Starting to fly could not be easier.  All you have to do is telephone or visit us at either Dundee or Glenrothes where our operations manager or one of our instructors will be only to happy to talk you through the process.  The first stage is to make a booking using our flexible booking system to get you into the air

Gift vouchers

Most people start by flying either a half an hour or a full one hour gift voucher, normally bought for them as a present, and any time so flown should count towards a licence.

Hourly rates

For those who are unsure whether they wish to make a full commitment to obtaining a licence or for whom funds are tight, flying training time can be paid for on an hour by hour basis (charged according to the actual time, rounded down to the nearest 5 minutes).

Packages of hours

Alternatively, there are various prepaid packages available ranging from the five hour Starter Pack up to the full NPPL or PPL Package.

Landing fees

Unlike many other flying schools there are no hidden extras and at Tayside Aviation all landing fees at Dundee and Glenrothes airports are included in our flying rates.

Current rates

Details of our current rates can be found at the back of this Information Pack or on our website at www.taysideaviation.co.uk.

What are the stages?

At Tayside Aviation you progress towards your licence (beit the NPPL or PPL) at whatever pace suits you.  Some people can fly only two or three times a month whilst others can fly up to twice a day.  Each individual's needs are different and our training reflects this.  However, there are certain clear stages which are common to both the NPPL and the PPL:

Basic handling

This is where you learn the essential building blocks that make up every subsequent exercise.  Lessons include Effects of Controls, Straight and Level, Climbing, Descending, Turning, Slow Flight and Stalling.

Circuits

This is where you will learn the art of taking off and landing the aeroplane in various configurations and consolidate your knowledge of aircraft radio usage and checklists.  You will achieve the first big milestone of every pilot's career - the First Solo flight - in the circuit.

Advanced handling

As your confidence in handling the aeroplane grows, we will introduce you to Practice Forced Landings, Steep Turns, Instrument Flying and several other advanced exercises.  By the end of this phase you will be able to confidently deal with abnormal situations that might arise with instruments, aircraft or the British weather.

Cross country flying

Here you will gain the skills required to get an aircraft from A to B by reference to visual features (and, in the case of the PPL only, by reference to radio instruments) and to deal with unfamiliar airfields, new types of airspace and air traffic controllers

Other requirements to be met before skills test(s)

In addition to your flying training there are other requirements to be met along the way:

          Club membership

          The medical

          The ground examinations

          The radiotelephony exam

Club membership

In order to fly you must become a member of a club, either at Dundee or Glenrothes. The cost for a full year is around £88, including insurance waiver, but for this you get all the expected benefits of full membership of an extremely friendly club of like-minded people.

Medical requirements

You can begin your training without having passed the appropriate medical, but you will not be allowed to fly solo until you have.

NPPL

The medical required for the NPPL is carried out by your own GP and is the same as that required for a heavy goods vehicle driver (DVLA Group 1 or Group 2) and we can provide blank forms for this purpose.  It is important, if you wish eventually to fly with passengers, that you obtain the Group 2 medical, as the Group 1 is restricted to solo flight.  The cost of this medical is at the discretion of your GP but is usually around £75.

PPL

The medical required for the PPL can be obtained only from a CAA approved medical examiner at a cost of approximately £180.  A complete list of names can be found from our operations managers at either Dundee or Glenrothes or from the CAA.   Those with aspirations for commercial flying will eventually need a Class One medical and the initial examination must carried out by the CAA at Gatwick.

Ground examinations

The same 7 ground examinations need to be passed for both the NPPL and the PPL.  For Tayside Aviation customers taking their examinations at either Dundee or Glenrothes the normal fee of £20 for each attempt is waived. Each examination is a multiple choice from 4 given answers and the required pass mark is 75%.  Three attempts at each examination are possible but, thereafter, further attempts need to be made with the CAA at Gatwick.  However, there is no reason why anyone with a modicum of ability and application should not be able to pass all exams fairly easily.  The examinations, which can be taken in any order and at any time, comprise papers in:

Papers to be taken

1.       Aviation Law  (to be passed before going First Solo)

2.       Human Performance and Limitations

3.       Navigation and Radio Aids (to be passed before the NPPL Navigation Sills test)

4.       Meteorology

5.       Aircraft Technical Knowledge

6.       Flight Performance and Planning

7.       UK Radiotelephony Communications.

Validity

Passes are individually valid for 18 months but, after all 7 have been passed, they remain valid as a group for a further 24 months.