Aviation is exciting on its own, but one thing that is bound to enrich a pilot’s flying experience further is access to a community of like-minded aviation lovers.
Aviation is exciting on its own, but one thing that is bound to enrich a pilot’s flying experience further is access to a community of like-minded aviation lovers.
Aero clubs are the best way for a pilot to connect with others who enjoy flying as much as they do. Members at flying clubs include newbie pilots, as well as seasoned professionals, which means that members of the community have access to both the up-and-coming trends in aviation, as well as tried and tested tips and tricks of the game.
Aero clubs also make aircraft accessible for everyone, regardless of whether a pilot wishes to privately own an aeroplane or would like to fly an aircraft from the club’s readymade fleet. Read on to find out what exactly aero clubs are, the best aero clubs south of England, and why you should consider joining one:
WHAT ARE AERO CLUBS?
Aero clubs have their dedicated airfields and hangars, as well as training facilities with simulators and medical evaluation centres. The experience of flying an aeroplane is indispensable when it comes to training, and no amount of theoretical training can fully prepare you for the skies.
You must physically climb into the cockpit of an aircraft and feel it lift off the ground in order to get a sense of what it means to be a pilot. For this reason, aero clubs are a great resource for both aspiring pilots and hobbyists. They make aviation accessible, keeping it from becoming something only incredibly wealthy individuals engage in.
There are many aero clubs, also known as flying clubs, across England, and the Southern part of the country is home to some of the best aero clubs around. However, due to the sheer number of clubs available, here are our picks for the top aero clubs in the south of England to help make your choice a little bit easier.
You can fly to any of these clubs from the Sherburn airfield, given you have a valid membership at both Sherburn and the southern aero club of your choosing.
BEST AERO CLUBS SOUTH OF ENGLAND
Enstone Flying Club
Enstone Flying Club is located near Oxford and houses a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) approved flight training school. The scenic location also makes it a great place to bring your family, as well as for purposes of film and photography.
Enstone provides training courses for private pilots, with specific courses being offered for Private Pilot Licence training as well as Light Aircraft Pilot Licence training.
For those who are concerned when it comes to budget, Enstone offers a “pay as you go” facility, which means they do not ask for payment for training upfront. Instead, a member can pay according to milestones, with the cost going up the more you choose to train.
Go Fly UK
Go Fly UK is located in the Old Sarum Airfield, which is located in Salisbury, Wiltshire, and is an airfield that has existed since World War I.
The area is rich in history and is credited as one of the most well-maintained airfields from that time period. Go Fly offers private pilot training through dedicated Private Pilot Licence (PPL) training courses, priding itself on highly qualified instructors who are focused on quality.
Light Aircraft Pilot Licence (LAPL) training, Instrument Rating (IR), and Night Rating are among the facilities offered at Go Fly.
The club also offers flight experiences in their fleet of Cherokee Warrior (PA-28-) aeroplanes, which make for the perfect gift for any aviation enthusiast in your life.
Alouette Flying Club
Alouette Flying Club is a non-profit aero club which is located in the Old Biggin Hill airport in London.
The club is in ideal reach of Essex, Kent, London, Surrey, and Sussex, and can also be flown to from Sherburn Aero Club in the North of the country. The club prides itself on safe and affordable training options for beginner pilots, as well as its team of qualified flight instructors.
Alouette is a great option for all pilots, regardless of where they stand in terms of experience. The training facilities make it ideal for beginners, while the airfield and well-maintained fleet make it a great option for more experienced professionals as well as seasoned hobbyists.
If a community is something you care deeply about, Alouette holds regular social events at its clubhouse, which comprises a licenced bar.
The club offers dedicated Private Pilot Licence training, with tailor-made packages to suit your budget as well as training needs. The club also offers medical examinations for those wishing to apply for a medical certification in order to be eligible for a licence.
The Tiger Club
One of Tiger Club’s standout features is its fleet of beautiful, well-maintained vintage aircraft. Located at Damyns Hall Aerodrome near London, Tiger Club first started in 1957 and has seen immense growth since then.
The club offers dedicated tailwheel, Tiger Moth, and formation training, offering pilots a chance to fly unique aircraft. The training provides pilots with the special skills needed to pilot vintage aircraft. A member-owned non-profit, The Tiger Club is run mostly by a staff of volunteers and provides a different experience as opposed to aero clubs offering generic aeroplanes as part of their fleet.
The ability to pilot a vintage aircraft, especially via aerobatics, is a badge on the shoulder of any pilot.
WHY SHOULD YOU JOIN AN AERO CLUB
Here are all the reasons you should consider joining an aero club:
Training opportunities
If you are just starting out in aviation, chances are you don’t have an aeroplane waiting for you in a hangar in your backyard. Aeroplanes are highly expensive machines, and investing in one is not a possibility for most people.
Also, if you are someone who is just testing the waters, getting an aeroplane may feel like a ridiculous expense. For this reason, aero clubs present themselves as the perfect entryway into the world of aviation for beginner aviation enthusiasts.
Most aero clubs offer dedicated training for private pilots, complete with simulator training, theoretical exam prep, Flight Radiotelephony Operator Licence (FRTOL) training, as well as medical evaluations.
The airfield is also free of any controlled airspace, making it the ideal place to practice your flying skills. The presence of licenced professionals makes it a safe place to practice, making sure you and the people around you stay out of harm’s way.
Save money
When it comes to why pilots opt for aero clubs, this really is the most important reason. Apart from aeroplanes being very expensive, renting out a space for storage as well as regular maintenance costs lead to a piling up of bills that can quickly get out of control.
The fact that aero clubs provide access to airfields and aircraft in exchange for a relatively low membership fee makes them a great deal for aviation enthusiasts and pilots.
Most aero clubs charge an hourly rate when it comes to flying an aircraft, so you don’t have to worry about raking in massive bills when you haven’t even taken to the skies as often as you’d like in a given month. For those who wish to experience the thrill of aviation without the commitment of paying large sums for a course that may go on for weeks if not months, aero clubs offer day-long sessions as well.
These help people who are testing the waters decide whether aviation is the right path for them.
Community of aviation-enthusiasts
For pilots looking to socialise, aero clubs are great for meeting like-minded aviation lovers. For those pilots who do not pursue aviation professionally, it may be difficult to come across people with the same interests as them in regular settings.
It becomes much easier to find friends who enjoy flying as much as you do when you start to spend time at an aero club.
They bring together pilots from different backgrounds and varying levels of experience in one place, providing a community with answers to several of your aviation-related queries. The fact that beginner pilots have access to pilots who have several years of experience behind them makes for a rich learning experience.
Also, most aero clubs house a dedicated restaurant and bar, making them a great place to bring your loved ones along.
Access to a variety of aircraft
If you were to buy your own aircraft, chances are you’d be stuck with flying just the one. Even if you were to upgrade, the logistical hassle would bring with it an added headache. Aero clubs have their dedicated fleet of aircraft, which means members have access to a variety of different aeroplanes and, depending on their availability, pilots can pick and choose which aircraft suits them best.
If a pilot wishes to upgrade from a smaller and simpler aeroplane to a more complex one, all they need to do is walk to a different hangar. When pilots are forced to fly only one aircraft, they become too comfortable with the controls and find it difficult to fly other models. However, since a pilot is free to shift from one aeroplane to the next in a club, they can master more than one type of aircraft.
Shared responsibility
Aero clubs are usually non-profit and are member-owned, which means the membership fee that is charged ends up being used for maintenance costs of the aeroplanes and general airfield upkeep.
Maintenance of aeroplanes can be a real struggle for even the most experienced pilots, so the fact that the burden of responsibility is shared between all the members of the club is an added bonus. Aero clubs such as Sherburn also allow you to buy shares of an aircraft, which lets you own an aeroplane on a communal basis without worrying about shouldering the entire cost of it as well as its eventual maintenance.
Challenging environment
Another benefit of being surrounded by a community of pilots is the healthy competition that comes with it, encouraging each individual to invest more time in bettering their skills and adding more to their training and certifications.
WHAT LICENCE DO YOU NEED TO FLY?
Private Pilot Licence (PPL)
When it comes to aero clubs, you don’t really need a licence to get started. Most clubs such as Sherburn offer training facilities for beginners that help them log in the hours needed to apply for a licence. The fact the airfields within aero clubs are free of controlled airspace gives beginners the space to learn with ease in a free environment. However, once a person progresses past a certain point, a general licence becomes necessary.
Most aero clubs house a fleet of light aircraft, so a Light Aircraft Pilot Licence (LAPL) or a Private Pilot Licence are necessary to fly from one airfield to the next. For a Private Pilot Licence (PPL), the applicant must show proof of 45 hours of flight time, out of which 10 hours must be of the pilot undertaking solo flights. A cross-country flight of 270 km (at least) is also a requirement.
While aviation is heavily reliant on practice-based learning, the theory is also very important, especially when it comes to subjects such as Meteorology, Air Law, and Navigation. For this reason, the applicant must display sufficient understanding in nine subjects via their corresponding theoretical exams. A score of at least 75% is necessary if a person wishes to qualify for a PPL.
Also, since the fleet of most aero clubs is made up of aeroplanes, an Aeroplane Rating issued by the CAA is important as well.
Light Aircraft Pilot Licence (LAPL)
For recreational pilots that do not have any interest in piloting larger aircraft, a Light Aircraft Pilot Licence (LAPL) can also suffice. This is a United Kingdom-specific licence and is mostly not recognised overseas, as opposed to the PPL which is widely accepted.
In order to obtain the LAPL, the applicant must show only 12 hours of total flight time, making this licence relatively easy to get a hold of.
Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL)
For pilots who wish to take things a step further in their aviation journey and would like to pursue a career as a pilot, a professional pilot licence becomes a necessity.
In order to obtain a Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL), the applicant must show proof of a total of 200 flight hours at least. Using the facilities available at aero clubs, hours can be added to the existing ones by PPL holders to upgrade to a CPL.
WHY CHOOSE SHERBURN AERO CLUB?
Sherburn Aero Club opened its doors in 1964 and went on to become one of the largest flying clubs in the North of England and also one of the largest in the country.
The flying club opened a flight training school in the 1970s which was followed by several major investments including a large fleet of new aircraft and an airfield refurbishment with new runways, hangars, and an extended clubhouse. Being both a flying club and a flight training school, we are well-positioned to cater to our members and their friends and families, before, during, and after they become qualified pilots.
We aim to give all of our members a fun social environment whilst providing the opportunity to continue to build on their experience and expand their horizons. Whether you are taking to the skies for an experience flight or starting your flying career, Sherburn has it all to offer.
In addition to that, if you are looking for a hangarage for your own aircraft, need servicing or repairs, want to buy a new aircraft or aviation equipment, or are just looking to enjoy and watch the aircraft, Sherburn Aero Club is the place to be.
Call us on 01977 682 674, email us at flightdesk@sherburnaeroclub.com, or message us via our online contact form for more information on aero clubs in the South of England that you can fly to from Sherburn Aero Club.
