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

Moderator: AndyR

By Fellsteruk
#1845441
The free app I've been using on my phone to keep a track of my flights along with my excel sheet went west so i thought shoot, I'll start using logbook.aero

Not only did i find an extra 10 mins of solo time which i'd added up wrong in my book "have to say this is pretty pathetic on my part only five pages into a log book and eight hours solo and already have addition errors :roll: "

Anyway i thought i's use the costs feature to log all my costs, i already had this in my excel sheet but only as total costs for each day, to my amazement ive spent almost £2,700 on landing fees alone which is about 20% of my total spend to date, I knew it was expensive at Liverpool but it really goes to show how over the cost of a PPL flying out of Liverpool comes at a stupid premium.

I'm now full time at Hawarden and not that it was an option when i started but based on their fees I'd have saved a massive £1,500 in the same time.

Don't get me wrong I have no regrets, enjoyed it all but this coupled with the extra holding time in circuits or on the ground for commercial activity and the time to get out of the CTA before you actually start all clocks up but i aint gonna try and work that out as it may make me sad, as i say enjoyed it along the way and that's all that matters :)

I guess one benefit of flying out of somewhere like Liverpool is the amount of exposure you get to controlled airspace procedures and the big birds, not sure if that's worth £1,500, you could get a night rating for that and have some change for cake :)
User avatar
By T6Harvard
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1845451
Blimey! :shock:

But...... I think it may well have been worth it. You have masses of experience in CAS, you will not be afraid nor overloaded when you fly as P1, and you've coped with all that while low hours.

Personally I worry, flying from a small airfield where AGCS is only operating at weekends. I know I'll get more experience if/when I go XC but it'll take ages to build up confidence, whereas you have it now.

Anyway.... how did you get on last weekend??
By Fellsteruk
#1845456
I guess but equally I have little experience with non ATC and landing on anything but concrete, forget it.

I’ve asked my instructor for an hour or two at Barton either before or after I get my ppl to help me get confident on grass, shorter runways etc.

Been a bit of a wash out the last week Gloucester was cancelled but made it to Wolverhampton which was nice, just need to get Gloucester done with my instructor so I can do my cross country and then he said I can be put forward for skills test so I’ve got everything crossed for the rest of May to have good weather :)
#1845518
Fellsteruk wrote:
Anyway i thought i's use the costs feature to log all my costs, i already had this in my excel sheet but only as total costs for each day, to my amazement ive spent almost £2,700 on landing fees alone which is about 20% of my total spend to date, I knew it was expensive at Liverpool but it really goes to show how over the cost of a PPL flying out of Liverpool comes at a stupid premium.



Well you were paying for 7,500ft of runway, I hope you used all of it!
T6Harvard liked this
#1845564
I appreciate Liverpool is expensive for training. But at the same time, I appreciate Liverpool airport as being friendly to GA - for the occasional landing there, their fee isn't unreasonable, you can access the city directly, unlike many GA airports that are in the middle of nowhere, and they have an instrument approach, are (normally) open at night, etc. So I'd hate to see GA decline at Liverpool as a result.

Can't argue with the cost of training there having to include lots of higher landing fees and longer transits to the exercise areas though. Hopefully the students with deeper pockets who prefer to pay for the convenience will keep it going!
By Fellsteruk
#1845601
I’d also hate to see GA decline at Liverpool or anywhere for that fact. Whilst I get it’s driven by covid Liverpool ATC closures this past year have been shocking, I don’t expect them to be 24/7 when no commercial traffic but they would say we’re open as per notam which was 5/7days in advance “great”

Well not so, it got to the point where they would close at the drop of a hat and countless lessons were cancelled last min due to them changing their mind.

I remember one day they where open for short 20 or 15min windows and closed for hours between. Even when the local schools got them to commit to open more hours in the day or weekend they still closed last min.

That coupled with constant increases in fees I was glad my school closed up shop and moved.

All that said was pretty amazing doing my night rating at Liverpool the views up city were great.
T6Harvard liked this
User avatar
By WelshRichy
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1845660
Holy moly, £2700! I paid less than that for my share-o-plane share!

I’ve totalled up approx costs since starting to fly (only 700+ hours). Yes, agreed with AndyR, do NOT do it!

On the upside I paid a total of £10 for landing at Compton Abbas’s. £10 for Gloucester and 2 x £5 for Swansea landings. I remember the figures as the were training special discounted rates (‘98). Grand total of £0 for touch and go and landing fees at Cardiff, all inclusive. To this day they still are if you’re based there. Including ILS approaches etc. Great deal.
By Fellsteruk
#1845663
That is a good deal and a world away from £35 however think it’s £40 now to land at Liverpool. “I’m like a dog with a bone”

Some good deals about Barton has been doing £1 Offers and HPGreen was doing a £30 land and as many t&g as you want for visitors.

A drop in the ocean when you’ve spent £300 to get there, cake and back home lol.
T6Harvard liked this