what_next wrote:
Well, around here it was said that flying school interest was behind EASA FCL. Not being able to do any training without an FTO, bringing up the minimum requirement for a PPL from 35 to 45 hours, … you name it. EASA certainly did the flying schools some favor.
But there is certainly no requirement from EASA for differences training when transitioning from a C152 to a C172!
Sure, but here most schools will make you do conversion training from a C152 to a C172. Maybe an hour with an instructor. You can see their point… they are renting the plane out. Obviously much depends on whether they think the pilot will crash it 
Peter wrote:
here
Everywhere, no? Obviously these 5h courses sometimes seem really excessive.
Friend of mine had to do a “transition course” to transition from an SR22G5 to a G6, (both Perspective) which had to include a flight!
Peter wrote:
hanging from PA38 to a C152 after some 20hrs caused me to waste 10-20hrs.
I think an awful lot of this depends on the stage you are in your PPL and quality of instructor/school.
I switched from a C172 (due to the -H2AD engine lunching itself – the spalled camshaft issue those engines so frequently have) to a 200hp Beech Musketeer and it took a 1 hour checkout to do it. But I had a very good primary instructor and this was just before doing my solo cross country flights.
Back to the original question of bulk-buying hours in advance for a discount – I wouldn’t, not unless one could be very certain of the stability of the business. And of course, how much of a discount is it, and is it good value?
I was an exception to my own rule. I paid West London Aero Club up front (for a discount that was absolutely worth having) after doing a bit of due diligence and establishing that it had been there forever, wasn’t going anywhere, and that the same people owned the establishment as owned the airfield. I then did my PPL over the summer in a little under five months, minimum hours. Flying twice a week most weeks and it certainly helped.
For the average PPL training school operating 2 or 3 aeroplanes out of a couple of Portakabins then I wouldn’t give them any money up front. Many are operating on the very edge of financial viability and sometimes at the end of the month have to choose between paying staff and repairing aeroplanes. Many are owned and operated by ‘characters’ who, shall we say, have owned and operated many flying schools in their time – all with a slightly different limited company name and all bust.
Congratulations for your PPL !! Flying twice a week is amazing. It’s like a bad habit : very easy to get into, very difficult to quit :)
