William Bryce's Flying Website

Hello and welcome to my website; I decided to create a website about my flying experiences so my friends and family can follow my progress on becoming a commercial pilot.

Me flying G-BPCI somewhere over France 2006.

A little update

Posted at 15:23 PM on August 12 2008

Since completing all the training I spent a couple of months sending CV's, filling out application forms and trying everything necessary to get that first job. With many PFO letters and an impending recession on the UK economy and 2 interviews in the pipeline, one with a major UK TP operator and one with a major low cost jet operator I remained optimistic and felt my only chances are with these 2 so I studied each company thoroughly and went well prepared to my first interview with the jet operator and my hard work paid off. I was offered the job flying a 737-800 providing I self fund the TR.

It was a hard decision, do I take the risk with the current economic climate? do I hold out for the other interview? I was offered a job with a very financially stable airline heading towards uncertain times for the travel industry and I decided it was more of a risk declining the job offer in the hope i'm successful with the other company who pay for the TR. It was a no brainer really... better experience, better money, better type of aircraft! the investment will quickly pay off.

All done!! Finished!! I passed my IR!

Posted at 15:39 PM on April 13 2008

I passed my IR flight test on first attempt on the 8th April 2008 in Bournemouth! What an experience!! it was perhaps the best moment of my life so far! Its taken me 4 years to get fully qualified as a commercial pilot and its only onwards and upwards now!

Now a professional pilot!

Posted at 17:04 PM on February 12 2008

I'm one step closer to full qualification! I passed my commercial pilots license flight on the 8th February 2008. You can read about my experience in my diary section.

I started the IR training on the 11th Feb and hoping to be fully completed in the next 2 months! :)

Little update

Posted at 12:07 PM on November 27 2007

well well well - I haven't posted on here for a little while!! I finished my ATPL theory course and you can read all about it in my diaries section. I passed all exams with an average of 95% which is a great achievement.

I start my CPL/IR with PAT in Bournemouth on the 10th December, so look out for more details of this in my diary section.

ATPL Theory Course Started

Posted at 16:59 PM on May 4 2007

Just a quick note to let everyone know that I've now started my ATPL groundschool. I will try and update my ATPL diary on a weekly basis.

2007 Predictions

Posted at 12:45 PM on March 14 2007

In my last news update I mentioned I was hoping to start with GCNS for my ATPL theory well a little has changed since then and I'm scheduled to start with EPTA (or Cabair) in Bournemouth. The ATPL theory course runs from 30th April until November 07 with the CPL/IR training hopefully starting early 2008.

Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year!

Posted at 11:14 AM on December 29 2006

Well its that time again, yes thats right..the most annoying time of the year..Christmas and New year, the shops are filled with their latest gimics and every shopper has a smile on their face apart from one, yes me. Just kidding, I done all my shopping online this year!

Well its been a great year for flying, In May I took a complex single to Le Mans France from Scotland, this was no small feat, my last flight before departing for France was my final check out flight on VP aircraft and when enroute to France I only had a little over 100 hours total time with less than 40hs P1 time. It was a great experience and I planned the flight thoroughly. Sadly the aircraft I flew to France later crashed in the year while landing at Plockton, no one was seriously injured but the aircraft is no-more.

In October I went to Greece to inspect the newly established flying school called Egnatia and loved what I seen but sadly lack of response to my emails after my visit has put me off them and I'm hoping to start on the next course with Glasgow College of Nautical Studies in 2007 and im seriously considering PAT or Airways Flight Training for my CPL/IR.

The latter part of 2006 has mainly been myself saving money to put towards my ATPLs, CPL and IR so 2007 here I come!

Happy flying everyone.

Recent happenings!

Posted at 16:42 PM on June 22 2006

It seems like a few days since my last update but many things have happened! For starters I flew another trip and done my first cross country flight over to France. Read about my journey by clicking on Trips. Tomorrow I'm traveling down south for an assessment flight with the british aerobatic association for a training sponsorship.

The sponsorship offers 50 hours tuition per year for the first 5 years in a high performance aerobatic aircraft with highly experienced instructors. I was hoping to get directly involved in competition flying some point in the future. I love to push my abilities and compete in competitions so this sponsorship offers me a great chance to get my foot in the door at a young age and hopefully offer the british aerobatic association a young prospect for the future!

I finally turned 21 and my friends and family arranged a suprise birthday party so with lots of alcohol involved over the past two weeks I've notched up zero flying hours. Just like to say thanks to my mother who arranged the shall we say - mature police women who indecently exposed herself!!! Thats another story! ;)

Small Milestone!

Posted at 16:21 PM on April 13 2006

My night rating is now complete! To read about my experience click on the The Journey Ahead then click the Night Rating link!

Two coming flights this weekend, one being an IMC lesson and another just a general nav flight with some mates! perhaps upto Plockton!

Flying! (Whats that?)

Posted at 11:25 AM on February 17 2006

January was a slow month for flying! Unfortunately many weekends at Cumbernauld where fog bound. I only managed a few flying hours to refresh some of the basic flying skills as well as a few aero sorties!

I managed a few more IMC lessons and have updated my IMC diary accordingly! Sods law was out on force to ensure we had perfect VMC weather. Weather gods female? or just comedians?

I was bored and decided to calculated my total flying expenditure and so far I was quite suprised at how all the little things add up! I am happy to share these values with you as the purpose of this website is to help others! flight training is achievable on below average incomes maybe not integrated unless your parents are happy to secure their home to your loan but who really wants to be paying a massive loan back for 10 years because they where a bit inpatient! anyway in 2 years of flying I have averagely spent 8 thousand per year totaling to just over 16 thousand (although 2.5 thousand is capital on my G-JC share). I will try and record all my costs so I can create a section here detailing all my costs with my detailed flight training route when and if I complete my training.

Good news! Night rating is booked for this coming Friday at Inverness (17/18th/19th March)!

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