My next visit was to Aeroclub Barcelona Sabadell, based very conveniently in Sabadell. I’d not given this any thought before, but as a club, their prime objective is to provide aircraft for their members use. No business profit agenda keeps their costs down.

It took two weeks for them to arrange a time for me to come in and see them, and then when I did the lady who greeted me was clearly not in a very good mood, and told me to wait for the instructor who was running late. Once the instructor turned up we had an uncomfortable few moments when he wondered what I wanted, when all I wanted to know about was the course. He assumed that the staff upstairs would have filled me in. They did, but only once he took me back upstairs after discussing the practical side of the course with me (why they couldn’t have done that while I was waiting for the instructor to turn up I don’t know).

Initial frustrations aside, this does seem like a good option. The 120 hours of theory classes are taught in groups, with courses starting at various intervals throughout the year. There is the option of the two month course of studying Monday to Thursday 6pm till 9pm or the three month weekend course of 5pm to 9pm Saturday and Sunday. Actual flight time is arranged with the instructor as and when.

There is a membership fee to join the club which is an astounding €900, although they do offer a 50% discount to all students, and then there is a monthly fee of €43. As a member of the club after completing the course I could then hire helicopters as and when I want / can afford to.

There is the added bonus of the social aspect that comes with the club. Useful for someone who has just moved to a new city.

Prices:

Prices include IVA.
There is a monthly club membership fee of €43.