Train to be a pilot at Eshott

Looking for quality professional flight training? Then Eshott Airfield is the place for you with two tarmac runways and a grass strip in uncontrolled airspace, with all the advantages of a flying club environment.

Private Pilots Licence - PPL (A)

If you’re looking to fly an aircraft with a globally recognised licence, the PPL is the course for you.  This course is the first step towards a professional aviation career and will give you the ability to pilot larger aircraft. 

The course gives you the ability to fly nearly every single engine piston (SEP) aircraft.  Aircraft that have a turbine engine require a differences rating which can easily be added to your licence. 

 

Course Requirements

The course requires a minimum of 45 hours flying time – 10 of which are solo.  You’ll take a skills test which will examine your general handling and navigation skills.

There are also nine multiple choice exams to be completed covering important topics including:

  • Human Performance

  • Aviation Law

  • Meteorology

  • Communications

  • Principles of Flight

  • Operational Procedures

  • Flight Performance & Planning

  • Aircraft General Knowledge, and

  • Navigation

You’ll have to pass a class 2 medical with a CAA approved AME (Aviation Medical Examiner). Eshott Airfield can help you arrange this – but generally speaking if you’re fit and well enough to drive a car, you’re well enough to fly an aircraft!

Completion of Course

When you’ve completed your course, the PPL(A) will allow you to fly aircraft in daylight hours in reasonable weather – this is known as VFR or Visual Flight Rules. Once you’ve completed your PPL(A) you can add a night rating to allow you to fly after sunset, or an instrument rating to allow you to fly in adverse weather conditions.

After completing your training, you can continue to rent aircraft from Eshott Airfield to build your hours or simply enjoy the beautiful scenery of Northumberland.

Eshott Airfield also offers the Light Aircraft Pilots Licence (LAPL). This licence is a more affordable version of the PPL(A) but with additional restrictions such as a maximum aircraft weight of 2000kg and a maximum of three passengers.

Can I fly commerically with this licence?

If you’re looking to fly commercially, the next step will be to build your hours to a level where you can gain your Commercial Pilots Licence.  This phase is known as ‘hour building’.  Once you’ve finished your PPL(A), Eshott Airfield continues to support students and provides a number of options to achieve the hour building in a cost effective and efficient way. 

Whilst the PPL(A) is the bigger step initially, If you only want to fly your family or friends for fun, in European airspace, it might be worth considering the cheaper Light Aircraft Pilots Licence option which is also taught at Eshott Airfield.

Eshott Training Rates

Cesena 150H Training
£ 195 per hour
  • Aircraft Hire
  • Professional Flight Instructor
  • Free Landing fee
Popular

Flights

Experiences

Lisa M
Lisa M
2023-07-02
Outdoor cinema night I would like to say thank you 😊 to everyone who organised this event we had a great night watching Top Gun & stopping over -, the tipi, music, drinks and food was amazing we were not expecting it . We will highly recommend this to anyone & everyone and wel definitely 💯 be back.
Give yourselves all a big pat on the back. 😎🎶🎦🍺🍕👏
The Shotley Bridge Traveller
The Shotley Bridge Traveller
2023-06-25
Lovely coffee and a really friendly place. We visited here and received a really warm welcome. The coffee was very good as was the cake. You can either sit inside with a great view of the airfield or sit outside at the picnic tables. My wife is in a wheelchair and the place is accessible.
Sand570
Sand570
2023-06-23
Simply amazing From start to finish a great time. Was bought an hours flight in a 72 year old chipmunk. The pilot (and Co-owner) of the airfield, Richard, was fab. Showed us around the hangers, told us about the various aircraft, the airfield, explained the flight safety in an understandable non-worrying way , asked what I wanted to see.
You could tell from the way he talked and things he mentioned that the locality and environment were important to him. Not flying too close to homes, wildlife etc so as not to disturb.
Learnt a lot as well as thoroughly enjoyed myself. Well worth a visit.
And not forgetting all the other staff - friendly and helpful. Superb cafe Thursday to Sunday.
Simply amazing !
Alan3453
Alan3453
2023-06-18
A great day Our son recently celebrated a significant birthday. As a surprise we bought him a taster flight at Eshott (there were a good selection of flights on offer). Prior to doing this we paid a visit to the airfield which is open to the public. It is well located next to the A1 south of Alnwick.
On arrival there was car park, toilets and a café. We spoke to staff and found they were friendly and very helpful. We also found this in later telephone conversations and we were left with a very good impression.
The flight was purchased by way of a voucher which came specially wrapped (a nice touch). It was also indicated to us that there was a choice of locations to visit within the specified hour.
On the day of the flight were blessed with glorious and benign weather conditions. Our whole family was in attendance and soon he was up in the air and off. We sampled the lovely bacon sandwiches and drinks on offer while waiting for his return. He flew over to the coast at Warkworth and up north from there before returning via Alnwick Castle and Gardens.
Once again we found the staff very friendly and helpful as indeed the visitors were as well, a really nice crowd and good atmosphere.
We would highly recommend Eshott, the whole process was much simpler than we thought. Even if you dont want to fly you can sit in the cafe and watch a whole host of aircraft landing and taking off, particularly at weekends.
Rebecca R
Rebecca R
2023-06-04
Amazing day out My son absolutely loved this experience, he was able to fly for the first time. The instructor was amazing with him. The flight to Berwick and back was great and he saw loads on the way.
Tom S
Tom S
2023-06-04
Chipmunk flight I had a flight experience in one of their ex RAF Chipmunk planes. I have wanted to relive this flying experience for quite some time as the last time I flew in a Chipmunk I was a 13 year old ATC cadet more year ago than I care to remember! Richard the pilot was excellent, he was informative, enthusiastic and very knowledgeable, he made the flight even more memorable.
Of course the main star was the stunningly beautiful Northumbrian countryside.
LornaAdams12
LornaAdams12
2023-06-02
Great lunch stop/ experience all in one! We popped in here on our way to the coast. It was great for the kids to be able to watch the planes coming in and out whilst we all had lunch.
I was really impressed with the sandwiches- taste, size and how they were presented etc. great sandwich lunch options for adults and kids.

Service was prompt and friendly!

Definitely recommend a trip with the kids, particularly on a sunny day to sit outside but the inside has ample seating as well and looked nice.

Baby changing facilities and high chairs too which was unexpected.
Amilou0790
Amilou0790
2023-04-29
Fantastic Lovely cafe located on the Eshott airfield. Staff were very attentive and friendly. Food was lovely !!! Dogs are welcome and they can even have a puppuccino !!! Will definitely be back !
Koony02
Koony02
2023-04-09
Hidden Gem Visited the airfield on a drive back from Northumberland and what a find. Our little one is obsessed with planes and we thought it would be a nice 20 minute stop which turned into at least an hour. Service by the ladies in the cafe is a 10/10! Coffees and cakes were all top quality. An older gentleman took us with our kid to have a closer look at the planes, this ended up meaning the boy got to sit in the cockpit and mess about with the buttons, this was not expected and definitely not a standard visit! There was a pizza truck which looked and smelled great but due to the time of the day we did not get to sample this. Definitely recommend the airfield for plane enthusiast and foodies
Aerosmithy
Aerosmithy
2022-12-10
Festive afternoon tea Had festive afternoon tea at Eshott Airfield today. What a lovely afternoon. Food was amazing, I'm stuffed! The atmosphere was just perfect too, feel really festive. Santa arrived in an aeroplane too!