Mon Jun 28, 2021 3:10 pm
#1855468
For what it is worth I have been looking into this myself. Near me (within 90 minutes drive) I have various schools which are based in (1) Denham (2) Fairoaks (3) Blackbushe (4) Redhill (5) Biggin Hill (only looking at one of them).
I have taken introductory lessons at Denham and Biggin Hill - although the instructor at Biggin Hill I had with one flight school also works with another flight school in Redhill as well and he is an exemplary tutor - but the commute is very long! I want to take one introductory session at Fairoaks and one at Blackbushe.
I would just re-iterate that most depends on the instructors available, their experience and approach and whether you can choose the instructor. At Denham my instructor on the introductory hour was far more lax and relaxed than at Biggin Hill. Biggin Hill and Redhill are ultimately too far for me and I would not enjoy the process or be motivated, but the instructor made sure I knew I was going to get a quality course with attention to detail.
What struck me in visiting Denham were the range of instructors from the most relaxed of (1) let's see how it goes and why don't you just do the UK PPL forget about the EASA PPL and other technical stuff to the other end of (2) excessively stiff and unapproachable pilots who may be the best aviators with impeccable commercial careers, but not the best tutors.
It is tough to find someone who is nurturing but also has keen eye for detail and precision. Some may prefer the LAPPL approach - some may want precision. You cannot know until you meet them.
I have sent simple email queries to four different schools. The results are as follows:
My queries dealt with (1) their fleet composition and numbers (2) clarity/confirmation on pricing (3) further training options and costs including IR(R), CBIR and night. I made it clear I was a prospective student evaluating them against nearby schools and was hoping they would assist in helping me decide.
I noted that only one school clearly advertised on the web their instructors and their backgrounds which I felt re-assuring.
As I said, one flight school declined to respond entirely by email. All flight schools failed to reply properly to my email. All flight schools declined to follow up on (i) inconsistencies I raised, (ii) further confusion or (iii) responding to original queries I flagged that they missed.
The worst flight school actually took a very negative, demeaning and defensive reply. Their documents were complex and difficult (and have since been removed from the website) and all I wanted was their confirmation I had understood properly, anything else I should be aware of, and info on their available aircraft. It was almost taken as a given that I should have been able to summarise their costs accurately.
I have to say that I have been very much put off doing the PPL at my local schools and was considering actually going abroad to Greece or further afield and doing a compressed course in Oxford or further North in the UK.
If I were to summarise, the tone and responses have overall been quite defensive, evasive, unhelpful and unclear. I am left doing two further introductory sessions with two flight schools who were the least worst in replying to get a feel for the place.
Interestingly, after I placed my queries the most beligerent/unhelpful/defensive flight school removed documents from their website which set out their myriad of packages and excessively complex and verbose Ts&Cs. I noted that this particular school did have certain terms which would have been unenforceable under english law in any event and unsurprisingly their tone matched this.
As a genuine prospective student I want to make clear - the PPL is not a blank cheque or way of abusing students with complex terms and excessive pricing or trying to catch us out somewhere. It should be transparent, simple and realistic.
My advice:
1) Budget for at least £15000 overall today
2) visit the flight schools in person and get to know the instructors and have a chat. Find the instructor who works for you. I have found email brings out the worst of them so you have to see them in person to build a rapport.
3) do introductory sessions but make it clear your are interviewing the school.
4) beware of initial packages and their terms and limits - you may get a cheap package, but then additional hours at significantly more and a whole raft of conditions.
5) remember that after the PPL you can join whatever club you want for cheaper hourly flying, other ratings (IR(R), CBIR, night) and differences.
Let me not beat about the bush I was quite frankly horrified at the level of email responses I received based on how simple and obvious questions were not dealt with, and also by the overall tone.
I have taken introductory lessons at Denham and Biggin Hill - although the instructor at Biggin Hill I had with one flight school also works with another flight school in Redhill as well and he is an exemplary tutor - but the commute is very long! I want to take one introductory session at Fairoaks and one at Blackbushe.
I would just re-iterate that most depends on the instructors available, their experience and approach and whether you can choose the instructor. At Denham my instructor on the introductory hour was far more lax and relaxed than at Biggin Hill. Biggin Hill and Redhill are ultimately too far for me and I would not enjoy the process or be motivated, but the instructor made sure I knew I was going to get a quality course with attention to detail.
What struck me in visiting Denham were the range of instructors from the most relaxed of (1) let's see how it goes and why don't you just do the UK PPL forget about the EASA PPL and other technical stuff to the other end of (2) excessively stiff and unapproachable pilots who may be the best aviators with impeccable commercial careers, but not the best tutors.
It is tough to find someone who is nurturing but also has keen eye for detail and precision. Some may prefer the LAPPL approach - some may want precision. You cannot know until you meet them.
I have sent simple email queries to four different schools. The results are as follows:
- One has failed to respond at all
- one replied but failed to deal with any of the substantive questions and left me more confused, and failed to reply to a follow up on the points asked and to deal with inconsistencies/confusion they created
- one answered in part but declined to clarify in a follow up email to clarify
- one was quite unhelpful and belligerent in their reply, avoided answering the crux of my email and declined a follow up reply
My queries dealt with (1) their fleet composition and numbers (2) clarity/confirmation on pricing (3) further training options and costs including IR(R), CBIR and night. I made it clear I was a prospective student evaluating them against nearby schools and was hoping they would assist in helping me decide.
I noted that only one school clearly advertised on the web their instructors and their backgrounds which I felt re-assuring.
As I said, one flight school declined to respond entirely by email. All flight schools failed to reply properly to my email. All flight schools declined to follow up on (i) inconsistencies I raised, (ii) further confusion or (iii) responding to original queries I flagged that they missed.
The worst flight school actually took a very negative, demeaning and defensive reply. Their documents were complex and difficult (and have since been removed from the website) and all I wanted was their confirmation I had understood properly, anything else I should be aware of, and info on their available aircraft. It was almost taken as a given that I should have been able to summarise their costs accurately.
I have to say that I have been very much put off doing the PPL at my local schools and was considering actually going abroad to Greece or further afield and doing a compressed course in Oxford or further North in the UK.
If I were to summarise, the tone and responses have overall been quite defensive, evasive, unhelpful and unclear. I am left doing two further introductory sessions with two flight schools who were the least worst in replying to get a feel for the place.
Interestingly, after I placed my queries the most beligerent/unhelpful/defensive flight school removed documents from their website which set out their myriad of packages and excessively complex and verbose Ts&Cs. I noted that this particular school did have certain terms which would have been unenforceable under english law in any event and unsurprisingly their tone matched this.
As a genuine prospective student I want to make clear - the PPL is not a blank cheque or way of abusing students with complex terms and excessive pricing or trying to catch us out somewhere. It should be transparent, simple and realistic.
My advice:
1) Budget for at least £15000 overall today
2) visit the flight schools in person and get to know the instructors and have a chat. Find the instructor who works for you. I have found email brings out the worst of them so you have to see them in person to build a rapport.
3) do introductory sessions but make it clear your are interviewing the school.
4) beware of initial packages and their terms and limits - you may get a cheap package, but then additional hours at significantly more and a whole raft of conditions.
5) remember that after the PPL you can join whatever club you want for cheaper hourly flying, other ratings (IR(R), CBIR, night) and differences.
Let me not beat about the bush I was quite frankly horrified at the level of email responses I received based on how simple and obvious questions were not dealt with, and also by the overall tone.
FLYER Club Member