If your time has come to take the plunge into the world of aviation then one of the first thoughts on your mind will be, where can I learn to fly?

See also: Learning to fly overseas.

We are blessed in the UK in that there are numerous flying schools scattered up and down the country. The chances are that the nearest flying school to you is not very gar away. But before you run off to your nearest school it is a good idea to think about what flying school is really suitable for me and my needs?

Each flying school can vary considerably in the types of licenses they offer as well as the type of aircraft they provide. So before setting out you must be clear exactly what your aiming for and then choose a school based on your personal traning requirements.

If you want to be a recrerational pilot then the most common route is to gain a fixed wing PPL, this is the basic qualification for flying fixed wing aircraft and most schools will offer this. On the other hand if you are looking to be an airline pilot then you need to think very carefully about which school you choose. Only certain schools will be able to provide you with the full training requirements to gain an ATPL required by the airlines.

Licences: Each school will offer different levels of tuition from the standard PPL, to an areobatics ratings and all the way to a Commercial Pilots Licence CPL. Consider what your ambitions are in terms of advancing your skills and pick a school that can match these targets.

Aircraft: It is a good idea to choose a school that has more than one type of the aircraft you wish to train in. This will help you to avoid delays in your training due factors such as aircraft mainenance. It will also provide you with greater flexibility as to when you would like to book lessons.

Instructors and Students: Clubs with many flying instructors and current students shows that the club is commited to training future pilots. It can also help as more insturctors can give you a greater flexibility and a good base of other students can provide some well needed help and support.

School Location: Traning at a school located on a busy commercial airport can be more expensive and can cause delays due to air traffic control. On the plus side they can provide a more valuable experience in factors such as radio practice. On the other hand a more laid back student might prefer a smaller airfield due to the relaxed atmosphere and community spirit.

Social Facalities A flying school with a good clubhouse can provide a great place to relax and talk to your fellow students as well as other pilots and instructors. For the long-term recrerational pilot, flying is as much about socializing as it is about flying, so it will be more worthwhile finding a club with a string social presence.

If you are learning to fly with the aim of becomming a career pilot perhaps with an airline, then the choice of flying school can be doubly important. Firstly make sure that your chosen flying school is JAA approved Flight Training Organisation

There is a lot of traning to gain an ATPL required for the airlines. It can sometomes be better to train full time for an ATPL, it is worth looking at dedicated ATPL flight schools which usually offer accomadation next to the airfield.

Training for an ATPL or CPL can be very expensive and time consumming. It may be worth considering doing your training overseas where the cost can be considerably cheaper. Training overseas is also usually quicker as there are less delays due to weather etc.

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