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Wow people do that? There is an airfield pretty close to me that I’m looking at, although their website suggests they only offer lapl but until I ask I who know

danb_1985 wrote:Wow people do that? There is an airfield pretty close to me that I’m looking at, although their website suggests they only offer lapl but until I ask I who know

You should mention where you are in the country, I’ve not taken a student flying for ages!

(I’ve been too busy taking all my friends and their children flying)

I have one student to take flying in the near future, we are trying to fix a date.

2 forum members took me flying when I was learning.. one took me to a student fly in, organised here, in exchange for lunch.

We flew from the east coast to the midlands and back!

You’ll need to start considering where to learn, and then you need to buy a log book and try some trial lessons.

ALL flying then goes in your logbook from day 1, it all counts.

People with aircraft treat them a bit like cars.....you take people out in your car? And it's quite a sociable "hobby" (more an obsession) so we like to mix with people who have similar interests. People who aren't interested in flying get bored and wander off! If you think the British talk about the weather a lot, you've never mixed with pilots.............
Get stuck in and enjoy it all. It's not a race - what will you do when you get a licence? Go flying!

Cessna571 wrote:

danb_1985 wrote:Wow people do that? There is an airfield pretty close to me that I’m looking at, although their website suggests they only offer lapl but until I ask I who know

You should mention where you are in the country, I’ve not taken a student flying for ages!

(I’ve been too busy taking all my friends and their children flying)

I have one student to take flying in the near future, we are trying to fix a date.

2 forum members took me flying when I was learning.. one took me to a student fly in, organised here, in exchange for lunch.

We flew from the east coast to the midlands and back!

You’ll need to start considering where to learn, and then you need to buy a log book and try some trial lessons.

ALL flying then goes in your logbook from day 1, it all counts.

Sorry yeah I’m based in the north east. My closest airfield is Shotton which is pretty central To Newcastle airport and Durham Tees Valley airport

Within reason get the 'highest' licence you can.

I'm out of touch with the real numbers but if the PPL is 10 hours more at, what £175 an hour these days, that's an extra £1,750.

At one level yes, but, it's all flying, and the instructor element is probably only £25/hr so really it's only an extra £250. Bargain.

I think I’m swaying towards PPL like you say it’s not much more is reality and it’s still being in a plane flying anyway

danb_1985 wrote:Wow people do that? There is an airfield pretty close to me that I’m looking at, although their website suggests they only offer lapl but until I ask I who know

It all depends on the people, of course. But, as several other forumites agree, there are a lot of pilots who like to help students out. An active, social, club is of course a better bet than a professional school that churns out future Airbus drivers.

The only way to find out is to visit! Be friendly and inquisitive and you'll soon get the feel for the place.

Spoke to my local airfield and they only do the LAPL so I’m going to have to look further afield

Whatever licence you decide to do LAPL or PPL, get the medical (LAPL medical for LAPL, Class 2 for PPL) first. If as per your original post you are seriously considering progressing to make a career out of commercial flying, get a Class 1 medical first.

You don't actually need a medical till it is time to go solo, but that is a really bad time to discover you have a medical issue preventing you progressing.

(DOI Retired aviation medicine doctor).

Just do the LAPL. It's perfectly suited to the recreational pilot and if need be it's dead easy to upgrade to a PPL.

Dodo wrote:Whatever licence you decide to do LAPL or PPL, get the medical (LAPL medical for LAPL, Class 2 for PPL) first. If as per your original post you are seriously considering progressing to make a career out of commercial flying, get a Class 1 medical first.

You don't actually need a medical till it is time to go solo, but that is a really bad time to discover you have a medical issue preventing you progressing.

(DOI Retired aviation medicine doctor).

Yeah I’ve been looking into that recently. Definitely on my list in the upcoming months

Bathman wrote:Just do the LAPL. It's perfectly suited to the recreational pilot and if need be it's dead easy to upgrade to a PPL.

I think I’m set on PPL. As some have said, before you can take passengers you need 10 hours extra flight time anyway so may as well just do it from the off

Where can the ppl lead?

Would 2 lessons a month be ok or should I wait until I could do more?]

Welcome to the forum Dan!

In answer to these two questions.....

Wherever you want it to! I just fly for fun, but I never wanted to stick to a basic VFR Nosewheel only licence. I always wanted to learn tailwheel (now doing) as my love is vintage aircraft and that is the way I want to go...others cannot fly straight an level for any more than take off/landing (ie aeros pilots!) So its whatever you want to do with it, there are so many options out there.

As to lessons to book. However many you can or want to, or need to. I took 5 1/2 years to learn. Its not a race, as others have said, its all flying, take the opportunity to enjoy all of it, and be a sponge when sitting next to your instructor Above all, have fun!

Personally for sport/pleasure flying I would go for the LAPL. If you find that you need the PPL then do the additional training and tests. Once you have the LAPL and some experience the additional flying and tests should be easier.

I went for a NPPL, got the ratings I needed on that, then converted to LAPL. I think that route maybe more difficult now.

For instruction I would book a lesson a week if you can. Some lessons will be cancelled. If you book a lesson a fortnight and a couple of lessons are cancelled due weather you could be 6 week before the next lesson.

I just worry that the money I’d spend, I may as well go for ppl. What’s involved in upgrading your license?