Flying

rynnor

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A mate of mine went up in a micro-light last week and it re-kindled my old dream of getting a light aircraft pilots license.

Its hideously expensive to get flying hours over here - would probably go to the states (not sure how easy that is after 9/11) but it will have to wait till the kids have stopped being so darned expensive...

It would be nice to charter a plane and fly to paris for lunch etc :)

Anyone else thought about learning to fly anything?

(BTW if you fancy micro-lights it will cost you around 6-7K to learn and around 9k to buy one )
 

JingleBells

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One of my school friends is a fully qualified flight instuctor (although I'd find it scary to be taught to fly by a 21 year old), he used to say one of the best places to learn to fly was the south of france due to favourable weather. He used to have lessons cancelled over here because it was:
Too wet
Too cold
Too cloudy
Too windy
Too sunny
Which just about sums up all possible combinations of the english weather :D

As for the cost, it's exorbitant, even once you have a standard licence for planes you can only fly in perfect weather :)
 

Tom

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Rynoor that doesn't sound too expensive to me, particularly if you can get a 2-seater and charge friends for the privilige.

A 5 year loan for 18k isn't going to break the bank :)
 

Cdr

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I'm planning on starting my PPL as soon as it gets around to summer time here.

In total, it'll cost me about NZ$30k - which compared to UK prices is nothing. This will get me my full PPL, with the option to carry on to Commerical Pilot (another 15k or so). And whats better than flying from Auckland down to South Island for the weekend to go skiiing :D

Then if push comes to shove I'll work for Air New Zealand and do the short haul flights, and get paid to go skiing on South Island :)

Or maybe to Australia, or Fiji.....oh the possibilities!
 

rynnor

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Tom said:
Rynoor that doesn't sound too expensive to me, particularly if you can get a 2-seater and charge friends for the privilige.

A 5 year loan for 18k isn't going to break the bank :)

Well I looked up the details of flexi wing (microlight) licences - looks like you can qualify for around 3K (I think thats if you use your own craft tho) - a new microlight starts from around 10k and can range up to 22-24k for the most expensive...

Alas I want the fixed wing license tho and thats a lot more expensive...
 

rynnor

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Cdr said:
I'm planning on starting my PPL as soon as it gets around to summer time here.

In total, it'll cost me about NZ$30k - which compared to UK prices is nothing. This will get me my full PPL, with the option to carry on to Commerical Pilot (another 15k or so). And whats better than flying from Auckland down to South Island for the weekend to go skiiing :D

Now thats a thought - I have family in Auckland who would put me up and who I have to visit every year or so - just need a spare 12k now ;P
 

tankgirl_ni

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i did my flying scolarship through the aircadets about 4 years ago. worked out really cheap compared to doing it privately. but if your 18+ your too old to join the cadets which is a bummer.
 

rynnor

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tankgirl_ni said:
i did my flying scolarship through the aircadets about 4 years ago. worked out really cheap compared to doing it privately. but if your 18+ your too old to join the cadets which is a bummer.

Bit late for me but maybe I can get one of the kids to join - then they can fly me round ;P
 

tankgirl_ni

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its worth it! the flying is only a small part of what they offer.
i travelled all over the uk, went to germany, cyrprus even as far away as gibraltar. and it was all really cheap! my mum was a full time carer for my gran who was terminally ill for 12 years which ment we never got to go away on family holidays so the opertunities for summer camps and weekends away which i got through the cadets were brilliant!
i was able to do my duke of edinburgh's award along with competing in loads of sporting / shooting / adventure competitions as well.

http://www.aircadets.org/flying.html <-- check that link for some info about the flying stuff.
 

Jupitus

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tankgirl_ni said:
its worth it! the flying is only a small part of what they offer.
i travelled all over the uk, went to germany, cyrprus even as far away as gibraltar. and it was all really cheap! my mum was a full time carer for my gran who was terminally ill for 12 years which ment we never got to go away on family holidays so the opertunities for summer camps and weekends away which i got through the cadets were brilliant!
i was able to do my duke of edinburgh's award along with competing in loads of sporting / shooting / adventure competitions as well.

http://www.aircadets.org/flying.html <-- check that link for some info about the flying stuff.


... explains your lack of time for practising pool .......








:p
 

dysfunction

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rynnor said:
A mate of mine went up in a micro-light last week and it re-kindled my old dream of getting a light aircraft pilots license.

Anyone else thought about learning to fly anything?


I did an hour flying lesson in a two seater light aircraft. It was really great fun!!
Had a go at take off, turning in a circle, moving up and down etc just to get a feel for how the controls work etc.

I would love to do it again but its around £100 or more an hour so it isnt cheap...

Well worth it even if you just go the once.
 

Rubber Bullets

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A friend of mine is a teacher. The summer holiday before last he went to Florida and did his PPL in one go. Even with flights and accommodation it was cheaper, and with more predictable weather, than in this country.

Now he flies a couple of hours each month, enough to keep his licence up to date, and about what he can afford.

He lives in Kent, perfectly placed to make short hops across the channel to France.

RB
 

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