Oxford Airport hosts a couple of flying schools that offer club memberships allowing the use of their extensive fleets of aircraft – well over 55 at the last count. LA Flying Club is a new company that also has aircraft for hire at favorable rates as low as £59.95 an hour. Pilot Flight Training (PFT) and Oxford Aviation Academy can offer aircraft from under £100 an hour with two seats to around £170 an hour for an aircraft like the Cherokee Six which will comfortably take up to six people into the heart of Europe at speeds of up to 160mph.
For other clubs, associations and organisations, see below:
Popular Flying Association – Oxford Group
Tel: 01865 351 376
Contact: Barbara Rose
If you’re a local aviation enthusiast, recreational flyer, just learning to fly, contemplating building an aircraft or flying anything from microlights to fighter jets, there’s a group of fellow enthusiasts that meet regularly for chats and a drink or two. The Oxford Group of the Popular Flying Association are the local ‘strut’ of the PFA, the representative body in the United Kingdom for amateur aircraft construction, recreational and sport flying.
Oxfordshire Aviation Group
Contact: Colin Smith
Tel: 01235 812 290
e-mail: SMITHOAG@AOL.COM
The Oxfordshire Aviation Group (OAG) was formed in 2001 with the aim of giving aviation enthusiasts residing within (and near) the county, somewhere to meet up and socialise with like-minded individuals. They hold monthly meetings at the Marlborough Club, Didcot, Oxon (on the 2nd Monday of the month) where they normally arrange a program of guest speakers. Recent speakers have included Ken Cox from the Shuttleworth Collection at Old Warden and representatives from The Queen's Flight (as was, not 32 [The Royal] squadron), Chiltern Air Support Unit of Thames Valley Police (the copper-chopper from RAF Benson) and a current C17 Globemaster crew from 99 Squadron, RAF Brize Norton.
OAG members cover most aspects of the overall aviation world...."spotters", modelers, ex-RAF, veterans, current flyers as well as those with just a general interest in aviation. Some work with aircraft (voluntarily and full-time). These include the organiser of the Abingdon Fayre Air & Country Show and aircraft marshallers/air event helpers. Some are involved with the Vintage Aircraft Club events at Turweston and Abingdon Fayre among others-albeit under a different umbrella organisation (Spirit of 1875 Aviation Group). A friendly welcome awaits anyone who wants to visit or join (£12 p.a.)
Kidlington Air Cadets
Tel: 01865 379 950
e-mail: admin@kidlingtonaircadets.org.uk
The Air Training Corps is a national voluntary youth organisation which aims to provide air-minded young people with opportunities to learn useful new skills and to develop in confidence and character. The Kidlington branch is moving into brand new facilities in the centre of Kidlington.
Oxford University Air Squadron
Tel: 01491 827245
Fax: 01491 827185
e-mail: webdeveloper@benson.raf.mod.uk
The OUAS based at RAF Benson provides Elementary Flying Training for undergraduates interested in becoming pilots in the RAF. The role of the OUAS is to recruit high quality students from the nearby universities of Oxford, Oxford Brookes, Reading and Shrivenham and give them an insight into the RAF. The OUAS mainly recruits and teaches pilots and navigators although a good number of ground branch students are on the Squadron. The role of the UAS has changed in recent years and in addition to providing free flying training, general military training and exposure to the military, the pilots on the Squadron complete their Elementary Flying Training whilst on the UAS.
