Do we have any pilots on board?

[Clarky]

Just wondering.. thinking of learning to fly, going to take a taster lesson first and see how it goes, and then it's case of deciding whether to do it in the UK or North America I think.

So, anyone want to own up to being a flyboy/girl?

[SlimRick]

I did my PPL back in 99-ish, but never did the hours to keep it current. Flew regularly for a couple of years but the realised I was just flying to keep the license.

[sasguru]

Try hyperD

[cailin maith]

Just wondering.. thinking of learning to fly, going to take a taster lesson first and see how it goes, and then it's case of deciding whether to do it in the UK or North America I think.

So, anyone want to own up to being a flyboy/girl?

Our most recent Pilot is in the clink now - you'll have to wait a while to ask him.

[hyperD]

Got my PPL way back in '92 - then got an IMC rating then got my twin rating (PPL Multi) then got an IR.

I've flown Cessna 152, 172, Grumman AA-5, Piper PA-28 (single engine).
Piper Seminole, PA-30, Seneca 220T and the really nice Cessna 310R (twins)

Flew in the UK mostly but have flown in the USA (Florida) and Australia (Perth).

I think it's 15 hours for first solo then about 45 hours flying and some exams to pass (Navigation, Met, Tech, Radio work). It's not too hard but in the UK it is expensive. Some people may take alot longer to complete the exam. You don't have to learn morse code but you must learn how to use the radio and procedures to talk to airfield/ATC.

When I was flying twins, the rental costs were virtually half that in the USA compared with UK.

To get an idea of the current twin rental price for a Seneca 220T - £330/hr excluding landing fees, insurance etc.

The one thing about ratings (like IR) is that you must complete a refresher exam each year.

Some clubs also require a mini checkout flight if you have not flown in 28 days.

Your licence requires you to fly at least 12 hours within the preceeding 12 months of a 24 month issued Certificate of Experience.

If you don't fly for 5 years you may go to a flying school and do a little training and then a flight test to requalify, the number of hours being decided how rusty you are by the club.

After 5 years of inactivity you need permission from the CAA/JAA which could require additional training. After 10 years it may result in you re-doing the entire syllabus.

I'd take the trial lesson and see how you like it - for me, it was pretty much the best achivement and fun I've ever had.

The reason I'm telling you the above is that most people find that as life moves on, it becomes harder to maintain the hours and eventually licences lapse.

My own circumstances over the recent years (house, job, marriage, divorce) meant my licence is now frozen as I simply couldn't afford to put in the flying hours to enjoy flying. Meaning, that if you do the minimum hours, flying becomes a little more stressful than enjoyment as you are constantly trying to remember where everything is - it's not smooth.

Compare that to when I was in Oz, I was flying 3 hours a day for months - so relaxed I was using the cam recorder while the twin was on autopilot flying over the sea while eating a big mac.

And there was the time when I almost landed without the landing gear down, but that's for another time...

HTH

[Churchill]

Good response as always Hyper!

PPL(H)

If you're going to do most of your flying in the states then train over there, failing that you should train where you will fly the most.

The states would be good for hour-building etc.

[Platypus]

If you're going to do most of your flying in the states then train over there

Yep, I hear they love to have foreign-types coming over to learn to fly.

[snaw]

My best mate is now a commercial pilot, flying 737's.

Took him about 10 years to get there and well over £100,000 (Unlike many pilots his parents weren't loaded and able to buy a career for their useless layabout son). He's still paying back his pilot debts, and he's probably taken 18 months off work to do all the commercial stuff on jumbos.

Since then he's had to spend 2 years based in Prague flying for some tulipty airline, then a couple of years in Scotland - and since it's all gone pear shaped he's now having to move to Oman cause there's no jobs around (And it's getting worse).

It's now paying off for him, in that he'll finally be on a good salary and in a couple of years he should make captain, and he'll be sorted for life. But from the sidelines watching him, unless it's an absolute passion, and you're prepared to spend shedloads of cash (With all that means on the rest of your life), and then spend a few years getting to a decent level it's a long hard grind.

[Clarky]

Thanks guys! There's some good info in there (thanks to hyper especially!)

It's something I've always wanted to do, and it might tie in with plan B, as I know I'm not going to stay in IT forever. But learning in the US/Canada might be the way forward, as I'd like to eventually move out there anyway.

We shall see... but I think I know what to ask MrsC for a Christmas present now...!

[GavM]

Checkout http://www.pprune.org/ and http://www.flyer.co.uk/ for a good source of info via the forums etc.