Flying Schools in Tuscany
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Join Date: Jul 2001
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Flying Schools in Tuscany
I am in the UK and am wondering if it may be feasible to get my PPL in Tuscany. (I was planning to go to US in August but for family reasons may need to go to Italy for a while)
Have any of you been flying there and do you know any decent clubs in the area? Aero Club di Lucca is the closest for me.
Sadly I don't speak any Italian - do you think its possible to train there... and what about ground school? Would really appreciate any info.
Thanks and Bon Giourno!
Veronica
Have any of you been flying there and do you know any decent clubs in the area? Aero Club di Lucca is the closest for me.
Sadly I don't speak any Italian - do you think its possible to train there... and what about ground school? Would really appreciate any info.
Thanks and Bon Giourno!
Veronica
Join Date: May 2001
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I am unable to give you practical advice with regard to taking a PPL in Italy. However I visit Italy frequently and have done some flying there.
You will probably get a very friendly welcome from the flying clubs as flying is very much a minority interest and they always seem keen to meet fellow enthusiasts. Flying costs are quite high although at the moment there is a very favourable exchange rate sterling/lira which will soften the blow quite a lot.
I suspect the biggest problem will be your lack of Italian as I cannot imagine Italian bureaucracy being able to cope with you not taking the exams in Italian.
I am off to Italy on Friday and hope to do some skydiving while I'm there so I'll pick some aviatorial brains and if I come across any further information I shall post it on my return. Best of luck. nb very friendly club at Arrezzo but its a bit of a hike from Lucca.
You will probably get a very friendly welcome from the flying clubs as flying is very much a minority interest and they always seem keen to meet fellow enthusiasts. Flying costs are quite high although at the moment there is a very favourable exchange rate sterling/lira which will soften the blow quite a lot.
I suspect the biggest problem will be your lack of Italian as I cannot imagine Italian bureaucracy being able to cope with you not taking the exams in Italian.
I am off to Italy on Friday and hope to do some skydiving while I'm there so I'll pick some aviatorial brains and if I come across any further information I shall post it on my return. Best of luck. nb very friendly club at Arrezzo but its a bit of a hike from Lucca.
Join Date: Mar 2001
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There are a very friendly bunch at Siena, and a very quiet airport, so no lengthy waits at the hold or multiple go-arounds.
Stunning countryside but there are draw backs, cost is much like the UK and last year there was no one who had a reasonable command of English.
I holiday there once in a while and am a qualified and somewhat experienced pilot, so the lack of fluent English did not bother me, you will really need to have good communication both in the cockpit and in the briefing room, so look for an instructor who speaks good English unless you can learn Italian to a high standard quickly.
Good luck , I'm jealous.
Stunning countryside but there are draw backs, cost is much like the UK and last year there was no one who had a reasonable command of English.
I holiday there once in a while and am a qualified and somewhat experienced pilot, so the lack of fluent English did not bother me, you will really need to have good communication both in the cockpit and in the briefing room, so look for an instructor who speaks good English unless you can learn Italian to a high standard quickly.
Good luck , I'm jealous.
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Have just returned from Italy. I spoke to somebody at the aero club in Fano. As I suspected a major difficulty would be your lack of Italian as this would preclude the exams and most of the ground school. There is also quite a lot of official paperwork required.
The strength of the £ does make flying there significantly cheaper than it used to be and it cheaper than in UK. At Fano they have a variety of aircraft including very nice C172 for well under £100 ph and a Siai Marchetti SF 260 for about £140 per hour - going to try to fly the latter when I go back out there in a couple of weeks time.
The strength of the £ does make flying there significantly cheaper than it used to be and it cheaper than in UK. At Fano they have a variety of aircraft including very nice C172 for well under £100 ph and a Siai Marchetti SF 260 for about £140 per hour - going to try to fly the latter when I go back out there in a couple of weeks time.
