Since there was no message we thought we would start off!!
We regularly go down to Winterhaven airfield and hire light aircraft - generally Cessna 152/172 and Piper Warriors from Brittannia Flight Centre. The aircraft cost approximately one third of the UK hire cost and flying in Florida is alot more fun.
It is only about 20 minutes by plane from Winterhaven to the Disney - looks awfully different from up there!
If anyone wants more details please contact us
Hi Sandi
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Are you PPL's yourselves?
We love flying over Disnet although those banner towers are a pain sometimes. Animal Kingdom must be the hardest to spot as it looks the same as the surrounding area unlike other more developed areas of Disney.
Where (and what) do you fly from back home?
John
PPL/IMC
Manchester Barton
Piper Arrow PA28R-180
G-AWFJ
Ok - I'm new to this forum - I've only just found the other messages about flying.
Someone asked about flying post Sept11 - well I flew over the Xmas period - most of the additional restrictions have been removed - when you ring for your weather briefing (free) you will be advised of what restrictions are still being applied. Otherwise its back to normal very relaxed and its down to you to remain safe!
One point you can now get your US license by taking your JAA PPL to Joh Brown at Jack Browns. He has FAA authorisation to issue licenses - however no one seems to have told the FAA offices at Orlando or Tampa.If you go to the latter you now need to make an appointment - one week in adavance. If you go to John Brown you just give him a courtesy call first and he can process the paperwork in ten minutes for a $25 admin fee.
Be warned he will then try to persuade you to go seaplane flying - $120 per hour - looks fun!
John Brown operates out of Winterhaven airfield - for informatio you can also hire a T-33 here for circa $500 per hour! there is probably even one T-33 for sale.
If anyone fancioes a nice trip fly over to Vero Beach - twice a week - Friday and Tuesday? Piper aircraft offer free trips around their plant - very interesting.They were building Malibus and Warriors when I was there.
You mean Jack Brown's seaplane base.
I've always wanted to try flying a seaplane - it's on my list for next time I'm over there
John
Well I seem to have started something off here!! Glad to hear there are other aces out there!
I am going to admit I have got so fed up paying silly prices in the UK that at the moment I am flying purely out of Winterhaven in Florida. We are averaging about 2 trips out to our villa a year (well in 2001 there were plenty of unsold weeks). So I get fix of flying o each trip.
I use Britannia Flight Centre(BFC) - I am paying around $50 per hour for a C150 or around $60 for a C172/Warrior. The aircraft are well worn like alot of planes in the US - but it is still better than paying £135 per hour for a clapped out C172 at one of the N London airfields (no names to save litigation).
BFC are the only flying school there - they mainly train Europeans for their JAA PPL - but some students are doing CPLs.
PS. I do mean John Brown - he's Jack Browns brother!
In my experience everyone at Jack Browns seaplane base is really friendly. Last time I was there I got chatting to a guy who had just bought the Lockheed Starliner that had been parked at Sanford for many years. He told me he had just flown it in to Fantasy of Flight - Grass runway - apparently the runway has been "strengthened" to take Kermit Weeks B29 - that is currently being rebuilt - this will take several years!
Have you ever thought of joining a group and thus sharing the cost of the aircraft?
We own a 5th share in a Piper Arrow at Barton and it works out very economical - £42 per hour wet (including fuel, for the non pilots out there). The only Arrow I have seen for rent in Florida is at OFT (Kissimmee Municipal) and it was for $105 per hour wet!
I find it's actually cheaper to fly your own plane at home, but also enjoy the difference of flying in the US.
I suppose the only problem with owning an aircraft is if something big needs replacing, but with 5 in the group, the cost is split 5 ways so it's not as bad as it first seems.
John
Wow! I'd like to see the B29 trying to land on that short grass runway at Fantasy Of Flight.
I'd like it even more to be on board at the time <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>.
John
Sandi,
We have a villa not far from Winter Haven but hubby always end up going to fly at Kissimmee. ge went one yeat to Winter Haven and came back disappointed baecause they only had one aircraft, it was a bit on the tatty side and as there was only one it was in constant demand. It sounds as if things have changed there and we'll have to give it another go.
This Brittannia Flight Centre is at Gilberts Field isn't it?
Yes, that's Britannia Flight Center. I did hear their aircraft are a little on the tatty side as they are well used by student PPL's though.
I always use Kissimmee Aviation as they do not seem to have any UK renters and so the availability of aircraft is excellent!
John
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