BCT Aviation at Kemble

[Andy Hawkins]

Hi all,

A few years ago I considered starting on the road to PPL, and went for a
trial flight at Gloucester airport. For one reason and another I decided not
to go ahead at the time.

The idea has entered my head again, and I'm looking around at the various
options. I'm based in Swindon, so somewhere close to home would be good so
that I don't have too much of a trek.

Does anyone have any opinion on BCT Aviation at Kemble? Their price lists
gives a figure for 'PPL Course' (£6500), along with an hourly rate of £148
(this is a PA28 or C172). They also list a rate for 'PPL Instructor' at £40.
How do these rates compare to other 'average' rates for training?

Any pointers in general or specific to the Swindon area would be much
appreciated.

Thanks

Andy

[Peter]

Post by Andy Hawkins
Hi all,
A few years ago I considered starting on the road to PPL, and went for a
trial flight at Gloucester airport. For one reason and another I decided not
to go ahead at the time.
The idea has entered my head again, and I'm looking around at the various
options. I'm based in Swindon, so somewhere close to home would be good so
that I don't have too much of a trek.
Does anyone have any opinion on BCT Aviation at Kemble? Their price lists
gives a figure for 'PPL Course' (£6500), along with an hourly rate of £148
(this is a PA28 or C172). They also list a rate for 'PPL Instructor' at £40.
How do these rates compare to other 'average' rates for training?
Any pointers in general or specific to the Swindon area would be much
appreciated.
Thanks
Andy

I don't know the firm at all; general comment here:

At £148/hr you are not likely to got a PPL (min 45 hrs) for £6500 :)

£8000-9000 is a better budget for a UK PPL. The average # of hours
varies according to ability and age but is usually 50-70. Very few do
it in 45; you need good weather, a well organised school and frequent
lessons.

The "instructor" rate you refer to is most likely the cost of an
instructor over and above the cost of hiring the aircraft itself. If
the latter is £148/hour that sounds *very* pricey, but this is
unlikely. More likely, it is what you would pay if you turned up in
your own aircraft, for example, and wanted an instructor.

Another tip: never pay up front, even if they offer a 10% discount on
a block of hours. Schools go bust much too often.

[Andy Hawkins]

Hi,

Post by Peter
At £148/hr you are not likely to got a PPL (min 45 hrs) for £6500 :)
£8000-9000 is a better budget for a UK PPL. The average # of hours
varies according to ability and age but is usually 50-70. Very few do
it in 45; you need good weather, a well organised school and frequent
lessons.

Now I've just calculated it out, £6500 / £148 is basically 45 hours. So it
looks like you're just block booking that number of hours of flight time.

Post by Peter
The "instructor" rate you refer to is most likely the cost of an
instructor over and above the cost of hiring the aircraft itself. If
the latter is £148/hour that sounds *very* pricey, but this is
unlikely. More likely, it is what you would pay if you turned up in
your own aircraft, for example, and wanted an instructor.

That makes sense. Their hire rate is £95 for a C150, and £120 for a C172 or
PA28.

Post by Peter
Another tip: never pay up front, even if they offer a 10% discount on
a block of hours. Schools go bust much too often.

I'd read that, which was one of my reasons for asking for comment on the
school. They seem quite a big operation (they do commercial training,
medevac etc.) so hopefully are relatively safe.

Still interested in any personal experiences of them for training if anyone
has any.

Thanks for the input

Andy

[Peter]

Post by Andy Hawkins
I'd read that, which was one of my reasons for asking for comment on the
school. They seem quite a big operation (they do commercial training,
medevac etc.) so hopefully are relatively safe.

There is however another potential problem and that is a difficult
instructor, or a personality clash with the instructor. This is a
business where most people merely pass through on their way to an
airline job. You don't need to go on a 2 year teacher training course
to instruct, so there is a lot of variation.

I changed schools after 20hrs, partly due to an instructor who was
very nice but couldn't instruct (he was interfering all the time, and
half the time I couldn't tell who was supposed to have the controls)
and partly due to poor maintenance, loose wires hanging in the engine
compartment, which they refused to fix. That change of school cost me
a lot, as well as one written exam where the previous school lost the
paper I had passed.

Sorry to be negative; just avoid paying up front. Schools offer it
because they are strapped for cash, because many students drop out so
need an incentive to stay/continue, etc.

Try to get an instructor who is a real pilot, perhaps a retired
airline pilot, who does it because he likes it and not to build hours.
And get him to go to a few places with you. It will cost you a few
hundred quid more but you will enjoy the training a lot more and will
come out with a PPL that you can actually use.

[Andy R]

Post by Peter

Post by Andy Hawkins
I'd read that, which was one of my reasons for asking for comment on the
school. They seem quite a big operation (they do commercial training,
medevac etc.) so hopefully are relatively safe.

There is however another potential problem and that is a difficult
instructor, or a personality clash with the instructor. This is a
business where most people merely pass through on their way to an
airline job. You don't need to go on a 2 year teacher training course
to instruct, so there is a lot of variation.
I changed schools after 20hrs, partly due to an instructor who was
very nice but couldn't instruct (he was interfering all the time, and
half the time I couldn't tell who was supposed to have the controls)
and partly due to poor maintenance, loose wires hanging in the engine
compartment, which they refused to fix. That change of school cost me
a lot, as well as one written exam where the previous school lost the
paper I had passed.
Sorry to be negative; just avoid paying up front. Schools offer it
because they are strapped for cash, because many students drop out so
need an incentive to stay/continue, etc.
Try to get an instructor who is a real pilot, perhaps a retired
airline pilot, who does it because he likes it and not to build hours.
And get him to go to a few places with you. It will cost you a few
hundred quid more but you will enjoy the training a lot more and will
come out with a PPL that you can actually use.

When I did my PPL I phoned around for a club with the best rates, booked a
week off work and arranged to camp on the airfield. I found this a great
way to do it, you're immersed in the training, the weather isn't such a
limitation because rarely is it bad all day and in the summer when there are
16 or more hours of daylight you can fit lessons in around the weather. I
suggest booking a week with the aim of passing one or two of the ground
exams and going solo at the end of it . Then plan subsequent weeks with
different goals for each period.

Rgds

Andy R

[a***@ntlworld.com]

Post by Andy R

Post by Peter

Post by Andy Hawkins
I'd read that, which was one of my reasons for asking for comment on the
school. They seem quite a big operation (they do commercial training,
medevac etc.) so hopefully are relatively safe.

There is however another potential problem and that is a difficult
instructor, or a personality clash with the instructor. This is a
business where most people merely pass through on their way to an
airline job. You don't need to go on a 2 year teacher training course
to instruct, so there is a lot of variation.
I changed schools after 20hrs, partly due to an instructor who was
very nice but couldn't instruct (he was interfering all the time, and
half the time I couldn't tell who was supposed to have the controls)
and partly due to poor maintenance, loose wires hanging in the engine
compartment, which they refused to fix. That change of school cost me
a lot, as well as one written exam where the previous school lost the
paper I had passed.
Sorry to be negative; just avoid paying up front. Schools offer it
because they are strapped for cash, because many students drop out so
need an incentive to stay/continue, etc.
Try to get an instructor who is a real pilot, perhaps a retired
airline pilot, who does it because he likes it and not to build hours.
And get him to go to a few places with you. It will cost you a few
hundred quid more but you will enjoy the training a lot more and will
come out with a PPL that you can actually use.

When I did my PPL I phoned around for a club with the best rates, booked a
week off work and arranged to camp on the airfield. I found this a great
way to do it, you're immersed in the training, the weather isn't such a
limitation because rarely is it bad all day and in the summer when there are
16 or more hours of daylight you can fit lessons in around the weather. I
suggest booking a week with the aim of passing one or two of the ground
exams and going solo at the end of it . Then plan subsequent weeks with
different goals for each period.
Rgds
Andy R- Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -

Andy

I saw your post and thought I may be able to offer some help.

Although I live close to Swindon myself, I am an Instructor with a
school at Popham.(Popham is about 50 mins away M4 A34 A303). We fly
microlight aircraft, in particular the Ikarus C42 & Eurostar.
Before you shrink back in horror & apprehension at the thought of an
aeroplane thats more like and ironing board with a washing machine
engine attached, read on...

These are very comfortable, fast, sophisticated aircraft these days,
with all the mod cons.
Check out the link and you'll get to see the Ikarus
http://www.aerosportuk.com

The cost of learning to fly with us would be about £6000. Half of that
would include a 1/20th share in one of the fleet.

Once youve got your license, flying currently comes in at £39.00 per
hour. This includes aircraft AND FUEL. And there's a monthly DDI of
about £35 to cover servicing and hangarage of your a/c. All you would
need to do is book the a/c (and availability is never a problem), turn
up and fly !

We have a first class training simulator too, to help reduce your
learning costs, and we run ground school on all the subjects. We are
probably the best equiped school in the country for these type of a/c.

In addition to all of this, because we are unable to attach any
further ratings to our licenses - being Instructors is exactly what
we set out to qualify as, as opposed to hour building CPL Instructors.
Apart from Spinning, the NPPL(m) syllabus is virtually identical to
the group A license.

Here's a link to our own website...

http://www.microlightflyingschool.co.uk

We would be glad to help and indeed you can arrange a trial flight if
you wish.

If you need any more info just let me know

Andrew

[NoSpam]

Post by Andy Hawkins
Hi all,
A few years ago I considered starting on the road to PPL, and went for a
trial flight at Gloucester airport. For one reason and another I decided not
to go ahead at the time.
The idea has entered my head again, and I'm looking around at the various
options. I'm based in Swindon, so somewhere close to home would be good so
that I don't have too much of a trek.
Does anyone have any opinion on BCT Aviation at Kemble? Their price lists
gives a figure for 'PPL Course' (£6500), along with an hourly rate of £148
(this is a PA28 or C172). They also list a rate for 'PPL Instructor' at £40.
How do these rates compare to other 'average' rates for training?
Any pointers in general or specific to the Swindon area would be much
appreciated.
Thanks
Andy

Andy,

Old Sarum isn't very far away. You'll find it's a very friendly club
environment, in hassle-free open airspace, with many highly experienced
instructors and a good range of aircraft (7 PA28s, 2 PA28Rs, 1 C152, 1
C152TW, 2 Bulldogs, 1 Seneca, 1 PA18, 2 C42s). Google will give you more
detail.

You're about to invest a relatively large amount of money so I'd suggest
planning to spend a couple of weekend hours at each of the potential
clubs before deciding. Ask to speak to an instructor and to be shown
around and to sit-in some of the aircraft. Chat to some of the members.
Soak-up the atmosphere and decide whether it's somewhere you'd be happy
to spend your time and money before making a commitment.

Dave