[RobLG]

Hello All,

My name is Rob (46) and I am new to this forum and the world of flying although I have always been interested in aviation - wife has now arranged for my first trial flight as birthday present (have always said I would love to learn to fly and now circumstances allow it a little more).

I appreciate this may be a very basic question and there is a lot of information, with a lot depending on circumstances and new changes in Regulations (I believe) but I thought I would ask.

As my trial flight is in a fixed wing microlight, should I pursue this route for an NPPL or go for a PPL/LAPL (if I love it and please excuse my ignorance if incorrect re terminology).

I am based between Reading and Newbury in West Berkshire so any thoughts, guidance or advice would be greatly appreciated in terms of my next steps and any recommendations for flying schools would be helpful as well.

Many thanks in advance,

Rob

[stevewarbs]

I went down the PPL route at first but found that it was difficult to get access to a school aircraft so was always outside their 30 day currency rule. After several years of not flying I went down the microlight route and bought my own X-air for £5k. I now fly almost every week if the weather allows for £20 an hour, £60 per month hangarage, £60 per month insurance and around £400 per year permit fees.

It does depend on what you want to do with your license though, especially IR and if you want 4 seats

My next move will probably be 1/2 share in a Stranger classic or 1/4 share in a new Nynja

[Rob P]

If you can pass a CAA Class 2 medical then there is no particular reason to go for anything other than a PPL.

Even if you end up with a little puddlejumper, never travelling more than an hour from base you will have had some additional training which just might, one day, come in useful.

Much though we'd like people outside the hobby to think of us as superhuman specimens of manhood (and womanhood) square of jaw and steely-eyed, the Class 2 is actually a pretty low bar to clear.

Rob P

[lobstaboy]

It's a good question, but there is no easy answer. The best is unhelpfully circular
-it depends what you want to do once you've qualified - trouble is, you won't really know the answer to that until you have qualified and done a bit of flying on your own.
There's a huge world of aviation out there.
I've got two suggestions -
1 have a trial lesson in a 'proper' light aeroplane as well as the micro - see what appeals
2 think about how much money and time you can commit to flying, not just lessons but after you get your licence

Be aware that dreams of regularly taking the family to France, while perfectly possible, are seldom what people end up doing.

Good luck. You'll get lots of advice on here. You'll be able to sift the wheat from the chaff.

[TopCat]

I am based between Reading and Newbury in West Berkshire so any thoughts, guidance or advice would be greatly appreciated in terms of my next steps and any recommendations for flying schools would be helpful as well.

You're about 40 mins from White Waltham (5 mins from M4 Junction 8/9) where several of us are based. It's without a doubt one of the more interesting airfields around.

If you're considering a PPL and want to take a look round I'd be happy to give you a little tour - if you're interested drop me a PM when the forum lets you.

[Rob L]

Hello RobLG and welcome! (you can never have too many Robs here!)
I'd politely suggest you take up the offer from TopCat.
Other suggestions will be forthcoming in due course; but in the interim: see how your trial flight goes (and if successful, perhaps have a go of other trial flights in different aircraft types. They may make you aware of all the potential opportunities available to you).

Sincerely,
Rob L (57 and ¾)

[johnm]

The answer is if you can pass a class 2 medical go for a PPL, you can adapt to a wide range of aircraft and flying scenarios from there.

I learned to fly at WW when I was about 5 years older than you and now have PPL IR and a share in a decent aeroplane and have flown widely in Europe and also a little bit in the US and NZ.

[JAFO]

Welcome to the forum, Rob. Whichever route you take (and my only advice would be to try stuff out and do what you think would make you happiest) then I wish you all the very best of luck.

You are already lucky as you are the last Rob we're allowing on the forum as all of the initial letters of surnames have now been used up.

[Milty]

I thought I was reading a post that I’d written myself and forgotten about. I’m not a Rob, but my wife had bought me a trial lesson, I’m mid-late forties and was unsure what license to go for.

From the research that I did, I’ve decided to go for a PPL. As most have said, unless you know exactly what you want to fly or can afford to fly, go for a PPL as it gives you more options. I was advised that a number of people start at LAPL and upgrade anyway but have no real proof of that.

Bear in mind that it could be a reasonably long journey (I’m planning on around 18 months to qualify and may then rent for a while before deciding how much disposable income I can squirrel away from SWMBO and buying a share or doing IR training.

Good luck, hope you enjoy it as much as I am starting to (apart from air law, which is important, but tediously boring for me).

[PeteSpencer]

Rob: (oh gawd not another Rob )

If you can pass the Class two medical IMHO its a no-brainer: Aim high and go for the PPL:

You will find a ton of opinions on here (Tail dragger/Microlight/Spamcan/aerobatic) with everyone singing the individual praises of their own choice, and to a certain, sometimes not always so playful, extent 'putting down' the alternatives.

So you need to try them all and make your own mind up: Do you want to bimble around the countryside on your own for the rest of your flying days or do you, as well as this, want to be able take 2 1./2 pax further afield, even across the Channel to lunch from time to time.?

With a PPL all these options are available to you:

Whatever you do, buy a logbook now and enter every single flight into it: Possibly also getting each instructor to sign the entry if you will be visiting several outfits before you make up your mind. Every flight will count towards your total hours of whatever licence you choose, so why waste them.?

Good luck and welcome to the Forum: Remember studes can ask whatever question they like, however dozy it may seem to them, without fear on the FF: I've watched as many a tentative stude on here goes off to join the airlines....

Peter
PS Your wife does not know what she is letting herself in for: My wife bought me a trial lesson nearly 30 years ago: I loved it so much I signed up for the PPL course at the school the moment I landed: Five months later I had my PPL!

[T6Harvard]

Welcome @RobLG .

Some of us students insist on posting lengthy write ups of our lessons, although the more sane write less . Either way, do join in with reports.

You will get a lot of help, advice and encouragement from some very kind forumites so keep posting questions, we all benefit from the answers.

If you didn't realise already, flyng should carry a health warning due to it being addictive.

Enjoy the journey

[Rob L]

I thought I was reading a post that I’d written myself and forgotten about. I’m not a Rob, but my wife had bought me a trial lesson, I’m mid-late forties and was unsure what license to go for.

From the research that I did, I’ve decided to go for a PPL. As most have said, unless you know exactly what you want to fly or can afford to fly, go for a PPL as it gives you more options. I was advised that a number of people start at LAPL and upgrade anyway but have no real proof of that.

Bear in mind that it could be a reasonably long journey (I’m planning on around 18 months to qualify and may then rent for a while before deciding how much disposable income I can squirrel away from SWMBO and buying a share or doing IR training.

Good luck, hope you enjoy it as much as I am starting to (apart from air law, which is important, but tediously boring for me).

Hello Milty, and welcome!

Please forgive the "Rob" banter; there are several of us here; we do all mean well.
Keep us posted with your progress. I also took about 18 months to get my PPL (my biggest fear early on was the radio, but soon not a problem with the right Instructor).
Rob L

[Milty]

Glad non-Robs are also welcome. I’m sure you’re all lovely. Odd how these things happen - we have 5 Steve’s out of 35 people at work.

Hope to chip in from time to time and it seems like a nice and friendly forum with some good advice mixed in with a bit of banter.

[Rob L]

Glad non-Robs are also welcome.

That drew a laugh; keep us posted.

[Rob P]

Nothing much to add, but Rob S is an infrequent visitor these days so I thought I'd make up for him.

@Milty I spread my lessons over 18 months, for me it felt the right balance, enjoying every flight, having time between to think in depth about the lesson and have a social life too. I was single then, but of course that didn't last as once you are a pilot the opposite sex view you as the jackpot prize in life's lottery.

Rob P