The objective of this course is to build on the skills that you will have achieved in gaining your PPL so that you can confidently and safely train to enhance your flying skills to include advanced aerobatics. The course includes comprehensive basic spin training and an ‘all attitude' approach to flying skills.

Whilst you were taking your PPL training you will have looked briefly at various aspects of the stall and incipient spin but you will usually have been expected and encouraged to remain at all times in the middle 20% of the aeroplane flight envelope.

This course will take you well beyond that middle 20% and your handling as a pilot will be expanded as you will be shown how to explore the full performance envelope of the aeroplane in safety and with confidence. You will also gain a full understanding of the appropriate limits of both your own performance and that of the aeroplane and come to respect those limits and appreciate the importance of remaining within both.

Our Advanced Handling Course consists of the following:-

The above sets out, in outline, the subject matter of the course and its content. The amount of time required to complete the course will vary between individuals and no set number of hours is specified. It could be completed in 4 x 30min flights depending on experience but a longer course should be expected.

SFC's prices for the hire of the Decathlon, aerobatic instruction at Shoreham are provided in our club price list.

Pashley Field Sport Flyers are a group within the Southern Flying Centre dedicated to the sporting side of flying and to the development of enhanced stick and rudder flying skills. At the present time the focus of our activity is the Super Decathlon operated by SFC.

Membership of Pashley Field is restricted to the membership of SFC and is by invitation only within that group.

There are two routes membership:-

To become eligible for an invitation a pilot member of SFC must complete to a good standard the Advanced Handling Course together with any necessary tailwheel endorsement. On successful completion his instructor may recommend them to become members.

It is recognised that there are many pilots who may already have the skills which the Advanced Handling Course is intended to impart and there is therefore an alternative route to membership.

A reasonably experienced pilot with more than 100 hours P1 including experience on tailwheel types may have acquired the necessary experience to apply to take a flight test, which will be of an extended nature, and require the demonstration to an appropriate standard of the various elements of the Advanced Course. Should a pilot not quite reach the necessary standard on the test then a course of training will be recommended to bring the pilot up to the standard required.

Once a member of 'Pashly Field Sports Flyers' the opportunity exists to progress and to undertake various sport flying courses and, for those who wish to do so, to enter British Aerobatic Association national aerobatic competitions.