Just moved, new hobby, places to start in sydney?

[Guest blowflyer]

Hi,

 

Have just moved to sydney (Baulkham Hills region) and am thinking of getting into flying.

 

I'm definately swaying towards recreational because of the cheaper costs.

 

Can anyone enlighten me on a flight school they've enjoyed flying with in the sydney area?

 

i dont mind travelling!

 

Tom.

 

 

[Chrism]

Hi,Have just moved to sydney (Baulkham Hills region) and am thinking of getting into flying.

 

I'm definately swaying towards recreational because of the cheaper costs.

 

Can anyone enlighten me on a flight school they've enjoyed flying with in the sydney area?

 

i dont mind travelling!

 

Tom.

G'day Tom,

 

Being in Sydney, you will have to travel!! I live not too far from you.

 

Starting closest, your options will be:

 

-Sydney Jab School at Bankstown

 

-Gostner at Camden (combined RA and GA school)

 

-Syd Rec Flying Club (SRFC) at the Oaks (15 min west of Camden) (mostly weekends only)

 

-Dave's School also The Oaks

 

I've flown at all of the first 3 and i'd say the most fun and friendliest is flying Foxbats with the SRFC. I found Gostner gave the most comprehensive training (leading onto GA) and available 7days (but obviously more expensive)

 

I think there are also some microlight (powered hang gliders) at Somersby and Warnervale on the Central coast.

 

Father afield your options increase to include Wollongong, Jaspers Brush (Berry), Bathurst, Cessnock etc etc.

 

Hope that helps. Don;t think too much. Go for it!!

 

 

[Guest Fred]

Hi,Have just moved to sydney (Baulkham Hills region) and am thinking of getting into flying.

 

I'm definately swaying towards recreational because of the cheaper costs.

 

Can anyone enlighten me on a flight school they've enjoyed flying with in the sydney area?

 

i dont mind travelling!

 

Tom.

Welcome abroad Tom

If you really want to get into cheap recreational flying Try Graham Huchinson out at Hawksbury he does Powerered Parachuting I heard lots

 

of good reports about him,being a powered Parachutist myself its lots of fun and safe.

 

 

[Keenaviator]

Have you considered 'free flying' as in unpowered paragliding or hang gliding? You have some beautiful coastal flying sites in the Sydney region plus if you feel the need to be challenged a bit more, go inland. I started paragliding about 3.5 years ago and have almost 300 hours, including over 100 inland. Inland flying at over 8000', in excess of 6 hours and 100 km. It's a fantastic sport/hobby. Great fellowship too.

 

 

[eightyknots]

G'day Tom,Being in Sydney, you will have to travel!! I live not too far from you.

 

Starting closest, your options will be:

 

-Sydney Jab School at Bankstown

 

-Gostner at Camden (combined RA and GA school)

 

-Syd Rec Flying Club (SRFC) at the Oaks (15 min west of Camden) (mostly weekends only)

 

-Dave's School also The Oaks

 

I've flown at all of the first 3 and i'd say the most fun and friendliest is flying Foxbats with the SRFC. I found Gostner gave the most comprehensive training (leading onto GA) and available 7days (but obviously more expensive)

 

I think there are also some microlight (powered hang gliders) at Somersby and Warnervale on the Central coast.

 

Father afield your options increase to include Wollongong, Jaspers Brush (Berry), Bathurst, Cessnock etc etc.

 

Hope that helps. Don;t think too much. Go for it!!

...and there's Schofields Flying Club at Bankstown. (they used to be based at Schofields only 12 minutes away from B-H)

 

 

[planet47]

I think there are also some microlight (powered hang gliders) at Somersby and Warnervale on the Central coast.

 

Give the Central Coast Aero Club at Warnervale a try:-

 

".....Our Ultralight training organisation is Valley Ultralights. The CFI, Paul Crowfoot before moving to Ultralights had a successful career as a commercial pilot and is tremendously experienced. He has trained a large number of pilots at Warnervale including quite a number of regular GA pilots who have cross trained to obtain their RA-AUS Pilot's Certificate".

 

Valley Ultralights

 

CFI: Paul Crowfoot

 

Phone: (02) 4982 5286

 

Mobile: 0425 840120

 

Email:

 

[email protected]

 

 

[ayavner]

+1 for Sydney Jabiru Flying School out of Bankstown, though they've had their issues, most likely growing pains. I am also in your area - Winston Hills! Let me know if you'd like to meet up at the Bull n Bush for a beer or 3, and I'll share what little I know!

 

 

[Gnarly Gnu]

Welcome Tom!

 

I'm definately swaying towards recreational because of the cheaper costs.

Be aware that in general ultralight / LSA aircraft take longer to learn in than GA aircraft but yeah, it probably is still cheaper.

 

Blowfly eh?

 

 

[coljones]

Hi,Have just moved to sydney (Baulkham Hills region) and am thinking of getting into flying.

 

I'm definately swaying towards recreational because of the cheaper costs.

 

Can anyone enlighten me on a flight school they've enjoyed flying with in the sydney area?

 

i dont mind travelling!

 

Tom.

I can recommend Dave's Flying Rec. Aviation School (02 4657 2771 or 0414 740 766) - 6 days a week so you can do full time or part time $150 per hour training

 

and the Sydney Rec flying club (0425 251 939) - mainly weekend.

 

The Oaks is a pleasant drive in the country and is a friendly place to fly.

 

Dave trains on Jabirus or a Lightwing if you want a tail dragger and SRFC trains on Foxbats.

 

maybe you should do a TIF at all of them - the hours count and you get to meet the instructors before you commit.

 

At Bankstown, there is also Chieftain Aviation 02 9791 6663 - they can train from Jabirus (RA) through to GA in Cesna 172 and a range of pipers.

 

Bankstown might be half an hour closer but you could spend that half hour taxying out and waiting (and waiting and waiting and paying) to get into the circuit. I'm not sure about Camden but during the week it is very quiet although the weekend can get very busy and may suffer from some of the congestion problems of Bankstown 9and the fish and chip shop in The Oaks has good food.

 

It was said "Be aware that in general ultralight / LSA aircraft take longer to learn in than GA aircraft but yeah, it probably is still cheaper." but in fact learning in ultralight / LSA aircraft takes NO longer to learn in than GA aircraft but yeah, it definitely cheaper!!

 

Cheers

 

 

[Rocketing]

Hi Tom,

 

You can also consider the South Coast Recreational Flying Club. I did my TIF there on 18 October and will hopefully be getting my certificate this weekend. :)

 

They are located at Jaspers Brush Airfield just 4 km south of Berry and 2o minutes south of Kiama. I use to live in the Baulkham Hills district and if you come down for flying over the weekend the family will have a great time at all the beaches and great towns like Kiama, Gerringong, Berry & Jamberoo water action park.

 

Really scenic and a plus is that they also fly from Wollongong Airport now and then. That helps you to get both grass strip and big airport experience.

 

I have had a great time there the last few months.

 

 

[Guest blowflyer]

Damn, can someone teach me how to quote other posts?

 

Thanks so much for all of your insight though. And i'm thinking of heading out towards Camden over Bankstown... a little less hustle and bustle... im a quiet kinda man!

 

But i especially like the idea of getting a bit of fresh air down the coast too, Rocketing, so i'll let you know how that goes when i've taken that leap!

 

(i've been so slack!)

 

@ Gnarly Gnu,

 

 

[Rocketing]

Damn, can someone teach me how to quote other posts? Thanks so much for all of your insight though. And i'm thinking of heading out towards Camden over Bankstown... a little less hustle and bustle... im a quiet kinda man!

 

But i especially like the idea of getting a bit of fresh air down the coast too, Rocketing, so i'll let you know how that goes when i've taken that leap!

 

(i've been so slack!)

 

@ Gnarly Gnu,

Hi Tom,

 

Just click on the "Reply" link at the right hand bottom corner of the post you would like to quote.