When evaluating potential flight schools, I considered several key factors:
- Proximity to home
- Size and condition of the fleet
- Availability of aircraft and instructors
- Quality of instruction
- Track record of successful alumni
- Cost per hour for training
- Online presence and reputation
- Ability to work from the flight school (if) needed
- Online reviews e.g. Google, PPrune, Reddit and Wings Alliance
- Gut feel
I shortlisted five local schools, two within 15 minutes of my home, and the others more than 30 minutes away. I visited each school in person and spoke directly with either an instructor or a member of staff to get a better understanding of their operations and learning environment.
- Blackbushe Aviation (Farnborough)
- Flight Training London (Radlett)
- The Pilot Centre (Denham)
- Booker Aviation (High Wycombe)
- Halton Aero Club (Halton)
To support my decision-making, I created a comparison spreadsheet with objective, cost-related data. Ultimately chose to begin my PPL at my local school The Pilot Centre in Denham. I’m very fortunate to have this school down the road from me. Given my full-time work commitments and the desire to complete the PPL efficiently over the summer, Denham offered the best balance of proximity, aircraft availability, instructional quality and there was a genuine, welcoming, family-like atmosphere that really stood out.
However, The Pilot Centre doesn’t offer all the licences required for the full modular route e.g. a MEIR and MEP. This is where visiting the other schools early on gave me clarity on where I’d likely do those parts of my training when the time comes. It also enabled me to speak to some of the student’s and Flying Instructors (FI’s) at each school, a couple of which had been through/ were going through the modular route and gave a real perspective on the magnitude of the journey ahead and some guidance on how to tackle it. I’ll be trying my best to keep in contact with them as I progress!
Modular Pilot Kiran 