Trial
Lesson Vouchers
Frequently-Asked Questions
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Do I need to specify a date for the trial lesson when I place the order?
What will I receive in the post when I order a trial lesson?
I need a guarantee that my voucher will be delivered by a certain date. Can you arrange this?
Can I pay for a trial lesson by cheque?
Why does the cost of trial lessons change occasionally?
Can I take my trial lesson on the date of my choice?
How do I book my trial lesson?
Is VAT included in the cost of trial lessons?
Should I buy a half-hour or hour trial lesson?
Can I extend the validity period of my voucher?
Are reductions available for multiple or corporate bookings?
What should I wear for my trial lesson?
Is flying in a light aircraft dangerous?
Are old aeroplanes less safe than modern ones?
Are trial lessons flown with qualified instructors?
Will I need to wear a parachute?
How fast and how high will I fly?
Will I be able to take control of the aircraft?
What are the maximum and minimum height requirements?
What is the maximum weight limit?
Is there any age limit for trial lessons?
Is it safe to fly whilst pregnant?
Is it okay to fly if I have a cold?
What insurance does Skylark Aviation carry?
How will the weather affect my trial lesson?
Does the flight count towards the hours needed for a pilot's licence?
Why is flying in a historic aircraft so special?
Does Skylark Aviation use GPS and other electronic aids for navigation?
Can my family or friends come and watch?
If I enjoy my trial lesson, how can I find out about learning to fly?
What should I do if I need to change the date of my trial lesson?
Do I need to specify a date for the trial lesson when I place the order?
No. The recipient of the voucher will be able to book the trial lesson for any day up until the expiry date.
What will I receive in the post when I order a trial lesson?
When you have placed an order, you will receive a trial lesson voucher made out with the name of the recipient. You will also receive an information sheet that provides some interesting background information on the aircraft, details of what will happen during the trial lesson and instructions on how to arrange the date. Delivery usually takes no more than two working days.
I need a guarantee that my voucher will be delivered by a certain date. Can you arrange this?
Yes. Please contact us before placing the order.
Can I pay for a trial lesson by cheque?
Yes. Please contact us rather than placing your order on-line.
Why does the cost of trial lessons change occasionally?
The cost of aviation fuel represents a large proportion of the price of trial lessons. You may have heard that there is no duty payable on AVTUR fuel for passenger jets, but unfortunately the AVGAS fuel used by piston aircraft such as the Chipmunk is heavily taxed. The price we pay for AVGAS is linked to the value of the US Dollar, so the cost per litre changes almost daily. In addition, with worldwide oil prices currently so high, we have reluctantly had to increase the price of our trial lessons and aircraft hire.
Can I take my trial lesson on the date of my choice?
We will do everything we can to arrange your trial lesson for your preferred date, but aircraft and instructor availability may preclude this. Also, weather conditions may prevent us from flying on the day of the booking.
How do I book my trial lesson?
The information sheet that comes with your voucher gives instructions on how to arrange the date of your trial lesson. If possible, you should contact us at least two weeks in advance of your preferred date. Since our instructors work part time, it would be useful to have alternative dates in mind.
Is VAT included in the cost of trial lessons?
No. Skylark Aviation is a non VAT-registered company, so you will not be charged VAT.
Should I buy a half-hour or hour trial lesson?
This depends entirely on the individual. Many people find that half an hour is more than enough time in a light aircraft, whilst others don't want the experience to end! If you are buying the voucher for an aviation enthusiast or potential future pilot, an hour's flight would probably be best.
Can I extend the validity period of my voucher?
Yes. All vouchers are valid for 12 months from date of issue, but the period of validity may be increased by an additional 6 months from date of expiry by paying an additional charge. Please contact us for more information.
Are reductions available for multiple or corporate bookings?
Yes. Please contact us for further information.
What should I wear for my trial lesson?
There is always a risk of getting dirt or oil on your clothes when flying in a light aircraft, so you should wear older darker-coloured clothes if possible. You should bring a pair of sensible shoes and ladies should wear trousers rather than skirts - a pair of jeans would be ideal. You will be given a flying suit to wear during the flight, which should help to protect your clothes.
Note that there is no heating in the aircraft so it can get rather cold, especially in winter. Long or heavy coats are not suitable, but a warm jumper, thick socks and thin gloves might be a good idea.
Is flying in a light aircraft dangerous?
All flying involves a small element of risk. Skylark Aviation puts safety first, ensuring than potential risks are managed and minimised. Our aircraft are maintained to extremely high standards and comply with all Civil Aviation Authority requirements for public transport use. Our instructors are highly qualified, experienced commercial pilots, and undergo a regular skills assessment.
Every trial lesson begins with a safety briefing. You will be made aware of potential dangers from taxiing and stationary aircraft on the airfield, and will be introduced to the safety equipment and procedures used in the aeroplane.
Are old aeroplanes less safe than modern ones?
Older aircraft are required to meet the same safety standards as more modern types and must comply with all airworthiness directives published by the Civil Aviation Authority. Any component on the aircraft with a specified fatigue life is carefully monitored and inspected, and all maintenance is carried out by a Civil Aviation Authority approved maintenance organisation.
Aircraft such as the Chipmunk were intended for heavy military use and were designed with reliability and strength, rather than cost, in mind. It is a very sturdy and reliable aeroplane and has an excellent safety record.
Are trial lessons flown with qualified instructors?
Yes. Because your flight takes the form of a lesson, you are required to fly with a qualified instructor. All of our instructors are highly skilled and experienced, and have spent many years training pilots on both light aircraft and commercial airliners. We are very proud of the high standards of instruction that we maintain, and apply the same level of quality to trial lessons and advanced training.
Will I need to wear a parachute?
We only require the use of parachutes if the flight contains certain types of aerobatic manoeuvres, such as stall turns and spins. As these manoeuvres are the preserve of more advanced pilot training, parachutes are not required for trial lessons.
How fast and how high will I fly?
The Chipmunk cruises at around 90 knots, or just under 104 miles per hour. Its maximum speed is 179 miles per hour, but just like a driving a car, your don't go around everywhere at full throttle!
We normally fly at around two to three thousand feet during trial lessons, but we climb to a greater altitude for aerobatic manoeuvres. The height we will fly during your lesson will depend on the cloud base and air traffic control restrictions on the day.
Will I be able to take control of the aircraft?
Yes, although you won't have to if you don't want to! If you want to experience the thrill of piloting an aircraft yourself, this is your big chance. And because our instructors are highly qualified and experienced, you'll be in very safe hands.
What are the maximum and minimum height requirements?
You should be between 4'6" and 6'4" (137cm and 193cm) in height.
What is the maximum weight limit?
You should be no greater than 17 stone (108kg).
Is there any age limit for trial lessons?
Yes. The minimum age for flying with us is 14 years. There is no maximum age, although you will need to be reasonably agile to get in and out of the aircraft, and medically fit to fly.
Yes. Your instructor will be happy to let you see your house from the air, subject to air traffic control restrictions and weather conditions, provided that it is close enough to Prestwick Airport to get there and back within the time available during your lesson.
Is it safe to fly whilst pregnant?
It is strongly recommended that you do not participate in a trial lesson whilst pregnant.
Is it okay to fly if I have a cold?
You should not fly if you have a heavy cold or flu, as the pressure changes associated with climbing and descending in an aircraft can cause considerable discomfort.
What insurance does Skylark Aviation carry?
Our insurance policy covers passengers and third-party liability up to a maximum of £2,000,000. We recommend that you check the restrictions on any life insurance cover that you have, as life insurance policies vary in their coverage, and some may exclude flight in light aircraft.
How will the weather affect my trial lesson?
It goes without saying that light aviation is very much affected by the weather. As well as the safety considerations involved, your trial lesson wouldn't be very enjoyable if you couldn't see out of the cockpit! The weather in the West of Scotland can be unpredictable, and high winds, low cloud or poor visibility on the day of your trial lesson would obviously mean that the flight would need to be postponed until another occasion. You should contact your instructor before setting off on the day of your flight, so that he can confirm that the weather conditions are suitable.
Does the flight count towards the hours needed for a pilot's licence?
Yes. Because the flight takes the form of a flying lesson, the time may be logged. If you would like to do this, your instructor would be happy to supply you with a pilot's logbook.
Why is flying in a historic aircraft so special?
In our opinion, modern training aircraft are generally bland and uninspiring. If you would prefer to be driven around in a classic performance sportscar rather than a Mini Metro, then you'll understand what we mean and will appreciate the attraction of a vintage aircraft. The sound, the feel and the smell of the aircraft are evocative of an earlier era when aviation was more exciting and demanded a higher level of skill and airmanship from pilots. You might also be surprised to learn than the Chipmunk has crisper controls and better handling than almost all modern aircraft types. Most military and commercial pilots, who flew the Chipmunk during their initial training, will tell you that it is still their favourite aircraft type.
Does Skylark Aviation use GPS and other electronic aids for navigation?
Absolutely not! Navigating in the traditional way using a map, a compass and a stopwatch is more enjoyable and encourages accurate flying. And because it requires you to look out of the window rather than gazing at a small screen inside the cockpit, it's more interesting and safer too. Well-trained pilots rarely get lost!
Can my family or friends come and watch?
Yes, although they will need to be escorted by one of our instructors or pilots if they want to go out onto the airfield to watch the aircraft taking off and landing.
If I enjoy my trial lesson, how can I find out about learning to fly?
After landing, you will have an opportunity to relax in our clubhouse and have a chat with your instructor over a cup of tea or coffee. He will be happy to discuss training with you and provide you with information on the Private Pilots Licence course. Prestwick Flying Club's website also provides further details.
What should I do if I need to change the date of my trial lesson?
Please get in touch with your instructor as soon as you can, so that we have as much notice as possible. We regret that we are usually unable to rearrange lessons with less than 24 hours notice because of instructor and aircraft availability.
Can I transfer my trial lesson voucher to another person?
Yes. Vouchers can be transferred to another name subject to an administration fee of £10.00. The expiry date on the voucher will remain the same. Please contact us for further details.
What should I do if I want to make a complaint?
We strive to do everything we can to ensure that buying a trial lesson voucher is simple and quick, and that your flight is a wonderful and memorable experience. However, if we have failed to live up to your expectations in any way, we want to know about it. Any complaint can be addressed with your instructor on the day of the trial lesson, or if you would prefer, please inform us in writing by sending an email to info@skylarkaviation.co.uk.