[BedsFlyer]

I'm considering doing my EASA PPL, and would apprciate any views, recommendations, thoughts re the 3 flying schools at Cranfield.

At the moment I have quite a lot of time on my hands would be looking to do my PPL (weather permitting) in say 3-4 months.

My selection criteria is likely to include: quality of instruction, maintenace & state of repair of the aircraft, availiabilty of insturctors/planes so I can have several lessons per week, and last but no least overal costs to get to PPL.

[skydriller]

I seem to recall there were issues with cranfield shutting down ops randomly?

https://forums.flyer.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=101608&p=1507045#p1507045

Issue may be on the mend, but might be worth looking at other airfields too?

[Genghis the Engineer]

Cranfield is coming out of its problems, it seems, so I'd not talk you out of doing a PPL there.

There are two schools and a club which has instructors:-

Billins: 2 aeroplanes, both good. One full time instructor, several part timers, the longest safest track record on the airfield.

Cranfield Flying School. Inheritor of an older school that was sold on a few years ago, quite large, tends to concentrate on doing commercial training for overseas students.

Azure. The old Thomson Airways flying club, very much a club but with a couple of PA28s, and an embedded AA5 syndicate - several part time instructors.


None have much wrong with them, all have been struggling over the problems with the airport over the last year but have kept their heads above water, and all have their ideosychrasies.

Standard advice anywhere is to go and have a trial flight with each, and decide which you feel provides a good learning environment for you personally. Ask your questions then about availability.

G

[BedsFlyer]

Hi GtE

Thank you for the feedback. Got a couple of thoughts/question I would like to run by you. Would like to send you a PM message but at the moment the system won't let me do this.

Thanks BF

[Genghis the Engineer]

Just email me. Boffin at engineer dot com will reach me.

G

[modularpilot]

I did my PPL with Cranfield flying school.

Instruction was excellent, however pretty much all the instructors I learnt with have now moved on to airline jobs. Pricing is defo on the higher side.
Planes are on the whole reliable and well maintained, but pretty old.
Availability is good and they have more full time instructors than the other based schools.
Added bonus the CFI is a PPL examiner as well as one of the senior flight instructors, so no issues in regards to sorting tests.

[Genghis the Engineer]

The CFIs at Billins and Azure are both also examiners - it's quite common in many schools.

The condition of the aeroplanes at CFS has concerned me on occasion - they're often not tied down, pitots not covered, doors never locked. I have a couple of times asked security to call them out when I've gone to check on another aircraft in a prolonged gale - and realised that CFS aircraft nearby are not properly secured. That said, on the very rare occasions that I've flown a CFS aircraft, everything worked.

G

[Pete L]

I'd explore further afield, especially Turweston.

In balance to GtE's posts, I have a bad experience with Billins. But I'd recommend his advice of finding a learning environment you're comfortable with.

[modularpilot]

You are right in regards to the pitot covers I did mention this myself previously.

[Xio]

[quote="Pete L"] Pete attempted to PM but unable

[DarrenD]

I looked at Cranfield when starting my PPL training last year.
For me there were 2 extremes with CFS being very busy, and the other 2 extremely quiet.

Personally CFS would have made it more stressful than I wanted, but I wasn't convinced I'd be able to get regular lessons at the others.

In the end I went with Henlow Flying club which seemed like a good midway point between the extremes. Quite a lot of instructors and planes, plus a healthy club atmosphere, with regulars hiring out planes, day trips etc.

Hope that helps

[Nasty JAR]

Bit of threat resurrection - anyone happen to know if Azure still operate from Cranfield?

[Genghis the Engineer]

They do.

A linked double aircraft syndicate within Azure (an AA5a and a PA28-151) and two club PA28s, from memory a -150 and a -18. Office / briefing space next to the tower, and a handful of part time instructors, but nobody full time.

G

[Nasty JAR]

Brilliant - Thanks GTE!

[Bobcro]

Unless the school have full time instructors and serviceable aircraft you will quickly find that delays occur in your flying training schedule and you will take longer and it will cost more to obtain your PPL. Preferably you need to fly with one or at the most two instructors otherwise their differences in teaching will delay your learning and retaining knowledge. Though based at Cranfield I have no direct recent knowledge of any of the schools. Best to visit and appraise for yourself.