Mon Jun 25, 2018 1:28 pm
#1620301
Hey all, I was hoping I could tap your collective experience and opinions.
I have my LAPL skills test booked for Sunday and obviously really hoping it'll be a pass. I'm trying to figure out the best balance of cost, practicality, risk etc in deciding what to do to keep flying - I want to fly recreationally, not sure how may hours I'll end up doing but hopefully around 20-40 per year. I've narrowed it down to 3 options
1 - Keep renting from the school/club flying the same 152s I've been learning in for £160 per hour or a bit less for block purchases of 10 hours. They have 172s and a couple of PA28s too
2 - Join a local syndicate with a 172 - its well equipped, fully IFR capable etc - for £100p/m and £85/hr wet.
3 - Join another local syndicate with a PA28-180. Avoinics not quite as new as the 172 but a new leather interior and paint job, still perfectly well equipped for what I need. £100p/m and £40/hr dry
Both groups have a similar purchase price (£3-4k) so it's mainly choice between Cessna/Piper and the 2 groups.
Part of my thinks the sensible decision would be to buy 10-20 hours in block for the 152 and then evaluate how much flying I'm doing while remaining as confident as possible in the same machine I've been training in. But those 20 hours would be significantly cheaper in one of the groups, while being in a more comfortable and capable machine.
How important are the other people in the group when joining these things? I've heard good things about one group and less good things about another but I dont know how much that would affect life day to day - provided I can pay the money and have a plane thats reasonably available and safe/well maintained I dont think I'd be worried about much else....or am I oversimplifying things?
What did you do after passing? Trying to find an unbiased opinion seems really hard!
I have my LAPL skills test booked for Sunday and obviously really hoping it'll be a pass. I'm trying to figure out the best balance of cost, practicality, risk etc in deciding what to do to keep flying - I want to fly recreationally, not sure how may hours I'll end up doing but hopefully around 20-40 per year. I've narrowed it down to 3 options
1 - Keep renting from the school/club flying the same 152s I've been learning in for £160 per hour or a bit less for block purchases of 10 hours. They have 172s and a couple of PA28s too
2 - Join a local syndicate with a 172 - its well equipped, fully IFR capable etc - for £100p/m and £85/hr wet.
3 - Join another local syndicate with a PA28-180. Avoinics not quite as new as the 172 but a new leather interior and paint job, still perfectly well equipped for what I need. £100p/m and £40/hr dry
Both groups have a similar purchase price (£3-4k) so it's mainly choice between Cessna/Piper and the 2 groups.
Part of my thinks the sensible decision would be to buy 10-20 hours in block for the 152 and then evaluate how much flying I'm doing while remaining as confident as possible in the same machine I've been training in. But those 20 hours would be significantly cheaper in one of the groups, while being in a more comfortable and capable machine.
How important are the other people in the group when joining these things? I've heard good things about one group and less good things about another but I dont know how much that would affect life day to day - provided I can pay the money and have a plane thats reasonably available and safe/well maintained I dont think I'd be worried about much else....or am I oversimplifying things?
What did you do after passing? Trying to find an unbiased opinion seems really hard!