When it comes to training for your PPL, choosing your flying school is arguably the most important decision you’ll make. You’ll need to consider the cost, the commuting distance, the aeroplanes they fly (and how many they have), and how it feels when you are there. The one thing they all have in common is they must be registered with and approved by the CAA (the UK’s governing body for aviation) to conduct PPL training.
The first thing we recommend is drawing up a shortlist of schools based on location. The CAA have a list of flying schools, and you need to pick one that offers PPL(A). Once you’ve got a few in mind that are close enough for you to consider, you can begin rating them based on the following criteria. You can also use our handy cribsheet for taking notes for the schools you visit
Cost
The best way to work out the comparitive costs is to talk to the flight schools near you and find out their rates. Better yet, consider a trial lesson at each of your local schools to get an experience of their aeroplanes, instructors, facilities, and find out the costs. Different flying schools will charge different rates depending on the aircraft they operate, their location, and other factors. These are the main variable costs to take into account at flying schools
| Item | Approximate Cost Range | Factors |
|---|---|---|
| Membership fees | £160 – £1,500 | School, student rate, aerodrome facilities available |
| Flying (45 hours) | £8,100 – £11,700 | Location, individual or packaged hours, aircraft type |
| Ground exams (9) | £0 – £477 | Discount for block booking, or with packaged hours |
| Landing/handling fees (hundreds) | £0 – £1000 | Runway surface, location, often free at home base |
| PPL exam | £550 – £750 | School pricing structure, location |
| Ground school tuition (optional) | £40 – £50 | School pricing structure |
| Commuting (20p/mile, 45 lessons) | £0 – £900 | Distance of flying school (example airfields 0mi – 50mi away) |
| Private hire rate once qualified | £120 – £300 | Location, packaged hours, aircraft type, landing fees |
Want to know more about the cost of PPL?
Check out our article on budgets
Aeroplane Fleet
While it may seem like a simple matter of picking from generic looking Cessna or Piper aeroplanes, flying different types will impact your learning and enjoyment of the PPL process. Things to consider primarily include:
Comfort – We all come in different shapes and sizes, so some of us need a larger or smaller aircraft. Somebody with short legs will need to be close to the controls. Somebody with long legs may find they get in the way of controls in smaller aircraft. Most flying schools will be happy to let you sit in an aeroplane to determine whether it’s right for you.
Size – Connected to comfort is the size of the aeroplane. As a rule of thumb larger aircraft are more expensive. But they may have benefits. They may enable you to take passengers in the back of your lessons, subject to your instructor’s approval. They may also fly faster, which in navigation lessons can actually lower your flying cost. This is despite having a higher hourly cost…
View – High wing, low wing, tricycle landing gear (nose wheel) or tail dragger (tail wheel). These will all change the pilot’s view of what’s outside. You will need to be able to see in front of you, but you’ll want the best view outside too. Different people have a different preference, and will get a better view from different aeroplanes.
Cost – Variable, but generally bigger means more expensive because they burn more fuel.
Handling – Also kind of a comfort thing, but the controls can be differently rigged and operated depending on manufaturer and the aeroplane. This will make them feel different to operate. Getting hands-on in a trial lesson will help you find what feels natural for you.
Availability – Number of aircraft on the fleet is the primary factor here. Say you found a great deal flying with an instructor for £100 per hour. Looks great, doesn’t it? But if fifty other people are trying to fly it too you’ll not have much chance to book lessons. Be sure to ask the school about about their aircraft and instructor availability. If you work office hours this is especially important. Weekends and evenings tend to book up quickly.
Instructors
When you visit flying schools and do your trial lessons, think about the instructors. They are the ones who will be teaching you to fly, one-on-one, in an enclosed aeroplane for 25 hours or more (though not all at once…)
Your instructor choice will impact how well you perform, how quickly you learn, and how many hours of flight time your course takes. An instructor is not just teaching you techniques. They are managing your course and so you want to be sure that they will keep on top of things. This way, your time and money are put to the best use.
As mentioned above, check instructor availability as well. Ideally you should aim to have one ore two regular instructors to keep consistency in your training. Try to ensure that instructor availability is there to fit with your schedule.
Convenience
Perhaps a lesser concern but important nonetheless, is how convenient it is to access your flight school. Is there an online booking process? Will it require a long commute? Do they have adequate parking? Are they able to inform you in advance when a lesson will be cancelled due to weather? And again, have they reliably got aeroplanes and instructors available when you need them?
Welcome
When you walked into the building, could you find your way around? Did it feel welcoming? Were the staff helpful and accommodating? Is there a cafe or bar? The community at the school will impact the comfort of the place. A good flying community around you will offer you advice, friendship, and a wealth of knowledge and experience for learning to fly.
To sum up
Cost, fleet, instructors, convenience, and comfort are the key things to make the right decision when choosing a flying school. Our recommendation? Find the flying schools within a commutable distance, pick a few, and go for a trial lesson at each one. Take some notes and compare them, and you find find your choice will be much easier to make!
