Our Air Experience flights are an exhilarating flight adventure that allows you to soar through the skies and witness the breathtaking beauty of Norfolk and Suffolk from above. As you embark on this amazing journey, you will be treated to a truly unforgettable experience aboard one of NAC’s high specification aircraft.
At Norwich Aviation Centre (NAC), we believe in offering our customers the finest aviation experiences, combining luxury, safety, and an unrivalled sense of adventure. Our Air Experience packages are meticulously designed to provide you with a unique opportunity to explore the stunning landscapes, landmarks, and iconic sites of Norfolk and Suffolk.
Imagine taking to the skies and beholding the sprawling coastlines, charming countryside, and historic sites from an entirely new perspective. As you ascend, you will feel a surge of excitement, and as the aircraft gracefully glides through the air, you’ll be captivated by the panoramic views unfolding beneath you.
NAC’s high specification aircraft are equipped with state-of-the-art technology and designed to ensure your utmost comfort and safety throughout the flight. Our professional and experienced pilots will guide you on this awe-inspiring journey, sharing their knowledge and love for aviation.
Whether you are a thrill-seeker, a nature enthusiast, or simply someone seeking a unique experience, an Air Experience with NAC is an opportunity not to be missed. It is a chance to escape the ordinary, to break free from the confines of the ground, and to discover the hidden gems of Norfolk and Suffolk from an entirely new vantage point.
Not only will you witness the iconic sites like the stunning Norfolk Broads, the picturesque North Norfolk Coast, and the historic city of Norwich, but you’ll also have the chance to customise your flight plan. We offer tailored Air Experiences that can be adapted to your preferences, allowing you to explore specific areas or landmarks that hold personal significance to you. Speak with us if you have any requirements because at the end of the day this is your experience.
So, buckle up, and get ready for an extraordinary adventure that will leave you with memories to last a lifetime. Treat yourself or surprise a loved one with this truly remarkable gift—the gift of flight. Join NAC on an Air Experience, and let us take you on a journey that will awaken your sense of wonder and give you a newfound appreciation for the beauty of Norfolk and Suffolk from above.
No….but…..
Please bring some form of photographic ID with you. We are entering air side of an international airport as such we have to be security aware and conscious. If you do not have a passport, driving licence or other recognised identity card then please call in advance so we can make arrangements.
If you arrive without a pre-arrangement and without ID then we may have to cancel your flight and there is only a refund of 50% in this instance, please don’t forget your ID
We do not allow high heels or shoes which could damage the wing as your try to board the aircraft.
Other than this we do not mind what you wear providing it is sensible and doesn’t interfere with the aircraft controls. (ie no big yellow chicken outfits)
We would recommend nice flat shoes or trainers especially if you would like to have a go at flying.
In the winter we would recommend typical warm winter clothing but in the summer we strongly recommend light cotton clothing because it can become hot in the cockpit before we take off.
If you are unsure give us a call to discuss.
Ok has anyone ever been sick in one of our aircraft? The answer is yes but that is extremely rare.
We have taken people flying who are known to get travel sick and they have always been ok. However; in the event of such an issue we do carry sick bags onboard which we can provide you with before the flight if you feel you might need one….. but we doubt it will be necessary!
Don’t be!
We take people flying who are petrified of flying all the time, in fact some people come to us to try and get over their fear.
We are trained to put you at ease from the start, if you are nervous then do mention this to our staff or your pilot before you fly.
One of the fears of flying is that you can’t see what is going on and the big planes just move without you knowing what is about to happen. In our aircraft your pilot will be talking to you all the time and they will tell you what is going on and you will be able to see it for yourself.
Don’t worry you will have an amazing experience and when you get back on the ground you will wonder what the worry was about.
Yes it is!
Flying in itself presents an elevated risk to you whether you are flying with commercial operators such as RyanAir, EasyJet, BA or in small aircraft like ours.
As we use our light aircraft for commercial operations they are also maintained to a Certificate of Airworthiness (CoA) standard by a CAA approved Aircraft Maintenance Organisation (AMO).
Every 50 hours the aircraft are returned to the AMO for a maintenance check and oil change. Every 100 hours the aircraft are taken to the AMO for an enhanced inspection criteria, then every year there is also an annual inspection. On top of that we have time limited parts on the aircraft which must be replaced after so many hours of operations….Aircraft maintenance and inspection is the biggest expense of running aircraft!
So one thing to consider is we only have one engine on the aircraft, what happens if it fails? Firstly; it is extremely rare for an engine to fail completely in flight. Secondly in the unlikely event that it did completely fall apart and fail, then the aircraft will not fall out of the sky! It becomes a glider and we would glide the aircraft into the nearest airfield, or into a nice long field of which we have thousands of in Norfolk and Suffolk. Our pilots are highly experienced and trained for any such eventuality.
Has it ever happened to us…. no!
NAC have parking at the front of our building. We have limited parking so we ask for only one car per flight. If you plan to arrive in multiple cars please do call ahead so we can arrange alternative parking.
Absolutely yes!
Take your phone and take as many videos and photos as you wish. We may ask you to ensure the phone is in flight mode but that is at the discretion of the pilot.
As a rule the answer is no. This is because the animals need to be restrained in the cockpit from interfering with the safety of the flight.
However; in certain circumstances we may allow it depending on a case by case evaluation of the request.
Please call us to discuss if you feel you have a need to bring your pet.
Absolutely – yes please!
We want you to enjoy your experience and create memories, please share you pictures and videos with us before you leave.
We do not allow the positioning of Action Cameras and Audio recorders in the cockpit for reasons of flight safety.
HOWEVER: NAC do offer a professionally made video of your flight using multiple camera views and with recording cockpit intercom communications including Air Traffic control. Please discuss with us the video packages.
Limits are solely based on a persons ability to access and egress the cockpit unaided and that their size does not interfere with the cockpit controls.
However if you are concerned please call us.
The aircraft does have a weight limit, so we will ask you for your weight, please do not be offended, but do tell the truth as it is essential for flight safety that we properly calculate the aircrafts weight and balance. We reserve the right to weigh passengers prior to any flight.
We are proud to say we are welcoming of all people of all abilities. Access to our office is disabled friendly.
There are some occasions where we need to conduct a risk assessment of the likelihood and assistance needed for a disabled person to evacuate the aircraft in an emergency.
Please do not be put off by this…. call us to discuss.
We want everyone to enjoy aviation!
Nope!
Anyone young and old can come play at NAC and enjoy the thrills of aviation.
Babies and ickle-children are welcome to come enjoy the experience, you can bring your car booster seats or car chairs for them to sit on.
You know your children best, if they want to sit in the front they are welcome to so long as they can listen to the instructions of the pilot
Unfortunately not.
Any food or drink consumed on our aircraft must be purchased through our flight operations centre.
Unless you have a bag of skittles then we love skittles!
No.
We will provide you with a headset and high visibility vest for your experience.
We would recommend arriving 45 minutes before your flight time. This allows you to be briefed on your flight and to take some time to relax before the experience.
Then the time of you flight you have paid for plus an additional 30 minutes for a debrief.
So for a 1 hour flight experience allow us 2 hours and 15 minutes in total
We are happy to take someone out to the aircraft parking area to get some photos of you leaving but they would need to come back to the office once you taxi out.
We would recommend a great parking spot at each end of the runway to go and take some pictures.
At NAC we like to keep control of everything we do but the weather is one thing we cannot adjust.
We will review the weather for the days leading up to your flight, if there is anything forecast that will cause a problem for your flight we will give you the most amount of notice possible to reschedule.
On the day we will check the forecast continuously and update you if anything locally happens that isn’t forecast.
We will always reschedule your flight to your convenience if this happens.
These things happen!
For genuine reasons we will reschedule your flight for you free of charge. We can apply a £10 administration fee in some rare cases.
Give us a call 01603 369928 and explain why your late and your ETA, we should still be able to accommodate you.
For reasons of flight safety we do not allow you to install your own cameras in our cockpits, however we do have our approved camera systems and recording equipment we use to film your flight if you request it.
Our prices are available on the website, contact us to discuss the options.
Yes, all our merchandise is available at our flight operations centre or on our website.
Yes outside our office are the public toilets with disabled access.
We encourage you to go to the bathroom before the flight as there are no toilets on the aircraft.
Yes we do.
We offer gift cards for 1st lessons, air experiences and for account additions for regular flyers.
All gift cards are valid for 6 months.
We require you to declare any medical conditions before your flight booking.
It is rare that we would refuse a flight to you based on any medical condition but in certain exceptional circumstances we may ask for a doctors letter to say you are fit to fly.
We reserve the right to refuse a flight to anyone we believe is not fit to fly.
For reasons of flight safety we do not permit passengers onboard our aircraft who are under the influence of drink or drugs or who we believe may be intoxicated.
Should you arrive for your flight in such a condition then your flight may be refused and you would not be entitled to a refund. However; we may consider a rebooking for the future but that does incur an administration charge of £30.
If you are on medication which may affect your presentation then please let us know in advance.
We thought it important to place this FAQ at the top of our list.
It is true, 2023 saw significant collapses of flight schools in the UK. We witnessed flights schools collapsing and student losing thousands of pounds.
NAC is at the forefront of supporting a change in the industry to protect students finances.
It is for this reason that we implemented our Fair Flight Finance Guarantee to protect your financial investment.
Please head to our policies section to see details of our Fair Flight Finance Guarantee.
The short answer is yes! Training to be a private pilot is how we all started in our aviation careers. Whether you want to fly privately for fun or commercially we can help you achieve you dreams.
Yes – our commercial Pilots courses will start in late 2023 / early 2024.
We are a brand new flight school and we are now waiting to obtain our Diamond DA42 Twin engine, glass cockpit aircraft and our new AL42 FNTPII Simulator. When both land here at Norwich then we will start our first intake of students..
REGISTER NOW FOR THE FIRST INTAKE!
That is entirely your choice! It also depends on your budget and time constraints with family commitments and work. At NAC we focus on the students experience and we will encourage you to be the best and safest pilot you can be, whilst we make the whole journey an amazing experience.
You can complete a PPL within 6 weeks if you want to work hard to achieve it quickly. Most people complete the 45 hours, courses and exams within 3 months but some just take their time and do it over the course of the year or longer on a part time basis.
The choice is yours, this is your journey.
We offer full-time PPL Ground School courses to help private pilots achieve the highest standard in their PPL exams. This is a 5-day course with the exams being taken after each tuition day or the morning after the relevant subject. Our courses are delivered by talented and enthusiastic instructors, with a wealth of experience, who will make sure they work with you to get through your exams.
No!
In times gone by it was common that the airlines needed a degree to allow you onto their training programs but that is not the case anymore. Most airline pilots came straight from school into training to be a pilot.
However; you can get a degree level qualification with NAC; get in touch for further information.
Yes coming soon! Watch this space.
Contact us for further information.
We do not tend to link to specific airlines as we believe you should be a rounded individual and pilot to be able to apply to all of them. Former student of our instructors have flown for over 15-20+ airlines.
Commercial pilots require a class 1 medical
Private Pilots require a class 2 Medical.
It is no secret that the medical is stringent in terms of ensuring you are safe and fit for flight but it is not unfairly stringent. We have experience of people with heart conditions that have managed to get their medical subject to investigation by the Aero medical Examiner (AME). It is all there to ensure you, your passengers and people on the ground are safe.
The medical is an in depth assessment of your health and condition, you are required by law to provide the AME with information on any previous medical conditions, injuries or hospital treatment.
You will require your medical before your first solo so we always encourage you to undertake the medical before committing significant money to your flight training in case something is found which prevents you flying.
Class 1 and 2 medicals can be conducted on site with our resident AME.
Contact us for information and bookings.
I already have my PPL and some ratings, can I get a discount on your commercial ATPL courses?
If enrolling onto the Fast Track modular course with a PPL, you can use these hours towards the total time requirement for issue of the frozen ATPL. The actual number of hours credited will depend on when these hours where logged and if your licence and Rating is still valid. The actual number of credited hours would be at the discretion of the Head of Training. If you already have your PPL and some flying hours and would like to know exactly how much your course will cost, contact our team who will be able to advise as per your specific situation.
Norwich Aviation Centre Ltd offers full time (residential) and part time (distance learning) ATPL Modular courses. Our full time Fast Track Modular Course allows you to go from little or no flying experience to a “Frozen ATPL” in approximately 18 months.
At Norwich Aviation Centre we recognise that not everyone can complete their training full-time. Our modular courses enable students to complete training around their lifestyle or other commitments. We do however recommend that the professional courses (MEP, MEIR and CPL modules – 5,6 and 7 are conducted on a full time Monday-Friday basis). Modular pilot courses can also be taken as and when desired, (as long as course pre-requisites are met). From zero experience to holding a frozen ATPL, the training would take around 18-36 months to complete on a part time basis. This of course depends on your pace and commitments in addition to your study.
The pre-entry assessment is required for the Fast Track Course and all commercial flight training courses. This involves a simulator session at Perth Airport, an online test and a skype interview.
To be offered a reduced rate for the PPL you will need to pay Section 1 fees (50%) up front, section 2 fees (50%) will need to be paid before you commence that section of your training.
You can pay per course you do if this suits at the standard hourly rate.
Yes! We offer 15, 25, 50, 100, 150 hour builder packages.
Contact our team for pricing
One landing and approach fee is included in the course rates. Approach fees associated with flight tests will be re-charged to students.
If enrolling onto the Fast Track modular course with a PPL, you can use these hours towards the total time requirement for issue of the frozen ATPL. The actual number of hours credited will depend on when these hours where logged and if your licence and Rating is still valid. The actual number of credited hours would be at the discretion of the Head of Training. If you already have your PPL and some flying hours and would like to know exactly how much your course will cost, contact our team who will be able to advise as per your specific situation.
We offer full-time PPL Ground School courses to help private pilots achieve the highest standard in their PPL exams. This is a 5 day course with the exams being taken after each tuition day or the morning after the relevant subject. Our courses are delivered by talented and enthusiastic instructors, with a wealth of experience, who will make sure they work with you to get through your exams.
You will complete your exams online at our facility. You will be in a room with the computer where you will not be disturbed and the invigilator can ensure you are within the requirements of the exam conditions.
We encourage you to do this!
Come see us to see what we have to offer, view the aircraft, and meet the instructors and our team. We offer tours each week but we are pretty flexible to meet you on your terms.
We are able to accept students from across the EU, dependent on individual circumstances and documentation. If you are coming to study from overseas, it is important to follow the correct immigration procedures; having the right documentation will prevent any issues international students may have gaining entry to the UK. Please note that all overseas NAC students must have English language competence of Level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference Languages (CEFR) or Level 4 of the International Civil Aviation Organisation).
Age is not a concern to us nor is it a concern to the CAA. We have students in their 60’s and 70’s as well as the youngsters of 14-16 years old.
Students can enrol on the EASA Private Pilots Licence at age 14 although cannot fly solo until 16 and the licence cannot be issued by the CAA until aged 17. The minimum age for for the Commercial Pilots Licence (CPL) issue is 18 years old.
We offer a discounted package price for the Private Pilot Licence course which can be paid by instalments, alternatively you can opt for our PAYG option and pay on the day of each lesson.
Absolutely Yes!
You will need to join as a member of the flight school and pay the monthly membership. This cost covers your administration, security passes, security arrangements at the airport and access to our online system.
You will be required to undertake an initial flight assessment test with one of our instructors or approved pilots. This is so we can see your approach to flying and your attitude to safety and emergencies.
You will also be required to undertake your bi-annual and rating check flights with us otherwise we will require you to redo your initial flight test.
Operating from an international airport is an expensive business. As a company we have to comply with strict security processes and procedures as well as contribute to the maintenance of the instrument approach systems at the airport.
However there are a list of other benefits you get from membership…..
- Access to the most advanced fleet of aircraft in East Anglia and the most advanced aircraft when compared to other flight schools. You are flying with glass cockpit instrumentation as well.
- Discounted Landing Rates at Norwich Airport
- Discounted Touch and go rates
- Discounted ILS and instrument approach cost
- Free daily car parking
- Inclusive of Liability insurance
- Online booking system access
- Free Headset hire
- Membership newsletter
- Discounted rate on supplies and clothing
Multi Engine Piston Rating – 2 weeks
Multi Engine Instrument Rating – 10 weeks
Commercial Pilots Licence – 3 weeks
Places on commercial flight training courses can be secured by completing an online booking form and paying a £1000 non-refundable commitment fee. The fee for each course is due 7 days before commencing training.
please see our Fair Flight Finance Guarantee in our policies section.
Our commercial courses will start Late 2023 / Early 2024
All commercial flying is completed Monday-Friday from 09:00 to 17:00.
Our commercial courses will start Late 2023 / Early 2024
Norwich Aviation Centre will provide 2 shirts, a tie and epaulettes free of charge and you are expected to supply your own black trousers and shoes etc. Additional uniform may be purchased from our flight ops team.
Our commercial courses will start Late 2023 / Early 2024
