[Crash one]

Personally I don't fancy microlights for some reason. I also think it's not much cheaper than going down the PPL route so why bother with it.

It's definitely between gliding and traditional powered flying for me.

I've nothing against microlights personally. But I would tend to agree with the above.
Things are going to get difficult to upgrade in April.
They are limited to 450kg. MTOW.
The training may be slightly cheaper and the hours "required" slightly less. But how many hours that a student actually takes may negate those advantages.
I may be wrong yet again but I believe you can fly a microlight on a full fat PPL? Will that be the case after April?
The Eurostar can become a light aircraft by fitting an electric fuel pump, but, that doesn't make it a bigger aircraft.
With a full PPL you have more choice of aircraft from modern plastic rockets down to vintage, classics that were built before the word microlight was invented.
This is not a microlight.

[Jazzer]

Had a quick look, just over £6k for a PPL now that's impressive. It's a long way from home for me though, I would have to do 3 or 4 lessons in a day to make all the travelling cost effective.

[PeteSpencer]

Had a quick look, just over £6k for a PPL now that's impressive. It's a long way from home for me though, I would have to do 3 or 4 lessons in a day to make all the travelling cost effective.

That's an awful lot of lessons in one day:

IMHO: 2 lessons in a day (one morning , one afternoon with associated briefings) in the early stages will pretty much max you out.

Good luck, whichever route you take and keep posting.

Peter

[Jazzer]

A further question, are you able to do the night rating and IMC straight after getting the PPL?

All 3 would cost approx £11k however I appreciate that's a bare minimum cost and is likely to be more like £13/£14k once all said and done.

Thanks again.

[Paul_Sengupta]

Off the top of my head, night rating yes, IMC requires 10 hours post PPL IIRC. Or it did in my day!

[Jazzer]

On further inspection, membership of the Scottish Gliding Club appears to be £480 plus another £35.50 in capitation. That seems rather excessive I must say. Also on checking their site most flights would appear to last about 5 minutes which would work out at between £10 and £20 depending on the launch method. Maybe gliding isn't as cheap as it is often portrayed.

[Murgatroyd]

The previous link to Strathaven would be worthwhile, what about prestwick?
I'd recommend Tayside in Dundee, who have an option to pay all at once, but they don't recommend it and offer blocks of five or ten lessons.

I also think that the student for PPL is limited to three hours in any one day too. I don't think I could have attempted that, the early stages I would do two per day, but that was before the pre-flight planning requirement kicks in.

I'd also like to see a poll on how many actual hours obtaining the PPL will take, including the planning and studying for 9 exams. If you'd to do it over a 12 month period, read all the materials you're supposed to (as opposed to practice past papers only) then I'd suggest that I was in excess of 250hours study/prep, plus travel to your airfield of choice. I have a technical background which helped, but there's still an awful lot to take in. i used **** for exam practice too, best £20 you'll spend in getting some trial time on their exam papers, this'll give an idea of the exam style.

The education aspect has been very rewarding, tiring and tremendously time consuming, but worth it indeed.

[Jazzer]

After some further research tonight it would appear that airlines (easy jet, fly be, loganair) look for total flying hours in excess of 1000 to apply for first officer jobs.

How on earth does anyone get to that level?

[Paul_Sengupta]

Flying a lot. You can buy yourself a cheap to run aeroplane and fly it lots. Or you can do some sort of aerial work...instructing, glider towing, that sort of thing.

[Charles Hunt]

Welcome.

Make a start. Buy a logbook, and a chart so you have some idea about airspace. Try some of the local options that work for you e.g., gliding, 3 Axis microlight, Cessna/Piper.

Continue with what you can afford and, more than anything, enjoy.

[Crash one]

After some further research tonight it would appear that airlines (easy jet, fly be, loganair) look for total flying hours in excess of 1000 to apply for first officer jobs.

How on earth does anyone get to that level?

The instructors at Tayside had a hell of a turnover rate ten years ago. Plus several of the students I learned with became instructors to pay for their ATPL training.
It was the way to do it then. PPL,---CPL---FI---teach till they had the hours then Airline job.

I agree about Portmoak membership. It is a bit stiff just for the privilege of landing a glider on the field.

[Jazzer]

After more research tonight and having looked at the medical requirements on the CAA website I would be unable to pass due to having astigmatisms in both eyes of -2.25 diopters which exceeds the maximum of -2.

I suppose that makes my mind up for me short of laser eye surgery which I'm not that keen on.

[Charles Hunt]

Is that for commercial or private flying.? For private flight in the UK the medical declaration is just that you are medically fit enough to drive a car. (Broad brush description, hopefully someone will be along shortly with chapter and verse.)

[Jazzer]

I believe that's for class 1 ie commercial, which would be the ultimate goal.

[Paul_Sengupta]

came to the disappointing realisation that my dream job was most likely not going to happen for me however now find that I could realistically afford to fund training to PPL level.

I am also realistic in knowing that making it to airline pilot is beyond me now due to my age however would still like to be able to fly even if just for my own pleasure.

Just saying.