Flying lessons

Dprotips

Hi i had a flight lesson in December as a gift. I'm looking at getting my private pilot licence now . Does anyone know of best places to get lessons?

I'm looking at the National flight centre as isnt far away.

Has anyone else learned here? Or has a private pilot licence

California Dreamer

Given the current pandemic you won't be able to get any lessons anywhere for who knows how long!

Do you just want your PPL or do you want to fly commercially?

PPL will run you about 12-15k.

Dprotips

California Dreamer wrote: »

Given the current pandemic you won't be able to get any lessons anywhere for who knows how long!

Do you just want your PPL or do you want to fly commercially?

PPL will run you about 12-15k.

I understand that just looking past it, well commercially would be the dream but very expensive.

Irish Steve

Dprotips wrote: »

I understand that just looking past it, well commercially would be the dream but very expensive.

OK, so in that case. standard advice to all potential commercial pilot starters, and I suspect it will be a while before this can be done.



There is zero point in doing any flying training for this objective before you have booked, done and passed a Class 1 aviation medical, which is unlikely to be easily available until the present Covid pressures have ended, and once that happens, there is likely to be a backlog of renewals for existing flight crew to be processed, so this could mean a significant but essential delay to your plans.


I might be wrong about the timescale, as I no longer have to get Class 1 medicals, as it seems you are East Coast, the first thing to do is have a look at https://www.iaa.ie/personnel-licensing/aero-medical-section/aero-medical-centres, there are 2 places, both in Dublin, that can do C1 medical examinations.

Dprotips

Irish Steve wrote: »

OK, so in that case. standard advice to all potential commercial pilot starters, and I suspect it will be a while before this can be done.



There is zero point in doing any flying training for this objective before you have booked, done and passed a Class 1 aviation medical, which is unlikely to be easily available until the present Covid pressures have ended, and once that happens, there is likely to be a backlog of renewals for existing flight crew to be processed, so this could mean a significant but essential delay to your plans.

Thanks for the help will look into it . Hopefully wont be to long with getting things back to normal .

California Dreamer

The Mater Private and Charter Medical in Smithfield are the 2 places for the medical.

The cost is about €450. Once you have that then continue if you desire BUT look at the THOUSANDS of pilots that are currently grounded and the airlines that have parked aircraft.

But if you have €80k to burn plus the length of time it will take to get your first job then go for it!

Valhallapt

i met a guy in a pub once who did it in Spain in this place https://www.grupooneair.com/vip-private-pilot-supplement-spain/#price he highly recommend it.

He told me that his mate did it in Ireland but took longer as he had several flights cancelled due to bad weather. and you can take a couple of weeks and do most of the course really intensively.

It’s on my bucket list, just need to find the time

Inquitus

Valhallapt wrote: »

i met a guy in a pub once who did it in Spain in this place https://www.grupooneair.com/vip-private-pilot-supplement-spain/#price he highly recommend it.

He told me that his mate did it in Ireland but took longer as he had several flights cancelled due to bad weather. and you can take a couple of weeks and do most of the course really intensively.

It’s on my bucket list, just need to find the time

I did my Advanced Freefall Parachuting in Spain, the weather is generally always good, very few flights cancelled due to low cloud, rain or high winds, even with the cost of flying out there and staying it still worked out cheaper. I would heed the words of the other poster and do a fast paced advanced course over there if you are serious about this, better all round.

Irish Steve

A caveat here would be that if the PPL is a stepping stone towards a CPL or higher, then Spain etc may be acceptable.

If it's for a PPL, and the PPL will be used to fly light aircraft on an ongoing basis, then there is a lot to be said for doing some serious flying training in the country where the PPL will be being used, in order to make sure that you are aware of and experienced at dealing with the weather conditions where you plan to fly, a club or similar is unlikely to let you hire an aircraft here in Ireland if all you've done is fly in Spain, or the USA, in that if you've not had to face making decisions about how to fly round significant weather, or divert, or just not go in the first place, you could be flying into danger without even recognising that danger.

martinsvi

I completely agree with Irish Steve but from my side I would add - wait it out a little bit and see how this situation will develop. Right now any training would still be at a premium rate, but if after Covid recession will follow - and it looks like it will - you will either be happy that you didn't make any financial investments into something with limited to no return, or, assuming your financial status will remain steady, you will be happy you waited as the prices for training will likely go down.

Check out guys at Navan Airfield, they are a good bunch. Last time I flew out of Weston their opening hours were very limiting - perfect sunny evening and you have to clock out at 5pm? Thanks a lot.. I guess it only works for people who are not working normal working hours

Dprotips

Atlantic flight training academy is one of the best I have heard . It's a year to complete most go on to find a job pretty quickly.

I know someone who got through the air lingus pilot programme and is sent to Spain . Then work for air lingus after its completed. Very hard to get through that way .they then are on a reduced wage for 5 years .

Stovepipe

The "reduced" wage is of the order of 40 grand a year,which is considerably better than many other people's wages and you have the knowledge that your wages will catch up over time.

Dprotips

Stovepipe wrote: »

The "reduced" wage is of the order of 40 grand a year,which is considerably better than many other people's wages and you have the knowledge that your wages will catch up over time.

40k a year taken from your wage over 5 years,? seems like a lot .

The starting salary is 60 to 65k , rises to 85k for a first officer , and over 120k for a captain

Stovepipe

you start at 40K, as a fresh out of training cadet and this lasts for three years,as far as I know. I'm happy to be corrected,of course.

1123heavy

Irish Steve wrote: »

A caveat here would be that if the PPL is a stepping stone towards a CPL or higher, then Spain etc may be acceptable.

If it's for a PPL, and the PPL will be used to fly light aircraft on an ongoing basis, then there is a lot to be said for doing some serious flying training in the country where the PPL will be being used, in order to make sure that you are aware of and experienced at dealing with the weather conditions where you plan to fly, a club or similar is unlikely to let you hire an aircraft here in Ireland if all you've done is fly in Spain, or the USA, in that if you've not had to face making decisions about how to fly round significant weather, or divert, or just not go in the first place, you could be flying into danger without even recognising that danger.

I'm a commercial pilot based in Ireland and even I had great difficulties trying to rent an aircraft. I'm not sure if it had anything to do with me not training here, don't think it did.

To take a C172 out was like 200eu/hr without an instructor. Madness. That was for the few places who would even let me fly alone, one club told me that due to insurance a member of the club would have to be with me in the aircraft at all times. I found that most ridiculous

Dprotips

Stovepipe wrote: »

you start at 40K, as a fresh out of training cadet and this lasts for three years,as far as I know. I'm happy to be corrected,of course.

You sure its 40k I thought it was 60k is the max 85k for a first officer and 12k for a captain?

How much would they be reducing out of wage over 5 years as if you got through the recruitment why should you have to pay money back from training?

1123heavy

Dprotips wrote: »

You sure its 40k I thought it was 60k is the max 85k for a first officer and 12k for a captain?

How much would they be reducing out of wage over 5 years as if you got through the recruitment why should you have to pay money back from training?

With all respect, are you at all aware of the training situation and low hour pilot job market? To pay for you to pay back is a major favour, but to pay without you paying back is very much next level, that is what EI do for their cadets.

They are paying over 100,000EU on your training. They seek to recover a part of that. They will pay you something in the mid 40s from your first year with them.It is the best deal in Europe, perhaps only beaten by the Swiss cadet program.

California Dreamer

Dprotips wrote: »

It's a year to complete most go on to find a job pretty quickly.

Leaving aside the fact that (a) you are competing with all the other new recruits from Ireland and around the world (b) you are competing with all the qualified drivers from all those airlines that have gone to the wall in the last year and (c) you are competing with all the guys that have been let go by current airlines.

But sure, I am sure you will find a job pretty quickly! :rolleyes:

California Dreamer

I suppose a little bit more background for yourself would be helpful.

Are you of school going age, or are you mid 20s or older that already has a job?

Can you count of bank of Mum & Dad or are you financing it yourself?

When the training is all done and dusted can you (a) work at something else (b) have enough money to survive for a year?

Dprotips

California Dreamer wrote: »

Leaving aside the fact that (a) you are competing with all the other new recruits from Ireland and around the world (b) you are competing with all the qualified drivers from all those airlines that have gone to the wall in the last year and (c) you are competing with all the guys that have been let go by current airlines.

But sure, I am sure you will find a job pretty quickly! :rolleyes:

I'm not saying I would get one quickly at this present time with everything going on, but when everything gets back to normal and country running again you will.

It has projected that aviation will need 790,000 new pilots by 2037 to meet growing demand, with 96,000 pilots needed to support the business aviation sector.

Dprotips

California Dreamer wrote: »

I suppose a little bit more background for yourself would be helpful.

Are you of school going age, or are you mid 20s or older that already has a job?

Can you count of bank of Mum & Dad or are you financing it yourself?

When the training is all done and dusted can you (a) work at something else (b) have enough money to survive for a year?

I'm in my late 20s, living at home working full time, I make 44,400 after tax.

I could get a bit of help from parent if I was stuck but wouldn't be much around 20k I'm not one to ask for money .

SCOL

I did my PPL ( M) up in Northern Ireland, it's now called the NPPL. I also know a guy who done a few lessons here and finished it off in Spain over a few days. Look up Kernan Aviation.

smurfjed

It has projected that aviation will need 790,000 new pilots by 2037 to meet growing demand, with 96,000 pilots needed to support the business aviation sector.

Projections are wonderful things, but just look around you, the airline industry is on its knees, no one knows when it will recover, but if you look at the 2008 crash, it really took 4-5 years for things to recover, probably even longer following 9-11.

If you have the money and are capable of paying it back on your current salary, then go for it, the flight schools need the money.

IngazZagni

Dprotips wrote: »

I'm in my late 20s, living at home working full time, I make 44,400 after tax.

I could get a bit of help from parent if I was stuck but wouldn't be much around 20k I'm not one to ask for money .

Sounds like you would have to take a pay cut for a few years before you're able to match and then exceed what you're on currently in most scenarios.

Dprotips

IngazZagni wrote: »

Sounds like you would have to take a pay cut for a few years before you're able to match and then exceed what you're on currently in most scenarios.

I was thinking that aswell but would be a dream job . The salary jumps up pretty quickly aswell would be looking at 120k a year down the road .

1123heavy

Dprotips wrote: »

I'm not saying I would get one quickly at this present time with everything going on, but when everything gets back to normal and country running again you will.

It has projected that aviation will need 790,000 new pilots by 2037 to meet growing demand, with 96,000 pilots needed to support the business aviation sector.

Tell that to the thousands of pilots who have been made unemployed in the past 3 years.

I have met them at various assessments, guys with over 10,000hours of airbus and boeing experience, all they ever knew was flying. They are unemployed. Where are the people who made all the claims about the shortage of hundreds of thousands of pilots? They are unsurprisingly nowhere to be seen at this current time.

It looks like you're at the very start of your aviation research journey, as you research more you'll be a lot more streetwise so to speak. This business can be the best in the world and it can also be the worst in the world, tread carefully.

Any notion that you are going to walk out of training in 24 months and go straight into a job is pure fantasy, get that out your head now. That is the hard reality.

California Dreamer

1123heavy wrote: »

Tell that to the thousands of pilots who have been made unemployed in the past 3 years.

I have met them at various assessments, guys with over 10,000hours of airbus and boeing experience, all they ever knew was flying. They are unemployed.

Any notion that you are going to walk out of training in 24 months and go straight into a job is pure fantasy, get that out your head now. That is the hard reality.

Brilliant post and I have been there myself. Got a couple of PPL's but failed my class 1 when I wanted to go do my commercials.

Have plenty of friends in the business who have worked both short and long haul and for all the good times, there are plenty of rough times.

Lustrum

Dprotips wrote: »

I was thinking that aswell but would be a dream job . The salary jumps up pretty quickly aswell would be looking at 120k a year down the road .

Based on this post alone, I would recommend doing a lot more research before you embark on this, and maybe listen to the many vastly experienced pilots on here who are willing to give you advice rather than what a flight school will tell you