Trial flights are a great way to discover the thrill of flying and find out whether you would like to carry on to gain your Pilot’s Licence.
Most people feel a little apprehensive when they arrive at the airfield – don’t fight it! It’s natural to feel this way, especially when you think that powered flight has only been around for just over 100 years.
When you meet your instructor, he’ll explain the basics of flying and walk you around the aircraft to show you the basic control surfaces, such as the rudder, aileron and elevator. Once inside the aircraft, he’ll talk you through all the safety procedures and the controls. Excitement will really start to build at this point.
With the aircraft engine running, the propeller turning and your headsets on, the instructor will taxi the aircraft to the runway. When you have been given clearance for take-off, you’ll line up on the runway (excitement and anticipation will really be heightened at this point). Most instructors, if they feel that you are OK, will ask you to follow through on the control inputs as you set off down the runway on full power. At a certain speed, the instructor will gently pull back on the yoke/stick and the nose will start to lift. Hey presto – you’re flying!
That feeling of flying in your first light aircraft will live with you forever. A warning here: it is addictive, for which we make no apology!
During your lesson, you will fly the aircraft at certain points. Flying an aircraft is quite intuitive so try to relax and listen to your instructor to get the most out of your 30 minutes. Most instructors we speak to prefer to teach women on trial flights – as they listen! So take heed if you are a chap. Attempting Red Bull Air Race-type manoeuvres is not the order of the day – for that you’ll need to take one of our aerobatic lessons!
Remember, we want you to learn to fly, so let us know how you get on by emailing eleanor@loop.aero. If you enjoy the experience and think you’d like to learn to fly, have a look at our five-hour or 15-hour products. They give you excellent value for money and will see you on your way to becoming a pilot – something that few people can lay claim to!
Cost
- £89.00
Locations
Aeros Group Wellesbourne – Warwickshire
Aeros Group Filton - Bristol
Aeros Group
- Gloucester
Almat Flying Club – Coventry
Andrewsfield Aviation – Essex
Anglia Flight – Norfolk
Eaglescott School of Flying - Devon
Exeter Flying School - Devon
Fly365 – Lincolnshire
Flying Time - West Sussex
Gamston Airfield - Retford, Nottinghamshire
GS Aviation - Marlbourough, Wilts
Leading Edge Flight Training - (Cumbernauld) - Glasgow
Leading Edge Flight Training - (Perth) - Scotland
Merseyflight Air Training School- Liverpool
Mid-Anglia School of Flying - Cambridgeshire
Rural Flying Corps - Cambridgeshire
Old
Sarum Flying School
- Whiltshire
Solent
School of Flying – Dorset
Soloflight – Humberside
Sibson School of Flying - Cambridgeshire
Turweston Flying Club
- Northants
Westair Services - Blackpool
West London Aero Club - Berkshire