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

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By Fellsteruk
#1806488
Nero wrote:May not just be the weather we have to contend with... I assume this new lockdown will stop lessons again?

~ Scott


True, which is double bad for me as not only not flying on a Sunday but the wife will have me painting and god knows what :(
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By Nero
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1806490
Fellsteruk wrote:

True, which is double bad for me as not only not flying on a Sunday but the wife will have me painting and god knows what :(


Yeah I got a little frustrated and did this... Image

~ Scott
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By T6Harvard
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1806503
Er.... do you want me to send you a bucket by express delivery? :lol:

We discussed tackling the jobs we didn't get round to during lockdown part 1..... but we shall both be working.
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By Nero
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1806510
Hah I'm covered, thank you. Got a skip coming!

As an accountant, I've not stopped working during this whole thing but obviously can't complain about that. Just means I missed out on time to learn Mandarin or how to paint

No more exams or tests to revise for so I just need some good days for solo

~ Scott
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By Nero
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1807069
I must be a glutton for punishment or absolutely love tests.

I'm nearing the end of the excellent aviation book The Killing Zone and there's some sections around setting a 5 year plan when you get the PPL, about a continually learning pilot versus one who passes and then drifts in and out of currency, about comparing safety statistics of commercial/IR/PPL pilots.

So then I'm googling CPL courses!!

Bearing in mind I haven't even done my QXC yet for the PPL.... Haha... Going a little nuts

But safety of myself and my passengers, continually improving, confidence of my passengers in me, tackling all sorts of conditions and plane types etc etc - all very appealing to me.

It looks like a good target and sets a checklist something like:

- PPL
- Night rating
- MEP rating
- Class 1 medical
- 200 hours with 100 PIC, 10 hrs instrument, 300nm x-country with two land aways
- 14 (!!) ATPL exams
- about 25 hrs training and £10k

Down the line, I'd also like to offer free flights to vulnerable children and adults. My mother works within the local council's children with disabilities team and my sister-in-law is a social worker, so it'd be nice to offer something via them.

Anyway, that's my ramblings and thoughts for today do you guys set yourself aviation goals?

In other news, what is the Diamond DA40 NG like to fly?

Thanks all!

~ Scott
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By Nero
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1807315
Paul_Sengupta wrote:
Don't forget in all this to do the odd flight where you actually can just relax and enjoy it.


Absolutely! I hope there is lots of that

Though it will all be a little longer as the school have emailed overnight to say they will be closed during this lockdown

~ Scott
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By T6Harvard
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1807395
@Nero You obviously love flying so my take on it is 'why not plan for more?'

Plus, as you well know any money spent in the UK helps the economy so it's just another way of doing a public service, don't you think!?

Speaking of charity flights, anyone doing the virtual Aerobility Aviators Ball?
We thought we'd have a couple of friends round but.....looks like we'll be on our own. I might post a new thread later for suggested menus, for a laugh.
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By Nero
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1810276
Well........ November has been fun, right? :roll:

Even without the current lockdown, I don't think I would've done much flying with the typically wet/cloudy/windy weather that only seems reserved for week-ends

So I've been spending my time finishing the book "The Killing Zone" (highly recommend to all us students in here) and tinkering with my spreadsheets of possible options post-PPL :lol:

Options:
    Non-Equity C152 @ Biggin - close, cheap but small load and slow
    Equity C172P @ Redhill - not too far, grass-runway or small tarmac one, doors either side, big useful load, reasonably fast, reasonable cost
    Equity TB10 @ Redhill - as above for Redhill, beautiful looking plane, quite like the TB10 just on looks alone inside and out, not as fast, low useful load for similar reasonable cost
    Equity PA28 @ Redhill - as above for Redhill, plane that I'm learning in, similar speed, decent useful load, similar reasonable cost
    Non-Equity Diamond DA40NG @ Redhill - as above for Redhill, only 4 years old, fast speed, good useful load, glass panel, modern safety features, only a little more expensive
    Rental PA28 from club @ Biggin hill - close by, not the greatest quality, decent useful load and okay speed, breakeven for similar cost to the C172/TB10/PA28 above is around 25 hours p.a., no club members to become buddies with :pale:

How am I meant to choose between these?

I don't think I can expect, especially in these times, to go and sit in each of these or go for flights in each. Maybe I can... don't know how open people are to that normally.

As I fly a PA28, I know it fairly well and the others not at all, except the one trial flight I had in a C172 a couple years ago.

I've also seen someone on another thread disparage non-equity groups as 'dodgy rentals'... are they really? Why?

And feel free to shoot my descriptions out the water :lol: happy to learn from other's experiences

:thumleft:
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By cotterpot
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1810306
@Nero

I've also seen someone on another thread disparage non-equity groups as 'dodgy rentals'... are they really? Why?


Here is our non equity group. I realise we are in the back of beyond but see under Group Details for costs etc - make your own mind up.
http://www.mcaullyflyinggroup.org/

Also the airfields you mention are large - are there no farm strips or similar nearby?

And what flying will you be doing? Where will you go? Do you really need 4 seats?
Since we have owned LY in 2007 (we fly about 250 hours a year) 91% of flights have been with 1 or 2 people and 97% of flights are less than 2 hours. And in that time it has been to Europe on several occasions.

There are lots more aircraft than you have listed, which are nicer to fly and will get you to places the others won't.

Hope this helps
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By David Wood
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1810310
Nero wrote:
I've also seen someone on another thread disparage non-equity groups as 'dodgy rentals'... are they really? Why?


There are a lot of people who confidently voice opinions that have no basis in fact. That, unfortunately, is a feature of internet forums.

I run a non-equity group and have done so for years. It is professionally run, has happy members, and provides far more cost-effective flying than could be achieved by sole-ownership or indeed renting.

There is nothing dodgy about a well-run group, equity or non-equity per se. There are very probably dodgy groups out there, just are there are dodgy people out there too; but the dodgyness or otherwise of a group has nothing to do with the group's equity/non-equity structures.
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By rich_g85
#1810325
Nero wrote:And feel free to shoot my descriptions out the water :lol: happy to learn from other's experiences

Hi Scott,
I'm an ATCO at Biggin, I've also recently finished the ATPL exams & CPL (at Redhill). If you'd like to meet for a post-lockdown coffee for a chat about the way ahead I'd be pleased to show you around the hangar at S&A at Biggin, which might open some doors/give you some options post-PPL. If this is of any interest feel free to PM me.

Rich
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By Nero
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1810380
rich_g85 wrote:If you'd like to meet for a post-lockdown coffee for a chat about the way ahead I'd be pleased to show you around the hangar at S&A at Biggin, which might open some doors/give you some options post-PPL.


Hi Rich - that would be absolutely amazing! Would love to see this as my only experience of the airport is the EFG shack and their bit of tarmac. The C152 in my list is advertised by Bartolini Air Flying School but I've no idea where they are :oops: I'll PM you shortly :thumleft:

David Wood wrote:There are a lot of people who confidently voice opinions that have no basis in fact. That, unfortunately, is a feature of internet forums.


Oh I absolutely know this :lol: but it made me wonder if there were some unknown features or fairly regular outcomes that I was unaware of relating to non-equity groups due to not being invested or a part-owner

cotterpot wrote:Here is our non equity group. I realise we are in the back of beyond but see under Group Details for costs etc - make your own mind up.
http://www.mcaullyflyinggroup.org/


Your group looks fantastic and great to see so much information laid out. Costs are on a different level (cheaper) than I've seen around the South East on the main advertisement boards :)

cotterpot wrote:Also the airfields you mention are large - are there no farm strips or similar nearby?


Not that I know of. May be some in the Sevenoaks-Tonbridge area but I did find an online map (can't remember where, maybe UKGA?) and the only one within an hour-drive has since closed. Perhaps that's something the fellow forumites can inform me of :)


cotterpot wrote:And what flying will you be doing? Where will you go? Do you really need 4 seats?
Since we have owned LY in 2007 (we fly about 250 hours a year) 91% of flights have been with 1 or 2 people and 97% of flights are less than 2 hours. And in that time it has been to Europe on several occasions. There are lots more aircraft than you have listed, which are nicer to fly and will get you to places the others won't.

Hope this helps


The type of flying that appeals to me is going on a journey to a new destination. Could be as simple as Bembridge or Le Touquet, but they are places that I wouldn't normally go to because they're a bit awkward (e.g. getting a ferry). I don't think I'd be happy for long just going around the SE London / NW Kent area over and over - though as you suggest that may change if I'm in a more 'exciting' plane. 8) As it stands, I'm not really knowledgeable of those options and they don't seem to come up in the group share adverts as much, so my initial post-PPL era would likely be trips with 1-2 people to SW England, East Anglia, IOW, France, Channel Islands, etc.

Definitely helps, many thanks all three :thumleft:
By Fellsteruk
#1810406
Just my 2p...

I’m looking to do similar as yourself and want a four seater. I personally like the idea of a non equity group sure down sides but fix costs, no shocks etc I found one up north for £125 a month and £100/hour wet for a PA28 which is pretty decent from what I’ve seen but ultimately the cost/saving pivots depending on the hours/month you fly.
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