This Review Overall Rating
I’ve had experience with a couple of PPL flight training providers before I made the move to Gamston Flying School. The first one I left due to the unprofessionalism of the instructors and the second one sadly closed down. I’d previously considered learning to fly at GFS but nothing ever came of it, so I decided to pay them a visit and have a look around. From the moment I arrived, I was warmly welcomed by staff and members alike who answered questions, gave tours and had a good laugh. One thing I noticed from the get go was just how diverse the members were, ranging from younger members to older members, and how the staff made each and every one of them feel at home with the relaxed, yet professional atmosphere. I do remember that while signing up, I was offered a few weeks free membership so that I could get to know the school and see if it was right for me. I thought this was a great gesture, even though I pretty much decided there and then that I was going to complete my training there.
With the membership, you have access to your own online account which allows you to book lessons/ aircraft, check weather, download documents, review your training notes and access practice exams. For the relatively cheap of just under £100 a year (compared to other flying schools which charge you much more for less), I can’t fault this service at all.
I was also impressed with their range of aircraft and instructors. I know from experience, how frustrating it is when aircraft and instructors are booked up for weeks on end at smaller flying schools. With GFS, their fleet of multiple (sorry, I’ve lost count :-P) Cessna 150 aerobat’s/152’s as well as 2 Piper PA28 Warrior/ Arrow, availability is great. There are multiple instructors too, so there is no need to worry about booking weeks in advance. Other than offering the PPL/ LAPL, they offer the Night rating, IR (R), Multi-Engine rating, Aerobatic and Flight Instructor courses.
The airfield, EGNE Gamston Airport is a good little facility to train at. With a mixture of general, business aviation and helicopter operations, it is less stressful than learning out of an international airport, yet gives the same experience of dealing with larger traffic other than the odd Cessna. The only downside with this is the airport only has an air-ground radio, so at times it can be a bit chaotic when multiple aircraft are joining the circuit/ if a jet joins straight onto final. However, it’s good experience isn’t it! The only other negative I can give is that sometimes the car park can get quite full, especially on a sunny day, so if that’s the case, remember to set off a bit earlier.
All in all, Gamston Flying School is a great flying school with a friendly bunch of staff and members alike. I can’t recommend them enough.
Course(s) taken:
General
Aircraft
Practical Training
