I want to encourage more PPLs to “get their feet wet” and fly cross channel to France from UK for lunch, and to consider touring further afield. For those who have done this many times, it may seem like no big deal. For those who haven’t, it can seem daunting (it shouldn’t).
So I’ve compiled and will run an extensive groundschool class aimed at any PPLs, new or veteran flying fixed wing rental/owner/shared aircraft under CofA/Permit and will run through all the aspects of preparing and flying VFR from UK to France and other European countries. It will be interactive, include slides, video, audio recordings and I even hope to inflate a liferaft for a bit of excitement. Buckets of cold water may be added for a more realistic experience (or to wake up those not paying attention).
It’s being held near Filton, Bristol about 10 minutes off the M4 motorway. No nearby airfield to fly into, but plenty of free parking.
Bring your own tablets (the electronic type rather than medicinal) so you can plan your own routes via the free Wi-Fi.
Spaces are limited. More details and booking online here.
Nice initiative! I would need to cross the channel in order to attend… so I have a chicken/egg problem.
Nice! AOPA has also published a guide here: http://www.aopa.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=154&Itemid=813
I’ve had a variety of reactions and responses to running the Groundschool session. Mostly positive and supportive, some sceptical. Feedback to dry runs of the course material has been very good.
Of course you can research a lot of this on the Internet now, and the references above are both very good. The question is how up to date and comprehensive your information is. Some would say that flying over water or into other countries is trivial, but there are a variety of gotchas and it can seem daunting to those who haven’t done this before. Veterans who’ve done this many times may not be entirely sure whether Mode S is mandatory, whether PPR is/is not required or what the latest wrinkles on the GAR procedures are.
Some reasons for participating include:
- Different learning format, with a mixture of slides, video, practical exercises, discussion and debate. Not just a dry webpage or document.
- Comprehensive one-off session that sets you up for the season ahead
- Up to date information
- Meet like minded private pilots who share an interest in foreign flights
It’s been pointed out that the discounted tickets had already been sold prior to the event being advertised on EuroGA.
In response, I’ve created a discount code EUROGA which provides 30% off if booked before the end of February.
Just enter this code at the checkout stage.
Full course details here
The cross channel groundschool last weekend was a great success and I had very good feedback from those who attended. The event was sold out. A good mix of participants included disabled pilots (who don’t plan to go out of glide range from land) and women, low hours fresh PPLs to veterans, CofA renters to pemit aircraft owners. For experienced pilots, a day trip to Le Touquet may seem little more than a trip to the local shops, but it can still be daunting to newer pilots or those who haven’t done so for some years given many changes in regulations and procedures.
Ditching was a sobering topic (fixed undercarriage aircraft will most likely flip over), but survival rates are good if you can get into a liferaft.
Paperwork, such as flight plans, GAR forms, PNR etc. have become much more streamlined with online tools and apps than before.
R/T and setting the scene of what to expect seemed to go down well.
I’ve scheduled a rerun of the event for Sat June 25, again in Bristol (sorry, nowhere near an airport)
Details and tickets here
This event also qualifies for the groundschool portion for LAA Wings scheme cross channel training, so bring your logbook.
DavidC wrote:
Ditching was a sobering topic (fixed undercarriage aircraft will most likely flip over)
Will they really? All the photos/video of fixed gear ditchings that I’ve seen (apart from one Vans RV ditching in the breakers of a beach) showed the aircraft would nose in, but not actually flip. The CAA ditching leaflet even had a photo of a low wing fixed gear permit-type aircraft floating upright in the Irish Sea.
