What Can I Expect

Flying lessons near Chester out of Hawarden Airport! If you fancy having a go at flying a plane and you're in the area around Chester, North Wales and Liverpool, these trial flights in two and four-seater aeroplanes are the perfect choice for you.

Hawarden (which you might also know as Chester Airport) is right on the border of Wales and England. Technically it's in Flintshire, North Wales, yet just four-miles west of Chester. Its location means you'll be treated to superb views of mountains, coastline and towns when you fly out of Hawarden.

These experiences are not just pleasure flights though - you get to actually fly the plane yourself. We are offering 30 and 50-minute experiences in two-seater Piper PA38s or in four-seater Piper PA28s and each flight is treated as an actual first lesson for a budding pilot. That means your time can be entered into your Pilot's Log.

On the 30-minute sessions you'll learn the basics and start having a go at straight and level flight, then hopefully some turns, adding in some taxiing on the runway too. The extended 50-minute lessons give you extra time at the controls, so you might progress to more advanced techniques or moves.

The instructor pilots at this approved pilot training organisation have many thousands of hours of flying experience and their collective aim is to guide pupils to become safe, knowledgeable and competent aviators.

Hawarden is a great place to learn about aviation. The airfield near Chester has a long and very distinguished history in aircraft construction, so if you're into your planes, you'll love this place. Vickers-Armstrong started the story building Wellingtons and Lancasters, followed by De Havilland from 1948, superseded by Hawker Siddeley and their jets in the 60s. Today the imposing Broughton factory onsite manufactures Airbus wings, which are flown off site in the magnificent A300ST ‘Beluga'.

If you're extremely lucky, you might see a Beluga take off or land whilst you're at Hawarden Airport for your flying lesson in the Chester /North Wales skies!

When Is It Available

• Weekdays and weekends throughout the year
• Flights are subject to availability and weather conditions

Suitable For

• Minimum age 14 years for 2 seater aircraft
• Under 14s can fly in the 4 seater aircraft with an accompanying adult and must be a minimum of 5 foot 2 inches (160cm) to operate the aircraft controls
• Maximum weight for 2 seater aircraft is 13 stone
• Maximum weight for 4 seater aircraft is 30 stone
• Maximum combined weight of 36 stone for participant and observer for 4 seater aircraft
• Please note that all weights quoted are approximate 

Spectators

• Spectators are welcome but will only be able to view the take off and landing
• Participants of 4 seater flights are allowed to bring an interested observer who can observe the lesson from the rear seat (at the discretion of the flight instructor and subject to weather conditions)

Anything Else

• Photographs and videos of your experience are available to purchase
• Flying lessons only count towards a pilot's licence for those aged 14 and above