Saxondale Posted 19 July 2011 Posted 19 July 2011 I'm looking at starting my pilot training and currently weighing up whether to go down the NPPL route or JAR FCL PPL. Also trying to decide between Donair / East Mids and Leicester (Stoughton) Airport. Airing towards JAR FCL at East Mids. Stoughton would be cheaper and less / no air traffic but it is a ballache to get to for me. East Mids is up the road for me and I do like the idea of learning on a busy commercial aerodrome! Any advice or input appreciated!
SOCCERROO FOX Posted 19 July 2011 Posted 19 July 2011 Got a couple of mates from school that are pilots as our High School had an aviation elective that went for 2 years. The first year you built a light air craft and the 2nd you learn to fly it, sort of regret not choosing it as a class, would of been better than extra math or Geography.
FoxesAreBlue Posted 20 July 2011 Posted 20 July 2011 I was learning at Stoughton doing JAR FCL PPL - given the right instructor it can be very good, I got on with mine and he also actually let me fly and make mistakes to learn from, what I mean by that is he wasn't always jumping on his controls to correct the "picture" out of the window. That said, sometimes they would change my instructor for a lesson without notice and ben it would almost be like starting afresh as the stand in didnt know how much I could do by myself etc, if you do go there there is a good atmosphere (especially with the younger/middle aged generation) some of the older ones are a bit stuffy but have been there for about 100 years and I just ignored them. They have a good fleet of Cessnas, Pipers and I think a few others after I left, also they do night flying and aerobatics and I think they also do the Flight Instructor rating if you want to earn a bit of cash after you qualify. Any questions feel free to ask...
Fox92 Posted 20 July 2011 Posted 20 July 2011 I'm looking at starting my pilot training Haven't got any advice, but well done. I always fancied being a pilot but a few things always put me off but from what I have heared and seen when going on holiday, it is a fantastic career. Doesn't it take 9 years or something to become fully professional?
Parafox Posted 20 July 2011 Posted 20 July 2011 Stoughton would be cheaper and less / no air traffic but it is a ballache to get to for me. East Mids is up the road for me and I do like the idea of learning on a busy commercial aerodrome! Any advice or input appreciated! Aerodrome.... who are you, Biggles? Good luck with training... if I had my time over again I would love to do the same
RAFRUDY Posted 20 July 2011 Posted 20 July 2011 Hi there. I am an RAF pilot. I did fly the Harrier GR9 before they got rid of them! I'm now training on the Typhoon (eurofighter). I learnt through the RAF scholarship scheme at RAF Cranwell, flying Bulldogs. I then progressed to the Tucano and Hawk for fast jet training before eventually being selected for the Harrier. Did you ever want to fly in the RAF? You get a FREE pilots licence out of it!
Itsthejoeker Posted 20 July 2011 Posted 20 July 2011 Hi there. I am an RAF pilot. I did fly the Harrier GR9 before they got rid of them! I'm now training on the Typhoon (eurofighter). I learnt through the RAF scholarship scheme at RAF Cranwell, flying Bulldogs. I then progressed to the Tucano and Hawk for fast jet training before eventually being selected for the Harrier. Did you ever want to fly in the RAF? You get a FREE pilots licence out of it! I thought they were scrapping the Typhoon as well? But the Tuncano
Bellend Sebastian Posted 20 July 2011 Posted 20 July 2011 I thought they were scrapping the Typhoon as well? But the Tuncano Christ, I hope not, we only just bought them
Narborough_fox Posted 20 July 2011 Posted 20 July 2011 My dad got his pilot license and he trained at Leicester Airport, I don't really know about prices and everything but it's a very nice little place and my dad said he thuroughly enjoyed learning there.
Smudge Posted 20 July 2011 Posted 20 July 2011 If I was to do it over again, I'd learn from a controlled airport, getting used to the radio is vital. I learned at a small airport, shortish runway, no commercial traffic and most of the locals went flying in shorts, fliplops and tee shirts, not a mustache or epaulette to be seen anywhere. Even though I got my pilots license, I never felt that I was a competent user of the radio in controlled airspace.
Trav Le Bleu Posted 20 July 2011 Posted 20 July 2011 NNNNNnnnnnnnnnyyyyyyyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!! TATATATATTATTATATTATATTATATTATATTATA!
Wymsey Posted 20 July 2011 Posted 20 July 2011 Stoughton would be cheaper and less / no air traffic but it is a ballache to get to for me. It's very much worth it as my step-Father got trained there with three different trainers. (For different features of a plane) Nice small airport.
Zingari Posted 20 July 2011 Posted 20 July 2011 NNNNNnnnnnnnnnyyyyyyyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!! TATATATATTATTATATTATATTATATTATATTATA! Achtung Spitfire !! Donner und Blitzen !!
Saxondale Posted 20 July 2011 Author Posted 20 July 2011 I was learning at Stoughton doing JAR FCL PPL - given the right instructor it can be very good, I got on with mine and he also actually let me fly and make mistakes to learn from, what I mean by that is he wasn't always jumping on his controls to correct the "picture" out of the window. That said, sometimes they would change my instructor for a lesson without notice and ben it would almost be like starting afresh as the stand in didnt know how much I could do by myself etc, if you do go there there is a good atmosphere (especially with the younger/middle aged generation) some of the older ones are a bit stuffy but have been there for about 100 years and I just ignored them. They have a good fleet of Cessnas, Pipers and I think a few others after I left, also they do night flying and aerobatics and I think they also do the Flight Instructor rating if you want to earn a bit of cash after you qualify. Any questions feel free to ask... Cracking insight, cheers.
Saxondale Posted 20 July 2011 Author Posted 20 July 2011 Haven't got any advice, but well done. I always fancied being a pilot but a few things always put me off but from what I have heared and seen when going on holiday, it is a fantastic career. Doesn't it take 9 years or something to become fully professional? I'm only talking about a private pilot's license. Training to be a commercial pilot is my dream but, unfortunately, costs tens and tens of thousands! Not necessarily years, though.
Saxondale Posted 20 July 2011 Author Posted 20 July 2011 Hi there. I am an RAF pilot. I did fly the Harrier GR9 before they got rid of them! I'm now training on the Typhoon (eurofighter). I learnt through the RAF scholarship scheme at RAF Cranwell, flying Bulldogs. I then progressed to the Tucano and Hawk for fast jet training before eventually being selected for the Harrier. Did you ever want to fly in the RAF? You get a FREE pilots licence out of it! Thought about it, of course! military life's not for me. Probably too old for officer training now anyway. That and the prospect of having to live in Lincolnshire fills me with dread!
FoxesAreBlue Posted 20 July 2011 Posted 20 July 2011 To become a commercial pilot cost around £80-£100 grand - which is what I wanted to to but the more I looked into the profession, weirdly, the more I was put off - everybody thinks it's a glamorous job, and if you are a top training captain with a major airline then it is probably close to that image - however the reality is it's an EXTREMELY difficult career path (with out a military career first) wages arn't overly fantastic for the first few hour building years and your basically fighting for your seat in the cockpit and living out of hostels around the world cos the likely hood is your home base is not going to be anywhere near where you live - also as planes get more and more advanced (thank god) there is less physical hands-on flying that you do, all I wAnted was my private pilots licence (unfortunately I did t complete because by god it's expensive) but I did fly solo and on a few trips out with people from the club - one bit of advice I'll give you is take EVERY bit if advice you hear (including mine!) from anybody apart from an instructor with a pinch of salt, you will hear 100 different ways to do the same damn thing - also you wil hear a lot of bragging about flying achievements and if they're looking out of the window and someone makes a bumpy landing people will commet on it too - luckily for me it rolls off my back! Enjoy your first lesson - I'll never forget mine when the instructor lined it up with the runway in final approach and said ok keep it there... As soon as he let go the runways swinging all over the oche
Woollett's Wellies Posted 20 July 2011 Posted 20 July 2011 I can't really add to the advice you've already had above which is pretty much spot on. The one thing I would add is...Have a good think about what you'd like to do when you get your PPL. Do you want to visit other airfields or parts of the U.K./Europe?. Buy a share in an aircraft? Aerobatics? You'd be amazed how many people don't consider this and when they've got the licence end up letting it lapse. Personally, I wanted to visit places and learned at Luton in 1983.....2011 and I'm still flying! (I was working at Luton Airport at the time and have only recently returned to Leicestershire). The advice about learning at a quiet airfield or a busy airport within controlled airspace may be important to you, (as mentioned above). A quieter airfield enables you to concentrate on the learning aspect of flying but the busier airport with Air Traffic Control will give you more confidence on the radio and help you feel happier about taking aircraft touring, if that's what you fancy. Best of luck. You'll enjoy it.
FoxesAreBlue Posted 13 August 2011 Posted 13 August 2011 If anybody is learning to fly, I am selling all the gear I used when I was doing my PPL - it includes: David Clarke pilot headset, with spare ear pads, Jeremy Platt books 1-5 (a few years old but most information will be current) PPL Confuser Flight Computer Cessna 152 Operators Handbook Cessna 150/152 Pilots Checklist Protractor with grid lines Distance measuring ruler Flight bag to keep it all in and a few other bits and bobs..... Basically it's everything you will need to get going and most companies will charge £hundreds for this sort of "starter pack" - I am offering it all for the low low price of £150 all in PM me if anybodys interested
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