Group flying opportunities & questions
#1865856
YorkshireMatt wrote:Related to this, having just passed my NPPL GST, I’ve been looking at options to possibly hire. There is a distinct lack of fly-hire options for microlights. It’s making me think about adding an SSEA rating, just so I can hire some GA stuff.


Am sure I saw a thread about this, either here or on Pprune, but it does seem to the case that there's more choice in the SEP market for low priced shares, zero capital syndicates or rentals than for microlights - when instinctively you'd expect the reverse to be true. With several weeks of scanning Afors, one would draw the conclusion that post-GST flying for microlights is much easier obtained through outright purchase of an aircraft, which of course can attract a hefty cost and then sole responsibility for maintenance. It's been getting to the stage where I was wondering whether it was worth even completing my revalidation at all - luckily I've been getting my mojo back of late!
#1865858
100%. I could turn up at any number of GA clubs and hire at £1xx per hour after an hour or so check flight. Hire a microlight? There’s nothing out there.

With a Mrs about to take a year off work for maternity leave for child no2, an outright purchase of my own aircraft, or even a share at £5k+ isn’t doable at the moment.
Jfhandel liked this
#1865870
It's surprising that so few people are offering microlight hire. In general, yes - I'm a parallel and serial share owner, and very happy that way, but don't want to outright own an aeroplane again for the foreseeable, partly the financial exposure, mostly that I found that much of my time budget was spent caring for the aeroplane, rather than flying it.

Right now I own three 1/10th shares - it's great, usually at least one is available, I have a choice of three to fly, but the financial and time commitment of owning roughly a third of an aeroplane.

G
Jfhandel, YorkshireMatt liked this