Anyone here actually a qualified pilot?

r3nu4l

So are any of you guys actually qualified pilots? Do you fly for recreational purposes or are you employed as a pilot?

Me, I can't fly at all, I once sat in the cockpit of a Harrier Jump Jet when I was about 8 but I don't remember that much about it.

Aviator55

Yeah, i did a US PPL when I was overseas and fly a bit in a kit plane.
If I was starting again in Ireland I'd probably go the Microlight route. (See the NMAI website for details.)
Cheapest way to get a PPL is in the US, if you can put up with the anti-terror paranoia.

r3nu4l

Yeah you see a few years ago my brother bought my father a one-hour flight lesson at Weston in Lucan and it cost €90 at that time, I imagine it's more now so for me flying at home was never an option. I just don't have the money to throw away on flying lessons, that money would be better spent elsewhere unfortunately Haven't checked out the prices in England.

How many hours training and flying do you need to get a basic license for a Cessna-type light aircraft?

RoundyMooney

Aspiring PPL only here, R3n4ul.

I've been promising myself to go the extra step for god knows how long, but simply haven't had the time

I know there are a few private and heavy iron jockeys on here, hopefully now that we have our forum (thanks Vex, and Dev) they might show themselves.

Thargy

*cough*

DeBeere

Currently working towards my first solo and then onto my PPL(Heli), Have about 25 hours under my belt. Would have flown solo earlier but many of my lessons have been broken up by weeks of no flying

Hopefully this forum gets some use...

Plug

I want to have ago at the PTC in waterford, anyone have information on it, anyone do it. i have viewed the website too many times.

RoundyMooney

PPL or ATPL, Plug?

I wouldn't mind heading off to Florida for a few stints and coming back in a year to an F.O. job.

Owen

SPL here flying planks. Should have the PPL by the Summer. Had great fun this morning in a C172 flying Wayne Hilton (Wayne in the Plane) from 96FM on his morning traffic run. The guys in ATC let you do anything at that hour

Pataman

ned78 wrote:

SPL here flying planks. Should have the PPL by the Summer. Had great fun this morning in a C172 flying Wayne Hilton (Wayne in the Plane) from 96FM on his morning traffic run. The guys in ATC let you do anything at that hour

Is Wayne a qualified pilot? as a spl you aren't allowed to take passengers.

jhegarty

ned78 wrote:

SPL here flying planks. Should have the PPL by the Summer. Had great fun this morning in a C172 flying Wayne Hilton (Wayne in the Plane) from 96FM on his morning traffic run. The guys in ATC let you do anything at that hour

Wayne is really in a plane ??? i always though that was a joke......

RoundyMooney

I thought it was just a tagline meself. I remember they actually used to have an "eye in the sky" or whatever they called it a few years back.

Ned78, how many hours have you down so far? Done the EIWF run yet? I know South Aer send students up there on solo flights.

Thargy

RoundyMooney wrote:

PPL or ATPL, Plug?

I wouldn't mind heading off to Florida for a few stints and coming back in a year to an F.O. job.

You'll regret it.
Get a proper job.

RoundyMooney

It won't be happening at this stage of my existence, I can assure you

If I could have been a pilot when it still had currency (glamour, a pioneering spirit, and respect) as opposed to now when it seems to be all about extra responsibility, pressure, and none of the reward (going by what pilots say), then who knows?

The most I aspire to is my PPL for recreational flying tbh.

Owen

Pataman wrote:

Is Wayne a qualified pilot? as a spl you aren't allowed to take passengers.

I had a qualified pilot with me, and Wayne in the back. It's a prerequisite that an SPL can't carry passengers, I think most people are aware of that.

RoundyMooney wrote:

Ned78, how many hours have you down so far?

Mid twenties, but I haven't flown since October, the weather has been terrible. I have a Solo Permit (It's part of the SPL License anyway), and I'm ready to go, but I just haven't been up in a while to have it happen. Plus, I'm working 6 days and 2 nights a week, so I need that to ease up a little too. Should have it all finished by the Summer hopefully. I'll do the IR and Multi after that.

RoundyMooney

Excellent stuff. The IR is essential I'm told, unless you want to restrict your flying to one week in June. Mid twenties could have you nearly halfway to the PPL, I suppose. The South Aer piper (CGP) could probably do the Waterford run by itself at this stage, as it seems to pass over my house at least once a day when the sun is out and VMC conditions prevail.

oscarBravo

I've about 22 hours logged including one solo. Haven't flown in ages though, let everything lapse - including all the exams. Ah well, when I've time and money I'll start again.

conor_mc

r3nu4l wrote:

So are any of you guys actually qualified pilots? Do you fly for recreational purposes or are you employed as a pilot?

Yep, I'm a PPL - actually now that I think of it, the one year anniversary of my flight test was this week I think!

Did my PPL with SkyTrace in Weston. They're not the cheapest, but I was very happy with the standard of training, especially at the business end of things in the run-up to the flight test. The Robin they have is great if you're 6-foot-plus and find a 150/152 a tad cramped.

RoundyMooney

Like this? It looks a helluva lot more spacious then your average Cherokee or 152/172.

conor_mc

RoundyMooney wrote:

Like this? It looks a helluva lot more spacious then your average Cherokee or 152/172.

Afraid not!

EI-SKS is only a two-seater. It has a stick instead of a yoke, which means it doesn't knock off your kneecap when you're climbing and turning out of Weston for the noise abatement circuit. The bubble canopy also gives a feeling of more space, plus you sit down into the cockpit, as opposed to the more upright seating position in a Cessna.

Av8r_Mark

ATPL 1300HRS B738 right seat with Irish airline

RoundyMooney

Welcome

RoundyMooney

conor_mc wrote:

The bubble canopy also gives a feeling of more space, plus you sit down into the cockpit, as opposed to the more upright seating position in a Cessna.

God bless Airliners.net. This looks like a nice place to spend an afternoon.

<snip> It seems airliners.net doesn't like hotlinking. Roundy. <snip>

junkyard

I'm like Dublin bus..... I'm not there yet but I'm getting there.:)

FlutterinBantam

Av8r_Mark wrote:

ATPL 1300HRS B738 right seat with Irish airline

With a blue tail fin and starting with "R"

peter1892

I did 29 hours in C150's, went solo, got the PPL exams & then stopped due to lack of funds. That was about 6 years ago...

I'd love to go back & finish the PPL (I had dreams of ATPL's, Boeings, Buses & the like) just to have it. Maybe someday in the future. But I do know of a few people who started around the same time as me that are now flying jets for a living. And back in those days I used to get the occasional jump seat ride in a 732

RoundyMooney

From a few discussions on pprune, it seems that people kicking off the ATPL in their mid thirties isn't unheard of. The one main advantage I can think of, is that most thirty somethings can shell out for the cost more or less off the bat, as opposed to someone starting off, who more often than not begins their commercial flying career with low earnings and a very substantial debt.

Roen

Not sure if it counts but I have a MPL (Microlight) that I got in South Africa about five years ago. I clocked up about 40 hours altogether. Was great fun. I haven't been able to find anywhere really handy to fly here though. Would love to get back at it.

macshadow

Hi Roen,try www.nmai.ie click on clubs and schools.
I don't think you can transfer licence to ireland which is really unfair.
also there's no flexwing in the south afaik?

Roen

Cheers Macshadow, I'll check em out.
I've seen a few around Waterford before and I know a lad that flies out of New Ross too. There are definitely some around, trying to get up in one is the trick
Thanks once more!

ArphaRima

~3000hrs right seat A321. Temp SE Asia contract.

PhoenixRising

ATPL A320/1. 2000Hrs+

PS. When are you coming back to us fluffer??

ArphaRima

Back to who......?!

As long as I can push it tbh. October possibly.

PhoenixRising

fluffer wrote:

Back to who......?!

As long as I can push it tbh. October possibly.

Well the prognosis should be a bit clearer by then...

damo

PPL, currently hour building in Florida.

De_man

ned78 wrote:

The guys in ATC let you do anything at that hour

hemmm;)

Fionn101

>>So are any of you guys actually qualified pilots? Do you fly for recreational >>purposes or are you employed as a pilot?

Couple of hours away from the PPL , studied out in Bankstown Sydney for most of my flight training and now 'Learning over Lucan' in weston aerodrome, such a sight change from Sydney but sticking with the Cessna 152.

glad to finally have a forum,well done boards

barry75

frozen atpl 400 hrs .finding it difficult to get the first job.

Thargy

That jerk FlutterinBantam spends his time on other areas of this BB spewing anti-aircrew venom.

WTF is he doing on an aviation board?
Has he got a pilot fetish?

Frustrated little w*nker - bugger off back to the Insult Thread where ya belong!

Ruu_Old

Keep the insults and personal abuse to the Insult Thread where it belongs please.

jackofalltrades

23 Hours Rotary, 3 hours Fixed.

WexCan

Does qualified trolley-dolly count?

23 hours into my PPL, aiming to get it all finished by the summer (though thatmight be a tad ambitious with the weather we're having)

hibby

I've logged about 80 hours (last time I bothered to count) SPL at Weston. I spent months last year waiting for suitable weather to do the cross-country (Weston-Shannon-Galway), but it never happened. I discovered today my solo circuit and solo nav endorsements have lapsed and have to be renewed. My exams will lapse in July. It's been quite frustrating and disheartening at times.

electric69

51 hours logged so far. ppl done. doing Instrument,CPL,CFi and CFII soon.

cp251

How do you know you've met a pilot at a party?

He tells you!

CPL/IR 500 hours

BostonB

cp251 wrote:

How do you know you've met a pilot at a party?

He tells you!

CPL/IR 500 hours

LOL QFT

smdweb

I would love to get qualified with a PPL ... how long / how much does it cost ??

I have a good understanding of instruments, flaps, principals of flight, basics of ATC ... so I would pick things up quite well.

ousty

Anyone here actually a qualified pilot?

PPL night rating IMC rating & I.R
just over 2000 hrs
25 years flying
Home airfield Abbeyshrule (when at home)
Based in Jersey
ousty

cp251

ned78 wrote: »

I have a Solo Permit (It's part of the SPL License anyway), and I'm ready to go, but I just haven't been up in a while to have it happen. Plus, I'm working 6 days and 2 nights a week, so I need that to ease up a little too. Should have it all finished by the Summer hopefully. I'll do the IR and Multi after that.

Did you mean you intend to do the CPL, IR and multi? It's just that PPLs with IRs are as rare as airshows in this country. They exist but the a PPL/IR is difficult to get, has to be renewed once a year, which means the pilot must remain current and almost impossible to use at the time of the year it's are most needed. In winter the icing level is quite low and unless the aircraft is fully equipped in terms of de-icing and instruments. It's a no go. Equally the multi is nice to have but fairly useless as unless you own your own twin. No one will let you near theirs let alone fly it.

As a result of the above, in Europe generally. Pilots, (invariably rich ones) who want to fly in IMC get American ratings and fly N registered aircraft. Except the British who have their own 'get out of trouble' basic IMC rating.

I presume you did mean to include a CPL?

Mweelrea

ned78 wrote: »

SPL here flying planks. Should have the PPL by the Summer. Had great fun this morning in a C172 flying Wayne Hilton (Wayne in the Plane) from 96FM on his morning traffic run. The guys in ATC let you do anything at that hour

thats cool i remember a guy on 96fm didn't believe he was actualy in a plane until wayne flew over him

Drexl Spivey

let's assume you got your licence to fly a helicopter.

How difficult is it to find a job?

What type of salary would you get?

Obviously most of you who have the ppl fly for pleasure, but why not doing it for a living if it is that pleasurable?

Thanks!