First Flying Lesson

[IforB]

Flintstone said:

eharding said:

The moderators over there are a bit unpredictable - on minute they're all smiles, the next they're ripping your throat out.

As an ex-moderator (Bizjets, Rumours & News and Far East) and a member since 1998 (no longer) there I can only agree. I tried to inject some levity into things but I know the old school mods didn't agree. When the market bombed two years ago I allowed jobhunters to post their CV's in Bizjets which also went down badly. Some wouldn't even converse with me, a number of emails to the senior guys were never answered.

The last straw came when I suspended a member for a few days for being a bit of an arse. Turns out he knew two mods who gave him my real life identity. I quit.

It's all gone a bit wierd since Danny flogged it. I only go on there very rarely now for a bit of idiot baiting (of which there are a multitude) and I certainly don't use it to get any information any more. There are still a few people who's opinion and knowledge you can trust, but they are few and far apart.

I saw that in the bz jets section and thought it was a useful thing, but I did wonder how long it would last!

To the OP, I would go for the JAR PPL if I was you. It's pretty much the same training and you won't really be saving any time or money by going down the NPPL route. Unless there is a medical reason you can't get a class 2 medical, then the NPPL is a bit of a waste of time to be completely honest. You are unlikely to pass it in the reduced hours anyway, so why limit yourself unnecessarily?

[tkdsteve08]

So will it make it easier to get into commercial flying if I hold a ppl licence and over 47 hours worth of flying experience?

[anonymous-user]

My local flying club offers a 45 hour PPL course for £6764 and a 32 hour NPPL for £4810.

Are these in line with most peoples experiences?

[IforB]

tkdsteve08 said:

So will it make it easier to get into commercial flying if I hold a ppl licence and over 47 hours worth of flying experience?

It depends on what you mean by "getting into commercial flying" means to you. If you are thinking about airlines sponsoring you to train, it just doesn't happen anymore and so having a PPL won't make the blindest bit of difference.

If you are intending to pay for yourself and want to go via the modular route, then a PPL is the first step along a very expensive road. If you want to do an integrated course, then you don't need any previous flying experience at all. (Though obviously it can help.)

[ninja-lewis]

garyhun said:

My local flying club offers a 45 hour PPL course for £6764 and a 32 hour NPPL for £4810.

Are these in line with most peoples experiences?

Depends what it includes but £6-7,000 and around £5,000 respectively seem to be par for the courses. You should find out if the price includes landing charges (if these are added on, it could get very expensive when you're practising in the circuit). How long do they count as the lesson - is it brakes off to brakes on (if it's a busy airport you might find yourself burning money waiting for clearance) or take off to landing?

However, it is strongly advised that you don't pay upfront due to the risks.

[IforB]

garyhun said:

My local flying club offers a 45 hour PPL course for £6764 and a 32 hour NPPL for £4810.

Are these in line with most peoples experiences?

First things first. Do not pay upfront for training. Anywhere. Never, never, never, never, never, never. Etc. Etc. Flying schools go bust all of the time and the first most people know about it is when they turn up and the doors are locked. That's including the staff.

£6764 is £150/hr. What's the normal pay as you go cost? As already mentioned does it include landing fees? Which school is it and I'll tell you whether to avoid like the plague or not.

What sort of aircraft type is that? A Cessna 152 or PA28?

Secondly, you won't pass the course in 45 hours of the NPPL in 32. You just won't unless you are training very regularly and/or are a teenager used to education. Average is closer to 60 hours, but it can be more.

[anonymous-user]

IforB said:

What sort of aircraft type is that? A Cessna 152

Robin HR200 at Bournemouth

[IforB]

garyhun said:

IforB said:

What sort of aircraft type is that? A Cessna 152

Robin HR200 at Bournemouth

They're quite nice machines to train in. I've got 600hrs teaching time in them and they were far better than a manky old Cessna. I take it that you'll be flying with Bournemouth Flying Club then.

You won't be saving much by paying upfront then apart from the AFE PPL kit which is worth about £200, so I definately wouldn't do that if I was you. Landing fees at Bournemouth should be included in the price either way.

Though if you do decide to pay upfront, then for God's sake pay on your credit card, which should ensure that if they do go pop, then it isn't your money that has gone walkies. (I have no idea of the state of their finances, but every club in the UK is usually walking on a tightrope.

[anonymous-user]

IforB said:

garyhun said:

IforB said:

What sort of aircraft type is that? A Cessna 152

Robin HR200 at Bournemouth

They're quite nice machines to train in. I've got 600hrs teaching time in them and they were far better than a manky old Cessna. I take it that you'll be flying with Bournemouth Flying Club then.

You won't be saving much by paying upfront then apart from the AFE PPL kit which is worth about £200, so I definately wouldn't do that if I was you. Landing fees at Bournemouth should be included in the price either way.

Though if you do decide to pay upfront, then for God's sake pay on your credit card, which should ensure that if they do go pop, then it isn't your money that has gone walkies. (I have no idea of the state of their finances, but every club in the UK is usually walking on a tightrope.

Many thanks for taking the time to provide the information - really useful! It looks like pre-payment gets you these over paying hourly - not sure of value!

* *45 hours of flight training
* Pre-flight classroom briefings
* All landing fees at Bournemouth
* 7 Written examinations
* Jeremy Pratt Textbooks Volumes 1 – 7
* Pooley’s CRP-1 Computer
* 1:500,000 South England Chart
* Pooley’s CB-5 Kneeboard
* 16” Navigation Rule
* Protractor
* PPL Log Book
* Pilot Flight Case

Either way you pay the price does not include:

* Medical Examiner’s Fee
* CAA Examiner’s Skills Test Fee
* CAA Radio Examiner’s Fee
* CAA Licence Issue Fee
* Landing fees at airfields other than Bournemouth
* Membership of Bournemouth Flying Club

[tkdsteve08]

Ok so if I complete my PPL all that means is I can fly for pleasure purposes only. will the licence help me get any jobs in aviation because it's alot of money just for a hobby?

I want to invest some money into aviation where at the end of it all I will have a good income in order for me to leave the current job I am doing.

Please don't get me wrong I love flying and I love aviation but I don't have enough money to do it as a hobby.

Any ideas is the PPL still a good route.

Edited by tkdsteve08 on Tuesday 17th August 10:21

[anonymous-user]

tkdsteve08 said:

Ok so if I complete my PPL all that means is I can fly for pleasure purposes only. will the licence help me get any jobs in aviation because it's alot of money just for a hobby?

I want to invest some money into aviation where at the end of it all I will have a good income in order for me to leave the current job I am doing.

Please don't get me wrong I love flying and I love aviation but I don't have enough money to do it as a hobby.

Any ideas is the PPL still a good route.

Edited by tkdsteve08 on Tuesday 17th August 10:21

I'm looking at it purely as a hobby. If you want to do it commercially then you'll need to spend big £££££ to get the hours and experience.

[Flintstone]

tkdsteve08 said:

Ok so if I complete my PPL all that means is I can fly for pleasure purposes only. will the licence help me get any jobs in aviation.....?

Not really. Nothing to stop you applying for a ground/office job and an employer might like the fact that you have an interest but you can't make money (flying) off the back of a PPL.

Sorry.