Thanks to the flying club, many people have been able to realise a dream - to fly! Learning to fly an aeroplane is, perhaps, the ultimate goal for most aviation enthusiasts and is often considered beyond the realms of possibility.
Learning to fly at Seething is different from learning at a commercial flying school in that you have to join the club first. This does mean however that the actual cost of flying is that much lower. We have a number of qualified instructors who are all volunteers and there is no additional cost for Ground School as these will also be taken by suitably experienced volunteer members. Once you have become a member you simply pay for the cost of each flight.
We are limited on the number of trainees we can realistically cope with and are currently at full capactity. Please contact us for the latest information.
Training currently takes place on a Saturday, but thats all dependant on weather conditions. Students normally arrive by 9.30 and may stay most of the day. If passenger seats are available you will be encouraged to observe a flying lesson. Ground school forms an important part of the course and can be held anytime - but it's usually when the weather closes in!
The Private Pilot's Licence
It has often been said that if you can drive a car then you can pilot a plane though thankfully for all of us, both in the air and on the ground, the regulations are rather more stringent.
You can start learning at any age though you must be 16 before you fly solo for the first time and 17 before you can obtain your licence.
Training consists of an approved course of flying a minimum of 45 hours covering all aspects of flying. Most people will end up flying more hours than this however. You will also need to learn the theory and law of flying, something you will do both in regular "ground school" sessions and through learning at home.
During flight training you will learn about:
The basic controls
Flying straight and level, climbing, descending, turning
Stalling and slow flight
Take-off, circuits and landing
Emergency procedures
Navigation
Basic instrument flying
Precautionary navigation and circuits
Radio navigation
In addition to flying there is a series of straight forward exams to pass before obtaining your licence. These cover:
Aircraft Law and Operational Procedures
Aircraft General and Principles of Flight
Flight Performance and Planning
Human Performance and Limitations
Meteorology
Navigation and Radio Navigation
Radio Telephony Communications + Oral
You will be required to pass a medical examination for the full PPL. The NPPL (National Private Pilots Licence) medical requirements are less stringent and requires a minimum of 35 hours flight training. This licence has slight restrictions on how and where you are allowed to fly.
After you have passed
Once you have obtained your PPL you will be able to go on to additional training to allow you to fly at night or in weather where instrument only flying is required, or you can simply enjoy the thrill of being able to hire out the club aircraft and take to the skies. You are required to fly a minimum number of hours to keep your licence "current".
Thanks to the flying club, many people have been able to realise a dream - to fly! Learning to fly an aeroplane is, perhaps, the ultimate goal for most aviation enthusiasts and is often considered beyond the realms of possibility. 