Airfield days or such like?
Discussion
I would really like to do something like an airfield day where you really learn about your cars handling characteristics, learn how to drive fast & safe etc. Does anyone have any suggestions for reasonably priced training days? My tyres are a couple mm off legal so its an ideal time to do it !
www.pistonheads.com/trackdays/calendar.asp
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See if there's one near you. For handling courses tho' I'd suggest Andrew Walsh at www.carlimits.com or Don Palmer (you may have to google him as I can't remember a link).
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See if there's one near you. For handling courses tho' I'd suggest Andrew Walsh at www.carlimits.com or Don Palmer (you may have to google him as I can't remember a link).
Call Motorsport Events www.motorsport-events.com/
They are a good bunch who run various track events at airfields, where there are always instructors present. They also run introductory car control days which are great fun and also teach you about your car.
SS7
They are a good bunch who run various track events at airfields, where there are always instructors present. They also run introductory car control days which are great fun and also teach you about your car.
SS7
Suggest you consider a course with Don Palmer. 3 people on a day at bruntingthorpe (he can provide the other people if necessary) and he is apparently the master of teaching drift/slide control etc and exploring a cars limits.
Carlimits is also good if you are new to this stuff as he'll teach rotational steering/heal & toe/catching slides etc.
Did an airfield day at bruntingthorpe last weekend, which was very educational, as well as being a huge amount of fun. The layout of the circuit combines some high speed bends, with some quite intricate sections. Cost £100 for the car, plus £25 per driver (can have multiple drivers using the same car), and I think about £10 for a passenger. Open pit road, so loads of track time. Tuition available if you want it.
Don Palmer is the man! I've done two days with him so far at Brunters, and each time, I came away feeling that I'd really learned a lot. I'm now pretty happy getting my GT3 sideways - I know how to deal with it, use it, get rid of it, or get more of it. It is great fun (a bit hard on tyres though).
I'll certainly be going back for more. Highly recommended...
www.drivingdevelopment.co.uk Enjoy!
I'll certainly be going back for more. Highly recommended...
www.drivingdevelopment.co.uk Enjoy!
I've also done a couple of days with Mr Palmer - there is nothing quite like him.
Video of said day www.pistonheadstv.com/videos/333.wmv
BTW, the tyres were knackered before I started, I'm surprised they lasted as long as they did!
Video of said day www.pistonheadstv.com/videos/333.wmv
BTW, the tyres were knackered before I started, I'm surprised they lasted as long as they did!
Thanks, Ace. Just found this too - sorry it's long but I hope it helps...
Many thanks for your interest in our car control courses that run regularly throughout the year.
Booking
The preferred option is simply to reply to this email attaching your details, alternatively you may call Don Palmer on the numbers at the bottom of this mail. We will normally be able to book you onto a course within two weeks of this email. We hold courses for a normal maximum of three people on a single day and the one-to-one coaching allows different levels of expertise to be accommodated easily on the same day. Just send us two or three weekday dates that you can make in the near future and we will do our best to fit you in. If you include your name, address and telephone number we can get in touch with you more easily.
Tyre Wear
People often ask about this and it seems only fair to include additional information. The nature of the course means you will be driving at the edge of the performance envelope of your vehicle. This means that you will be driving at the grip limit of your tyres, consequently tyre-wear can be an important consideration, especially for heavy high performance vehicles fitted with soft compound tyres.
We take care to minimise the tyre wear within the constraints of getting the job done and our early work of the day is structured around helping you to manage the tyre wear by understanding how tyres work (and wear). Wet weather is very beneficial in this respect.
In practice it is important to monitor tyre-wear during the day, most people do not trash a set of tyres in one day, some do and they just don't seem to mind. (The cost of tyres is insignificant when you consider the potential cost of repairs after a crash). Worn tyres actually last better than new ones, (Tall tread blocks distort more than worn shorter ones do and the concentration of stress at theroot of the tread block with its associated build up of heat can cause local overheating and de-lamination. The distortion also means that the edges of tread blocks tend to wear more in new tyres.) Please don't come on brand new tyres unless you are content with higher levels of wear.
Adding ten to fifteen percent over normal tyre pressure will help stabilise the carcase and mitigate against excessive shoulder wear. This is recommended.
We have a good relationship with Tyres Northampton who carry a wide range of high performance tyres at very sensible prices and hold stock to accommodate the majority of vehicles that come on our courses. (In extremis they will come and fit tyres on site at relatively little extra cost.)
Car Hire
The course is normally undertaken in your own vehicle and we can also arrange hire of a suitable vehicle. Prices range from £360 for a track going Caterham, £550 for an Elise, £1350 for a 996 Porsche 911 cup car (track car) through to the sky - a Ferrari 355 challenge car is £3000. The choice is limited only by your budget.
We look forward to seeing you very soon…
Best fishes,
Don Palmer
For completeness the following is taken from the website www.donpalmer.co.uk:
These courses take a progressive approach to developing your skill in understanding and managing your car on or near the limit. Our car control courses normally take place at Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground in Leicester.
We start the day discussing specific requirements over a coffee in the Bruntingthorpe Airfield Diner. This is an informal and essential gathering that sets the scene and format for the day. A coaching style prevails in most circumstances and the day generally takes the form of short sessions of driving interspersed with coaching to develop an understanding of what is actually going on.
We typically finish during the late afternoon when everyone is exhausted mentally and the drive home can become a time to reflect upon the learnings of the day.
The learning process has three phases taking place over a period of time (typically a month) as people develop their skills:
· Fundamentals
· Advanced
· Mastery
Fundamentals of Car Control
Formerly called "Creative Car Control (CCC)" this is our most popular course. It was designed for anyone who finds themselves driving near to or over the limit of adhesion. It suits anyone who wants to improve their car control skills.
The course is founded on the notion that successful track driving requires:
· Local knowledge of the particular track
· Car control skills
· Management of personal internal state
The course content is about the latter two.
You will discover the fundamental principles of car control including:
· The fundamental importance of steering.
· Recognising how you know when you're at the limit of grip.
· Basic vehicle dynamics (oversteer and understeer.)
· Understanding tyres, the language of tyres.
· Understanding steering at the limit.
· Simple phases of cornering.
· Understanding grip.
· The importance of dynamic weight distribution.
· The beginnings of handling at the limit.
· Starting to manage your internal mental state.
Advanced Car Control
This stage is all about building on the basics. Once the fundamentals have been introduced and reviewed, attention shifts to the important details that make all the difference. You will continue to focus on manipulating a vehicle on or near to the limit of adhesion and you will develop more choice, elegance and finesse.
During the advanced session(s), you will further develop your limit-handling abilities. As we spend time honing steering skills, control and freedom start to emerge as sublime ability.
Other topics typically include:
· Aspects of subtlety applied to controls.
· Smoothness.
· Heel & toe gear changing.
· 'Hinting'.
· Effective braking.
A choice of venues provides a degree of flexibility and makes more or less demands on absolute car control due to the proximity of safety barriers.
Mastery
At this point, you are probably already a highly skilled driver looking for the little somethings that make all the difference to your performance. You can drive well enough to notice small changes in your thinking or behaviour and how they transform your performance.
For you, driving near to the limit is a gimme. You want to perfect your skills. You want to become a meister.
During master class session(s), you may also have the opportunity to develop a number of skills specific to you. You might be concerned about smoothness as the car regains grip at the end of a slide, you might be a power-sliding guru who takes up drifting as a hobby or you might be a track driver or racer who's short of pace.
Expert coaching will enable you to solve the vast majority of your driving issues. Crucially, you will maintain ownership of the solution.
Mastery is the result of hard work. It's built upon a firm foundation based on proven beliefs and values. Practising what works transforms this foundation "into the muscle" as it were. Old habits become new ones that serve you better than the old ones. Mastery comes from being a student of driving.
A choice of venues provides a degree of flexibility and makes more or less demands on absolute car control due to the proximity of safety barriers.
Pricing
All car control courses are £395 per person for the day including VAT.
Structure of the Day
All courses are flexible depending on your needs. A typical Car Control course at Bruntingthorpe follows this pattern:
· 9.30am Meet and Greet at the Airfield Diner, during which we set goals for the day.
· Quick safety briefing after which you have the chance to familiarise yourself with the track layout.
· Morning one-on-one coaching sessions.
· Break for lunch.
· Afternoon one-on-one coaching sessions.
The day usually finishes late afternoon.
email: Don Palmer
address: PO Box 711, Maidenhead, Berkshire, SL6 1XT
tel: +44 (0)1628 784911
mobile: +44 (0)7769 911911
Many thanks for your interest in our car control courses that run regularly throughout the year.
Booking
The preferred option is simply to reply to this email attaching your details, alternatively you may call Don Palmer on the numbers at the bottom of this mail. We will normally be able to book you onto a course within two weeks of this email. We hold courses for a normal maximum of three people on a single day and the one-to-one coaching allows different levels of expertise to be accommodated easily on the same day. Just send us two or three weekday dates that you can make in the near future and we will do our best to fit you in. If you include your name, address and telephone number we can get in touch with you more easily.
Tyre Wear
People often ask about this and it seems only fair to include additional information. The nature of the course means you will be driving at the edge of the performance envelope of your vehicle. This means that you will be driving at the grip limit of your tyres, consequently tyre-wear can be an important consideration, especially for heavy high performance vehicles fitted with soft compound tyres.
We take care to minimise the tyre wear within the constraints of getting the job done and our early work of the day is structured around helping you to manage the tyre wear by understanding how tyres work (and wear). Wet weather is very beneficial in this respect.
In practice it is important to monitor tyre-wear during the day, most people do not trash a set of tyres in one day, some do and they just don't seem to mind. (The cost of tyres is insignificant when you consider the potential cost of repairs after a crash). Worn tyres actually last better than new ones, (Tall tread blocks distort more than worn shorter ones do and the concentration of stress at theroot of the tread block with its associated build up of heat can cause local overheating and de-lamination. The distortion also means that the edges of tread blocks tend to wear more in new tyres.) Please don't come on brand new tyres unless you are content with higher levels of wear.
Adding ten to fifteen percent over normal tyre pressure will help stabilise the carcase and mitigate against excessive shoulder wear. This is recommended.
We have a good relationship with Tyres Northampton who carry a wide range of high performance tyres at very sensible prices and hold stock to accommodate the majority of vehicles that come on our courses. (In extremis they will come and fit tyres on site at relatively little extra cost.)
Car Hire
The course is normally undertaken in your own vehicle and we can also arrange hire of a suitable vehicle. Prices range from £360 for a track going Caterham, £550 for an Elise, £1350 for a 996 Porsche 911 cup car (track car) through to the sky - a Ferrari 355 challenge car is £3000. The choice is limited only by your budget.
We look forward to seeing you very soon…
Best fishes,
Don Palmer
For completeness the following is taken from the website www.donpalmer.co.uk:
These courses take a progressive approach to developing your skill in understanding and managing your car on or near the limit. Our car control courses normally take place at Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground in Leicester.
We start the day discussing specific requirements over a coffee in the Bruntingthorpe Airfield Diner. This is an informal and essential gathering that sets the scene and format for the day. A coaching style prevails in most circumstances and the day generally takes the form of short sessions of driving interspersed with coaching to develop an understanding of what is actually going on.
We typically finish during the late afternoon when everyone is exhausted mentally and the drive home can become a time to reflect upon the learnings of the day.
The learning process has three phases taking place over a period of time (typically a month) as people develop their skills:
· Fundamentals
· Advanced
· Mastery
Fundamentals of Car Control
Formerly called "Creative Car Control (CCC)" this is our most popular course. It was designed for anyone who finds themselves driving near to or over the limit of adhesion. It suits anyone who wants to improve their car control skills.
The course is founded on the notion that successful track driving requires:
· Local knowledge of the particular track
· Car control skills
· Management of personal internal state
The course content is about the latter two.
You will discover the fundamental principles of car control including:
· The fundamental importance of steering.
· Recognising how you know when you're at the limit of grip.
· Basic vehicle dynamics (oversteer and understeer.)
· Understanding tyres, the language of tyres.
· Understanding steering at the limit.
· Simple phases of cornering.
· Understanding grip.
· The importance of dynamic weight distribution.
· The beginnings of handling at the limit.
· Starting to manage your internal mental state.
Advanced Car Control
This stage is all about building on the basics. Once the fundamentals have been introduced and reviewed, attention shifts to the important details that make all the difference. You will continue to focus on manipulating a vehicle on or near to the limit of adhesion and you will develop more choice, elegance and finesse.
During the advanced session(s), you will further develop your limit-handling abilities. As we spend time honing steering skills, control and freedom start to emerge as sublime ability.
Other topics typically include:
· Aspects of subtlety applied to controls.
· Smoothness.
· Heel & toe gear changing.
· 'Hinting'.
· Effective braking.
A choice of venues provides a degree of flexibility and makes more or less demands on absolute car control due to the proximity of safety barriers.
Mastery
At this point, you are probably already a highly skilled driver looking for the little somethings that make all the difference to your performance. You can drive well enough to notice small changes in your thinking or behaviour and how they transform your performance.
For you, driving near to the limit is a gimme. You want to perfect your skills. You want to become a meister.
During master class session(s), you may also have the opportunity to develop a number of skills specific to you. You might be concerned about smoothness as the car regains grip at the end of a slide, you might be a power-sliding guru who takes up drifting as a hobby or you might be a track driver or racer who's short of pace.
Expert coaching will enable you to solve the vast majority of your driving issues. Crucially, you will maintain ownership of the solution.
Mastery is the result of hard work. It's built upon a firm foundation based on proven beliefs and values. Practising what works transforms this foundation "into the muscle" as it were. Old habits become new ones that serve you better than the old ones. Mastery comes from being a student of driving.
A choice of venues provides a degree of flexibility and makes more or less demands on absolute car control due to the proximity of safety barriers.
Pricing
All car control courses are £395 per person for the day including VAT.
Structure of the Day
All courses are flexible depending on your needs. A typical Car Control course at Bruntingthorpe follows this pattern:
· 9.30am Meet and Greet at the Airfield Diner, during which we set goals for the day.
· Quick safety briefing after which you have the chance to familiarise yourself with the track layout.
· Morning one-on-one coaching sessions.
· Break for lunch.
· Afternoon one-on-one coaching sessions.
The day usually finishes late afternoon.
email: Don Palmer
address: PO Box 711, Maidenhead, Berkshire, SL6 1XT
tel: +44 (0)1628 784911
mobile: +44 (0)7769 911911
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