Here’s everything you need to know about flight experiences, from where to register, and what to expect, as well as the costs involved.
Are you on the fence about whether a career in aviation is right for you or not? Or are you someone who has always wanted to experience the thrill of flying an aircraft but doesn’t have the time and resources needed to train?
Well, there’s a way to take to the skies without actually investing the time needed to earn a pilot licence! Flight experiences are a great way for the uninitiated to get a feel of what it's like to fly an aeroplane. A flight experience can work to ignite the love of aviation in a person’s heart, leading them to dedicate the time and resources needed to pursue flying full time, or it can serve to fulfil someone’s one-time wish to fly an aircraft.
If flying is something that has been on your bucket list for a very long time, you’d be surprised to know how easy and accessible flight experiences are, with Sherburn offering dedicated flight experiences to people in a variety of aircraft and durations. The best part about flight experiences is that there is absolutely no long-term investment required! You can make your dreams come true without undergoing the hassle of obtaining a pilot licence if that is something you are not passionate about.
For those who feel as though flying may be a viable career path or hobby for them but aren’t quite sure whether they will actually enjoy it, a flight experience can help put any potential doubts to rest, offering clarity over whether aviation is well-suited to you or not.
Here’s everything you need to know about flight experiences, from where to register, and what to expect, as well as the costs involved.
WHAT IS A FLIGHT EXPERIENCE?
A flight experience is exactly as the name describes it. It is a chance for a person to experience the thrill of flying. The best part is that experience flights assume that the flyer has absolutely no prior knowledge of aviation.
Many aviation clubs in the United Kingdom, including Sherburn Aero Club, offer experience flights to both members and non-members of the club. All you have to do is pick an aircraft and book a slot with the club, and you can take to the skies on the day of your flight experience!
They are open to all individuals above the age of 12, with the person accompanied by a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) in the aeroplane. The CFI stays in control of the aircraft for the beginning of the flight, allowing the person who has booked the experience to take over mid-flight.
You’ll find that flying is not as hard as it looks, especially when you’re flying straight on a clear day. The staff will make sure that you do not book on a day when the sky is overcast or there is any prediction of bad weather, so you don’t need to worry about a bumpy flight due to turbulence or flying through any storms.
IS THERE A LICENCE REQUIREMENT?
The main reason flight experiences are so attractive to newbies and thrill-seekers is the fact that they do not require the pilot to have any prior aviation knowledge or licence.
While you will be required to train and apply for a Private Pilot Licence (PPL) or a Light Aircraft Pilot Licence (LAPL) if you wish to continue flying, experience flights can be undertaken without any such commitment. All you will need is a can-do attitude and some courage, and you’ll be all set for your first flight! It is important to note, however, that while flight experiences are a great way to experience the fun of flying once or twice if you wish to regularly take to the skies, you may want to consider formal training and licencing.
BENEFITS OF FLIGHT EXPERIENCES
Here are some of the benefits of flight experiences:
Find out if flying is the right career for you
For many aspiring pilots, the fact that they have never really taken to the skies may deter them from pursuing aviation. A career or hobby in aviation requires a significant investment of both time and financial resources, and it is important to be sure whether your heart is in it before making the commitment.
Some pilots may fear that once they actually fly an aircraft, they may not find the experience as enjoyable or well-suited to their needs as they had initially thought. Experience flights are a great way to clear out any doubts a newbie may have, and they can help them decide whether their heart is truly in it or not.
With a one-time fee, a person can experience what it's like to fly a plane, helping them decide whether it is something that they wish to dedicate the time and effort to or not. However, given how much fun flying can be and what a truly freeing experience it is to pilot your own aircraft, we doubt you’ll be leaving the airfield with anything other than more enthusiasm about pursuing aviation further!
Gift a loved one the experience of a lifetime
Flight experiences are the kind of gift no one will ever forget. You can easily trump everyone else’s offerings at your loved one's birthday party by gifting them a flight experience. Many people dream of taking to the skies but don’t do so because they are either too caught up in the daily grind of their lives or because they believe flying is far too expensive.
With flight experiences, they can make their dreams of flying come true, and they’ll have you to thank for it!
An affordable way to experience the thrill of flying
It is true that aviation requires a significant financial investment and is also rather time-consuming. However, that is for those aviation lovers that wish to pursue flying full-time as either a career or a regular hobby. For people who want to experience flying without sacrificing their already established careers in other industries, flight experiences are a wonderful option. They can help you tick flying off of your bucket list, and all it requires is a small one-time fee.
Think of it like a theme park ride or an adventure sports experience such as skydiving you may experience one while on vacation. Flight experiences are perfect for people who love aviation enough to take to the sky at least once in their lifetime, but do not wish to put other commitments on hold for it!
Make a special occasion even more special
Do you know what can make a romantic proposal even more unforgettable? If you pop the question while flying over beautiful scenery! Sherburn allows individuals to bring along passengers in select cases, so you can ask the information desk whether it would be possible to bring a friend, family member, or partner to the sky with you.
You can make someone’s birthday or anniversary truly unforgettable by giving them this lifetime experience.
Add to your training hours
For those who figure out after their first few experience flights that aviation is something that they wish to pursue long-term, they will be pleased to know that the hours spent piloting an aircraft during an experience flight can be counted towards your training hours. The time will be counted as dual instruction since you will be flying with a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI).
In order to get a Private Pilot Licence, you must accumulate a total of 45 hours of flight time. Out of these 45 hours, 10 hours must be of solo flight time, with five hours of solo flight time being cross-country. The cross-country flight must be at least 270km in distance.
Apart from this, you will need a valid Class 2 medical certificate, that can be issued after a thorough check-up by a certified medical examiner such as the one housed by Sherburn.
You will also need to pass nine theoretical subject exams with at least 75% marks, which include Air Law, Operational Procedures, Meteorology, Navigation, Flight Performance and Planning, Human Performance and Limitations, Principles of Flight, Aircraft General Knowledge, and Communications.
WHERE CAN YOU FIND THE SERVICE?
Several aviation clubs such as Sherburn Aero Club offer flight experiences to both thrill-seekers as well as those new to the world of aviation. Sherburn offers the opportunity to experience flying one of its many well-maintained light aircraft, including the Piper PA28 as well as the Aero AT3, with flights ranging from anywhere between 30 minutes to an hour.
For those who wish to fly microlights, Sherburn’s microlight training facility, Breeze Aviation, also offers experience flights on the safe, fast and incredibly fun Tiger Moth microlight.
WHAT IS THE PROCEDURE?
Booking
The first step when it comes to jetting off on a flight experience is to make a booking. In order to book with Sherburn, you will have to call the information desk and request information regarding schedules and availability.
Pick your experience
You can pick from a wide variety of experiences available. You will have an option to fly either the Piper PA28 Warrior or Cadet, both of which are top of the line aircraft for beginners and hobbyists. They are incredibly comfortable to fly and promise a smooth flying experience to even the completely uninitiated.
While the Cadet is more beginner-friendly, the Warrior is for those who are looking for something a bit more advanced to fly. You will also have the option to fly the Aero AT3, which is a compact aeroplane with easy-to-understand controls, ideal for those looking for something comfortable and simple to fly.
For the true thrill-seekers, the club offers the Robin 2160. Apart from being a great aeroplane for training and being beginner-friendly, the Robin 2160 is a great aeroplane for those wishing to go the extra mile and perform some aerobatics!
The time varies anywhere from 30, 45, and 60 minutes. The prices vary according to the aeroplane being flown and the duration of the flight. 60 minutes on the Piper PA28 will cost GBP 212, with an aerobatics experience on the Robin 2160 lasting 45 minutes being priced at GBP 172.
Secure payment
Once you’ve picked your aircraft and time duration, you can securely pay Sherburn to confirm your booking! You can pay via debit/credit card or PayPal.
Pre-flight briefing
On the day of the flight, before you take off, you will be briefed by the CFI about what to expect on the flight as well as safety protocols. You can talk to your CFI at this stage if there are any particular landmarks that you wish to fly over. If the location is within reach, the CFI will be happy to accommodate your request.
However, it may not always be possible to make room for such requests, but the CFI will ensure that you have a flying experience to remember regardless.
Take to the skies!
Once you have been briefed, you’re ready to take off! The first few minutes of the flight will be controlled by the CFI. Once you are safely in the sky, you can take over the controls and experience the true thrill of flying!
You will be guided by your CFI throughout the flight, who will make sure that you remain safe and the aircraft remains stable.
WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS?
The minimum age requirement for an experience flight is 12 years. Children younger than that will not be allowed to fly. For those under 16 years, adult supervision in the airfield premises is required.
Due to the limitations of certain aircraft, those over the height of 6ft2 or those who weigh more than 16st may not be allowed to fly in those particular aeroplanes. This information will be clearly communicated when you are picking out your experience.
WHY CHOOSE SHERBURN AERO CLUB?
Sherburn Aero Club, which has been operational since 1964, is the ideal place for most of your training and flying needs. It is one of the largest flying clubs in the North of England and also one of the largest in the country. With a large fleet of new aircraft and an airfield refurbishment with new runways, hangars, and an extended clubhouse, we cater to brand new flyers who have just started their journey to the skies, as well as seasoned flyers who have been operating aircraft for decades.
If you wish to begin your career in aviation or wish to take to the skies as a hobby, Sherburn’s flight training school offers private and commercial licenses, along with pilot medicals to ensure a smooth journey going forward.
Sherburn also offers a dedicated day-long Flight Radiotelephony Operator’s Licence (FRTOL) course for those wishing to get the certification, running the first Sunday of every month. For those who wish to experience the thrill of a flight for fun or to help fuel their aviation dreams, Sherburn offers experience flights for the newbie, as well as the veteran. The flight experience option is also available for people who wish to take to the skies for special occasions, even if they aren’t into aviation for the long run.
Sherburn also offers pilot medicals to ensure a smooth journey going forward. You are required to take medical exams to prove you are fit enough to take to the skies when applying for a licence, and the facility at Sherburn allows you to start your aviation journey on the right foot.
Our in-house AME, Dr Mark Bellamy, is rated to perform EASA Class 2 and LAPL. He also holds a fixed-wing PPL. Appointments are available every Monday and Tuesday, as well as on occasional Saturdays.
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 flight experiences as well as how to book your trial flight at Sherburn.
