In line with third-party voucher providers, we require all Gamston Flying School and Phoenix Flying School Trial Flying Lesson vouchers that have been marked as postponed due to the pandemic to be used no later than 30th September 2021. This gives customers six months (the usual validity period of our vouchers) from our reopening date in April to book their Trial Flying Lesson. Postponed vouchers will not be valid after the 30th September 2021.
All other vouchers are valid until the expiry date printed on the voucher.
We would advise all customers with a postponed voucher to call 01777 838222 to book their flight as soon as possible.
We are open!
All of our services have restarted, including flight instruction and Trial Flying Lessons. We are now accepting bookings for all flying activities, including Trial Flying Lessons. Members should book online where possible, all others should telephone on 01777 838222.
Opening hours have been updated.
Department for Transport guidance has now been updated with details of a Roadmap out of lockdown.
It states that from 29th March, GA flying for non-professional purposes for solo pilots or individuals flying with a member of their household or bubble can resume. Rental members who are out of currency should contact John, the Head of Training, by telephone on 01777 838222 to discuss their individual skill and experience.
From no earlier than the 12th April, flight training for all pilots, and flights with an instructor, can resume. For those rental customers who require a check flight before resuming rental, this is when those checks will restart.
We are now accepting bookings for all flying activities, including Trial Flying Lessons. Members should book online where possible, all others should telephone on 01777 838222.
Looking at the information provided in the roadmap, we are expecting to be able to reopen for all flying activities from the 12th April 2021 at the earliest, although Department for Transport guidance has not yet been updated to confirm this. We expect guidance to be updated in the next few weeks.
At this time we are tentatively allowing bookings to be made for all flying activities, from the 12th April onwards.
Members have received an email with more details and should check the email before making a booking. Trial Flying Lesson customers should give us a call on 01777 838222 to make a booking. Please note that some of our staff are furloughed, so phone lines are sometimes busy.
Trial Flying Lessons customers with Gamston Flying School or Phoenix Flying School vouchers that have been affected by the restrictions can be marked as postponed, meaning they will be honoured after the expiry date. A final date will be set once the situation settles down. Customers should contact us to postpone their voucher. Customers with third-party vouchers (Virgin Experience Days etc.) should contact their voucher provider with any enquiries, but most have automatically extended vouchers to a later date in the year.
Should any information be released that changes this, we will update this page at the earliest opportunity to do so.
We are now under National restrictions. The latest guidance makes it clear that "no leisure flying is permitted".
Professional course may continue, providing they are for the purposes of work. This means that only FI(A) courses and CBIR(A) courses (where being completed towards gaining a "frozen ATPL") may continue at this time.
All affected customers' bookings will be cancelled. Members will receive automated cancellation emails, others will receive a phone call at least one day in advance of their affected booking.
We will allow Trial Lesson Customers with Gamston Flying School eVouchers or Pheonix Flying School vouchers that expire before March to have their vouchers marked as postponed, meaning they will be honoured once we are able to reopen. To take advantage of this, please email us including your eVoucher number. Customers with other vouchers should speak to their voucher provider. All Virgin Experience Days vouchers have been extended until at least 30th September 2021.
Phones lines and emails will remain manned, however on a much reduced basis, so please only contact us if absolutely necessary.
It has just been announced that Nottinghamshire (Bassetlaw is our area) will be placed in Tier 4 from 00:01 tonight. This sadly means that our flying activities will be affected again.
The latest guidance states "Under Tier 4 you must not leave or be outside your home except for where you have a reasonable excuse. Flight training for private pilots is not permitted as this is not considered a reasonable excuse for leaving home".
Because of this, bookings for everything over than non-professional training will be cancelled on a rolling basis until at least Wednesday 13th January, when the Government review the Tier system again. Please check your email and the Members Area for confirmation of cancelled slots.
Other customers (including Trial Flying Lesson customers) with existing bookings will be contacted with sufficient notice before their affected booking.
Phones lines and emails will remain manned, however on a much reduced basis, so please only contact us if absolutely necessary.
From Wednesday, 2nd December 2020 we will be open for all of our usual services including taking bookings for and providing Trial Flying Lessons.
Gamston will be in Tier 3 (very high alert level).
The latest guidance states: Any flights that take place in Tier 3 areas should land at the same airfield from which they departed, apart from where this is outside of the reasonable control of the pilot. Because of this we will be unable to send students on qualifying cross country (QXC) flights and rental customers should plan A to A flights (approaches, go arounds and touch and gos do not count as a landing).
We would like to remind all customers to follow our existing covid-safe procedures: