?
Just wondering...
WWW
Is this just a function of your ever zealous campaign to denigrate JAA flight training and send everyone to the USA?
Just wondering...
WWW
Or a very dumb move. All depends on personal circumstances.
WWW
WWW
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A word of thanks to WWW
I note your suggestion that if I decide to use Welshpool it might be possible to arrange accomodation with Lady Weasles at Weasle Towers. It will be nearly a year before I commence serious hours building, however if I do use Welshpool, I just might take you up on that: many thanks.
I note your suggestion that if I decide to use Welshpool it might be possible to arrange accomodation with Lady Weasles at Weasle Towers. It will be nearly a year before I commence serious hours building, however if I do use Welshpool, I just might take you up on that: many thanks.