Polite discussion about EASA, the CAA, the ANO and the delights of aviation regulation.
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#1524907
Hi All,

It's been 2 months since I received my PPL through the post from the CAA, and 2 months since I last flew solo from my local club (where I trained).

The club has a rule (I expect many do), that if I don't fly for more 30 days, then in order to rent an aircraft from them for the purpose of solo hire, I have to go up with an instructor for a revalidation. I totally understand this, and ofcourse welcome currency checks, however, I was surprised when my instructor told me that I would need to book an hour and a half session, and that we would need to complete a few circuits, stalls and PFLs as part of this revalidation. I was under the impression that this revalidation would just be a quick circuit to ensure proficieny... after all I only sat my flight test a few months ago!

As a guy who is aiming for the fATPL, hour building is the next step in the process, but I'm a little concerned that if I fall outside those 30 days, I'll have to shell out best part of £300 for a revalidation with an instructor.

Is this the norm with other clubs?

Many Thanks
User avatar
By rikur_
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1524924
It's not the norm at our club - at least not for people known and trusted.
Perhaps this is just an initial extended one to check how well you've remembered everything, and providing you don't screw this one up, future ones might just be a quick 20 minutes.

Personally I'm in the odd situation where one of the syndicates that I'm in requires a check flight if I've not flown for 30 days, but the other doesn't .... so the solution is go and do a quick circuit in the other aircraft, then I can fly either.
#1524932
I've worked at about 6 different schools and only two of them took the mickey and that was many years ago and neither of them are in business anymore.

All the others certainly had your and their aircraft best interests at heart.

I've flown with people who having passed their skills test two months ago now handle the aircraft like they have never flown in the circuit before. It does come back I assure you.

I've also flown with people who haven't flown for a year and I actually wonder if they have ever flown an aircraft before.

I have also refused to let a freshly minted CPL holder from a "world leading" ATO self fly hire and it took 10 hours dual before I would let him loose.

On the other hand I've let other people self fly hire after one circuit. So it all depends (apart from the world leading ATO where every single one I have flown with has always been well lets put it as weak)

One thing I would add is that I note your about to start your hour building and as your legal to log the flight as P1 I would ask that you are able to log it as such.

Finally once their happy to let you self fly hire Dont leave it more than 30 days so you have to do it all again.
User avatar
By T67M
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1524949
The school I learned at has a similar rule (30-days on class, 90-days on type), but the length and content of the checkout is entirely at the discretion of the instructor. Low time pilots and/or pilots coming back after a lay-off can take an hour or more covering much of the PPL syllabus, but as their experience builds, the length of the checkout generally gets shorter and a single circuit may be deemed as enough. That said, it's not unknown for some high-time pilots with years of experience who take several hours of dual before being allowed to fly a club plane solo.

If the club you're flying at has the option, why not do the check in a plane you've not flown before, maybe something with a constant speed prop, aerobatic or with a tail-wheel?
#1524974
No, I only received my license a few months ago, so it should be a simple check out. The last time I flew on a PA28 was 2 months ago, this is within the 90 day rule, and obviously within the CAA SEP licensing requirments. I also trained at this establishment so they are aware of my circumstances. Sorry for the mis-confusion.
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By Morten
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1525081
Just to start some thread-drift.... if you want to hour build cheaper and without (what appear to be draconian and possibly unnecessary) issues with rental, you should buy something like this aircraft or this one, fly it for as much as you like and then sell it again when you're done (accepting that the engine hours on the second one may become an issue)...

If you want to fly 2-300 hours over the next year or so, even writing the cost of a cheap aircraft off completely and adding expected running costs you will be better off than if you had rented...

Morten
#1525151
Paul_Sengupta wrote:
Morten wrote:you should buy something


Just came across a half share in an nice looking Emeraude on e-bay for £5.5k at Headcorn. They might be willing to go thirds. £15 + fuel per hour.


If you are going to hour build, and the other partner is agreeable with that, this would be a great buy!