OT: flying lessons via mightydeals

Old Jul 11, 2013, 5:39 am
  #1  
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OT: flying lessons via mightydeals

Though this might be of interest. mightydeals did an offer recently to get £20 of fuel for £10, see post 263 on here (now expired). Anyway, I have been receiving the mightydeals emails since then, but very few of the deals have been of interest to me until this one.

£129 for up to 2 hours at Blackpool, Beverley, Coventry, and Elstree, or £99 at one in Coventry.
http://www.mightydeals.co.uk/Activities/Flying-Lesson

If you book via topcashback you get 15.75% back as well.
http://www.topcashback.co.uk/mighty-deals/

Anyway, I have booked the £129 as the one at Beverley is fairly close to me. Never done a flying lesson before. Getting a PPL has been something I wanted to do at some point - just held back by lack of funds!
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Old Jul 11, 2013, 9:22 am
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None of them great bargains!
(most flying school, mine included, will do a 30 min trial lesson for £99)

As for extras, like a hangar tour, we offer that free - along with a tea or coffee for the participant and their family!

But, of course, add in three months "club membership", which you don't need for a single flight, some refreshments at "Starbucks prices" and a "hangar tour" at whatever price you want to say it costs... then you are at 200 quid and you can then give 50% off.

Still, it is the way of the world now..... price "off" everything and the value of nothing!
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Old Jul 11, 2013, 9:32 am
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nux
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Originally Posted by flygod
None of them great bargains!
(most flying school, mine included, will do a 30 min trial lesson for £99)

As for extras, like a hangar tour, we offer that free - along with a tea or coffee for the participant and their family!

But, of course, add in three months "club membership", which you don't need for a single flight, some refreshments at "Starbucks prices" and a "hangar tour" at whatever price you want to say it costs... then you are at 200 quid and you can then give 50% off.

Still, it is the way of the world now..... price "off" everything and the value of nothing!
The £99/£129 offers are 2x30mins, whereas you are comparing them to 30mins for £99? To me that is ~50% off..
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Old Jul 11, 2013, 9:47 am
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Originally Posted by nux
The £99/£129 offers are 2x30mins, whereas you are comparing them to 30mins for £99? To me that is ~50% off..
But I suspect they have been very clever with the wording. It sounds to me like you will actually only be at the controls for one leg and for the other you will be the navigator. So its more like a 30 min flying lesson, plus a 30 minute ride with some other random person at the controls!
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Old Jul 11, 2013, 10:11 am
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Originally Posted by gms
But I suspect they have been very clever with the wording. It sounds to me like you will actually only be at the controls for one leg and for the other you will be the navigator. So its more like a 30 min flying lesson, plus a 30 minute ride with some other random person at the controls!
I must admit I didn't think of that. So you think it might be be me, a stranger, and the instructor? I have booked it now for 3 August so I guess I will see on the day!
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Old Jul 11, 2013, 12:23 pm
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Pretty good value.

When I was young I would have jumped at the chance however I've become a big fearty since getting older. I now suspect single engined aircraft as having the same reliability as my lawnmower.
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Old Aug 3, 2013, 11:54 am
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Had my lesson today. gms was correct in that it was a joint lesson with one other person over the 2 hours. Basically there was me and another guy who had come from Manchester with his dad. His dad was just an observer. The lesson was at Hull Aero Club.

The instructor went through a few basics with me and the other guy for 5 minutes, then we went out to the Cessna 172, got, and were off. The other guy had his hour first. The instructor did the take-off and then handed control over during the truing climb to go towards the Humber Bridge.

We then came back, turned to pass over the coast, and then came back in to the pattern and for a landing. Just as we were going back in to the field, we heard that the Vulcan based at DSA was at HUY and was heading towards Humber Bridge. If we had been ten minutes later we would have been able to see it at the bridge.

After a 5 minute break we swapped seats and were off. I did a bit of taxing towards the runway. We lined up on runway 30 and the instructor did the take-off. I took over and flew up towards Flamborough Head, went around that, and then cam back over the coast turning for the approach back in to the field.


Signpost to airfield.


Plane taxiing as I arrived.


Lining up on runway 30 for first flight.




Hull.


Humber Bridge


Looking across the bridge to the west.


Coming up to the East Yorkshire coast.


View forward.


Banking over the coast.


View along coast to the south.




Just before final turn to runway 30.


Coming in to land.



Overall I really enjoyed it. I found it quite hard to fly the aircraft as there were obviously quite a few things to constantly keep monitoring. It was a little bumpy due to the wind. In the end I was at the controls for just under an hour. I do want to go for my PPL at some stage, perhaps next year. I was also glad I was in the back for one flight as I could take some photos and enjoy the views for a bit before having to concentrate on flying.

Last edited by KARFA; Aug 4, 2013 at 2:41 am
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Old Aug 3, 2013, 8:45 pm
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Glad to hear you had a great lesson.

Super photos.....^
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Old Aug 4, 2013, 2:22 am
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It looks great, thanks for sharing. ^

It's something I'd like to do, but a bit weary due to my deafness - I'd need a good patient instructor that is easily understood. I know there are deaf pilots in the US, but it doesn't seem to be as popular in the UK, perhaps due to regulations or something.
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Old Aug 4, 2013, 3:31 am
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Great report, fab pictures! ^

However, what I can't understand is that you managed to get on a plane out of Hull, then voluntarily returned??

Originally Posted by Stez
It's something I'd like to do, but a bit weary due to my deafness
What sort of hearing loss do you have? Is it in both ears?
You might want to check out deaf pilots UK.
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Old Aug 4, 2013, 1:09 pm
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Originally Posted by MNManInKen
However, what I can't understand is that you managed to get on a plane out of Hull, then voluntarily returned??
Poor Hull. I don't think it gets a good press anywhere. Where I work quite a few people live and commute from Hull. Hull Aero Club is north east of Beverley, so north of Hull itself. All I can say is that from 2,500 ft it didn't look too bad, but I am not sure I would want to get much closer.

As I live in Yorkshire's first city, moving anywhere else in Yorkshire would be a backwards step. Now, where has my whippet gone
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Old Aug 4, 2013, 8:52 pm
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Originally Posted by MNManInKen
What sort of hearing loss do you have? Is it in both ears?
You might want to check out deaf pilots UK.
I have profound hearing loss in both ears. Does not get much worse than that really.

Thanks for the link, had not seen that before, so there is some flying that can be done in the UK. ^ Looking to spend my next year's leave in the UK, so should be able to check out some flying clubs.
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Old Aug 5, 2013, 6:13 pm
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Originally Posted by MNManInKen
What sort of hearing loss do you have? Is it in both ears?
You might want to check out deaf pilots UK.
Thanks for the shout-out! Can I ask how you heard about us?

I've already replied to Stez by PM.
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