Learning to fly, or thinking of learning? Post your questions, comments and experiences here

Moderator: AndyR

User avatar
By RB_Flyer
#1548889
Many Thanks for all the replies looking at a few clubs will get back to you all once i have decided!

Many Thanks once again
User avatar
By joe-fbs
#1556642
I'm currently renting at Henlow which is much closer to you. They are organised, close to you and friendly. It is a faff getting onto Henlow at first but to me distance to the airfield is important, flying consumes enough time and energy without driving miles before and after.
User avatar
By skydriller
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1558253
IMHO, Joe speaks sense - do not underestimate how much the distance you travel to your aerodrome and the time it takes will effect your training progress:

1-Time spent driving is time wasted when you could be flying.
2-You dont want to be tired or wound up by driving before you fly.
3-Often the weather can be significantly different where you live to the aerodrome if it is further away.
4-The weather can change such that by the time you get there it has changed from when you called them if the aerodrome is either far away or takes ages to get to.

Im lucky now, my current aeroclub is a 5 minute drive away, but I have been in a situation where I had to drive quite a long way to an aerodrome to do aerobatics.
I noticed my performance was worse when I was tired, and you dont know how irritating it is to leave blue sky at home and see the weather deteriorate as you get closer to the aerodrome... :ncool:

regards, SD..
User avatar
By skydriller
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1558268
Grelly wrote:Why isn't there a single place where stuff like this can be looked up?

Well, I seem to recall there used to be a nifty little booklet produced (possibly by this here esteemed publication, and if not the "other one") that listed all the training organisations in the UK - is it still available?

Regards, SD..
Grelly liked this
User avatar
By SLoB
#1567416
New here, so only just seen this.

There may be others here who know better than I, but I volunteer for Classic Wings at Duxford. All of the Tiger Moth flights are trial lessons and the pilots are therefore experienced instructors (but learning on the TM would be rather expensive!).

At least one of the pilots is an instructor at Henlow and I know one of the other lads is training with him.

Although Classic Wings do advertise that they instruct from Duxford (and they do) it is a busy airfield with lots of types coming and going. Clacton is their home airfield and many of their students actually go over to Clacton - that is what I am planning to do (from Bishop's Stortford).

Just the other side of Great Dunmow (at Stebbing) is Andrewsfield and again some of their instructors are also the pilots for Classic Wings.

Hope this helps.
User avatar
By kingbing
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1567521
Clacton Aeroclub seemed to have moved to Duxford for some/all of their training too. At least according to their website. Can't vouch for them but their rates are low.