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Is there something seriously wrong with UK PPL training?

Aero Expo Sywell.

Even though the one at Friedrichshafen is vastly bigger, this is perhaps UK's biggest.

What is amazing is the micro-management of the "flying in process".

The instructions for flying in are 26 pages.

Even allowing for the last four being non-informative, that's 22 pages of instructions for, ahem, flying VFR to an airfield

They have set up two non-radio "holding patterns", which to me means that flying in needs to be done really at the very first moment the place opens.

How would such a gigantic event (maybe as much as 100-200 planes) be managed in the USA?

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

How can those holds possibly work? Non radio, no alt assigned, no clear procedure for leaving the hold.

EGTK Oxford

They had them last year too, but slightly different IIRC.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

I think some people just like writing long documents for the sake of it, or have too much time to try and be over-helpful. I couldn't mentally absorb 22 pages of information about do's and don'ts for landing at an airfield - that's why most plates are one or two pages of succinct information max.

I see advice given to pilots coming in from France to avoid controlled airspace. I am sure they knew that anyhow :-) I'm also sure all pilots worldwide are aware of the need to "Maintain a safe distance from the aircraft in front and fly a constant speed with no overtaking". Just a few examples of things which really don't need to be written down.

Besides being OTT, I wonder if they leave themselves open to future litigation e.g. "Microlights, Autogyros etc. are requested to maintain as high a speed as is safely possible". If one has an accident or something, they will claim they felt pressured to go faster than they might ordinarily feel comfortable.

But can someone explain how and when you leave the hold?

EGTK Oxford

Is there something seriously wrong with UK PPL training?

As long as there is a "standard overhead join" that in the other 194 nations around the globe is unheard of, not only PPL training, but PPL flying in the UK is somewhat "weird", to put it politely :-)

EDDS - Stuttgart

Ha. That and a basic service.

EGTK Oxford

I like the Eye Test Card at the end of the instructions.

If there is anything wrong with PPL training, its that we do not teach or follow Standard Procedures especially with regard to the circuit, there is far to much grovelling to noise abatement rather than Safe Practice.

Don't forget you have to book a slot for Sywell. It's online at the URL posted above.

When you've done it, you can, at your leisure, read all the names and reg numbers of all the previous slot bookers, followed by a link on how seriously Sywell takes the data protection act

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

That is going to be one busy holding pattern!

EGTK Oxford
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