When you’re looking at flying schools in Bristol, remember that they are not all created equal. Whether you want to explore a career as a commercial pilot, or just want to learn how to fly for your own personal pleasure, there are certain things to consider when choosing a school that will fit your needs.
What You’ll Learn
Keep in mind that you won’t start off flying a Boeing 737! In fact, before you get into any plane, your instructor will go over several things with you first. This includes understanding flight plans, maps and mass and balance sheets.
There is plenty of theory instruction as well as practical hands-on flying. Weight calculations play a large role in flying (you have to know how much weight is on board so you can adjust your flying strategy correctly.) The centre of gravity determines the aircraft’s stability, so this is an integral part of the course.
Which Plane will you fly?
Flying more than one type of plane will give you the experience you need, particularly if you want to become a commercial pilot. There are a variety of planes that you will have the opportunity to fly, including the Cessna, Bellanca, Piper and Reims series of aircraft.
Each plane has a unique instrument panel and will handle differently, so it’s important to have experience flying each one, so you can feel comfortable in the cockpit of any plane.
You will have access to the operating handbook of each plane that you fly, so you can familiarize yourself with the manufacturer’s guidelines, specifications and operational procedures. It’s critical that you go over this handbook before attempting to fly the aircraft. Your instructor will help you navigate through the handbook and highlight the most important sections.
How long before you graduate?
This depends on how often you fly and how you progress through each stage. You will need to complete several tests along the way and log a certain amount of hours actually flying. The flying schools in Bristol will inform you of exactly what you need to do to graduate and give you an estimate of how long it will take. Visit here for more information.
Getting a job as a commercial pilot
Once you graduate from one of the flying schools in Bristol, you can apply for a commercial pilot. The school can help you with your resume, cover letter and give you interview tips so you can get the job of your dreams.
Devon & Somerset Flight Training is the place to go if you want the best training from a flying school in Bristol. Visit us for more information.