DJ_Jon

iTrader: (7)

I'm nearly at the end of my PPL course & am interested in how others are using theirs. I know there are a few people on here that fly for a living, but I'm interested in the opinions of those that fly for pleasure..

Personally, I'm hoping to use mine to go to the Isle of Man, Channel Islands, Scotland, Ireland & of course Le Tourqet for lunch!

Don't be shy!

DJ_Jon

iTrader: (7)

Wow, that was a useful post

ScoobyWon't

I've spent many an hour discussing the training involved in getting a PPL. Not just the day light hours to maximise it, but also health concerns, rotation, being ginger (I'm not, but my mate thinks he can't be a Captain due to being ginger), heart murmurs and moving to Florida, which allegedly makes it quicker to do.

I'd love to do it, but I expect my eye sight isn't good enough.

DJ_Jon

iTrader: (7)

I'm sure being Ginger is in the rule book somewhere

The heart murmur could stop you getting a PPL because you can't get a class 2 medical, but you should be ok for the NPPL which only requires a sign off from your GP. eyesight - as long as it can be corrected with glasses you should be fine.

SimonD

I let mine lapse about 10 years ago.
I loved learning to fly but found that the limitations of VFR and the traffic in the South East made keeping up the hours a tedious process. I gave up flying and started doing track days on my bike - much more fun for the money!!
Were I to do it again I'd get an instrument rating and/or move somewhere else. Hiring a Cessna from Inverness Airport while on holiday was the high point for me.

.........the look on my wife's face when I hired a new (to me) plane and had to rush back into the office to ask how some of the instruments worked was priceless too!! Oh, and then there was lining up behind both Spitfires and the Red Arrows at Biggin............ maybe it wasn't so bad after all.
I might pop down for a reminder!

Jaybird-UK

That's something I've alway dreamt of doing so well done for getting there!

What sort of money would you be looking at for a hire long enough to hop to France and back?

DJ_Jon

iTrader: (7)

I'm glad I fly in the northeast, loads of uncontrolled airspace to have a bimble around in, the London TMA looks scary & very easy to bust if you get too high.

We had the red arrows up for the great north run & I watched them do a pass of the Tyne bridge while at 2000ft AGL - best seat in the house
Thanks for your input.


Jay - it would depend on what you are flying, but it's probably doable for less than £100 in a Cessna 150

IMC rating is on the cards once I enjoy the summer of VFR flying.

Will

Funny that! A microlight school has just opened 2.5 miles down the road from me

I'd be interested in having a go at gaining a PPL.

How safe are these things to go up in? Because I've never been in any aircraft before. And I don't want to bloody crash and die in one

Will

Funny that! A microlight school has just opened 2.5 miles down the road from me

I'd be interested in having a go at gaining a PPL.

How safe are these things to go up in? Because I've never been in any aircraft before. And I don't want to bloody crash and die in one

Dr Hu

especially twice

Leslie

I have a civilian flying instructor's qualification but I was never tempted into civilian flying as such because the only interest for me was flying in the military style where you have to be able to use an aircraft to it's maximum operational capabilities in order to successfully do the job. I did do a tour on the VC10 which was a lovely aircraft to fly but I always felt restricted in what I could do with it...the passengers are not keen on that sort of thing

Les

DJ_Jon

iTrader: (7)

To be fair Les, i was interested in opinions of people with a PPL & what sorties they are doing, rather than your average Pablo Mason handle-bar Mustashed Military flyer

On the other hand, I'm sure you have a wealth of knowledge that could be tapped into

Mr Impreza: Get yourself up in a microlight for a trial flight, you won't regret it!

SimonD

would that have been the ones used for mid-air refuelling?

The only people I know in the flying business keep something like a Pitts Special for their out of hours flying (single seaters unfortunately for me!). It always struck me that light aircraft were the noisiest most uncomfortable, slow and expensive way to get about.

zip106

I'm still kicking myself that I didn't take up my US cousins husbands offer of teaching me to fly for free.
He's a full on qualified instructor and is also Roger Penske's personal pilot.

I remember him bringing home his 'company aircraft' to NW Arkansas airport during one Christmas - a fantastic Learjet.

Unfortunately, my cousin is now divorced from him.

DJ_Jon

iTrader: (7)

They are, but the amount of time I spend on planes & being at the mercy of the sh1tty airlines, I'm hoping to bypass them for some shorter hops.

Ginola

iTrader: (25)

you can indeed pop to france for an afternoon coffee if your living in the south uk, used to to this when i was a lad working at white-waltham airfield, about 45mins each way.

but as others have said the london flyzones are a nightmare, back then the ceiling over us was 800 feet for heathrow traffic above that dont know if its any different now havnt flown for many years ,
As others have said get an instrument rating and perhaps a twin rating to get that little bit further (u can fly to northen italy on tanks full in a modern twin)

DJ_Jon

iTrader: (7)

I think I could skirt around the London CTA & go to Manston, stop off there & hop over to France

I quite fancy hopping over to holland, although Schipol CTA looks just as bad as London - GPS & careful flight planning are a must.

SimonD

I understand the airlines comment. I do all I can to avoid air travel these days........and I love flying. Might have something to do with taking a 1 year old and 3 year old to Sydney a few years ago though!!!
I regularly travel to France and Ireland and use the ferries or Eurotunnel every time.

Mrfastbaz

a mate of mine has had a licence for several years and when funds permit i go halves on the rental of a piper cherokee with him it helps him as well in keeping his flying hours up to the required ampunt.. usually fly around oxford,warwick startford area have had a go a flying the plane when we have been up but never moved on to train for my own licence ...it takes a lot of effort and money which like a lot of people is tight but i do enjoy it when i go up with andy..

TopBanana

If you intend to use the plane as a form of transport, you'll need to learn to fly by the instruments and keep this up, it's not cheap unfortunately.

DJ_Jon

iTrader: (7)

IMC rating is next on the list of things to do, along with the night rating. IR would be the one to have, but at 14k + the yearly renewals I don't think my pockets are that deep.

Leslie

Yes all understood.

In fact I hardly ever met any "Pablo Mason moustache types. I can't remember a single one come to think about it after all those years at it.

All the PPL types I knew or flew with generally drive around from one airfield to another taking the scenic route if possible. Might as well make it as interesting as possible anyway. Some like to pop over the Channel for lunch which can be pleasant.

On the other hand, you could hire a Tiger Moth, Stampe, or a Yak and rush around the sky doing hairy aerobatics...such fun!

The world is your oyster!

Les

Will

Went to see the microlight flying today, and thought, stuff that!!!

Found out in the hanger next door there's a flying school

How safe are Cessna to fly?

Here's a link

http://facaernarfon.com/flight_train...rbuilding.html

Will

Handy to go solo, could go sheep spotting in the sky then

DJ_Jon

iTrader: (7)

How safe depends a lot on the pilot, A lot of news stories about crashed light aircraft tend to sensationalise it & make them sound un-safe.

If a trip is planned well & the aircraft is servicable then it will be fine. Engine failures happen, but you train for that eventuality. I don't see it as any more risky than getting in my car & going for a drive.

Its going to be significantly cheaper to train, rent/buy a microlight than a Cessna 150 as they operate on the Permit to Fly system. Get and have a couple of lessons, see if it is right for you. I reckon you will love it!

Leslie

If you ever want an introduction to aerobatics, give me a shout.

Les

DJ_Jon

iTrader: (7)

If that offer is genuine, yes please! PM me with details

^Qwerty^

Got my PPL(A) and SEP rating until this August, but will more than likely let it lapse as the cost has become too much for me to justify. Also the fun for me after learning was doing aero's, and I even started to have a dabble in competitions, but soon became disheartened with that due to not having funds for a Extra 300, so therefore had no chance of winning, i.e. it’s not a level playing field. I’ve looked at getting a share but there are not many about for things with two seats and which you can also tip upside down. A group around a VANS RV4 would be ideal, but I was looking at trying to get one around one of the T67M 260’s which were/are all parked up at the moment.
However, some of my most enjoyable moment include, tour of EMA ATC when on my QXC, meeting the BBMF on a ‘left to right’ track near Selby, doing a wheels off at Duxford to touch down in North Yorkshire in an hour, ‘racing’ a train on the ECML , recording a ground speed of 35knots on RNAV in a strong wind, flying somebody back home who stuffed it on a £100 burger run, being told that the Thompson jet can leave first at EMA because he asked first, touch and go’s at Finnin.... I mean Doncaster Maid Marian space port after being asked if I wanted to by ATC, spinning, more spinning, aero’s, being asked by EMA if I want a zone transit after lifting off at Leicester even though lots of people kept telling me they were a bunch of cu%ts.....
Some of them are small things, such as EMA ATC related, but during my training I was told nothing but bad things about them, yet I’ve never had a problem. On the particular day last year, I left Leicester after going for lunch, and switched frequency whilst climbing out the circuit, and after explaining where I was going, they said, “do you want a zone transit instead of going around”. I declined, as I wanted to look at a couple of things on the way up to Gamston, but it was rather nice of them to ask me. Doncaster ATC have always been spot on with me and have pretty much let me fly wherever I want. Quite funny to hear a TCAS going mental on an airliner flying up your chuff as ATC is asking them if they are visual with you 

DJ_Jon

iTrader: (7)

Great post, thanks for your input!

If you get up to Newcastle give me a shout for a ride over to Carlisle to look at the Vulcan & a bacon bap