Dorset is a great county to learn to fly in, with two very different places to start. Bournemouth Airport at Hurn, just north of Christchurch, is home to several flying schools offering everything from trial lessons and the Private Pilot Licence (PPL) to airline cadet training. Learning at a busy airport means you get used to talking to air traffic control and working in controlled airspace from your first few lessons, which is good preparation if you are thinking about flying as a career.
In the north of the county, Compton Abbas is a grass airfield high on Cranborne Chase near Shaftesbury, with views right across the Blackmore Vale. It has schools for both light aircraft and microlights, and a grass runway on a hilltop teaches you a lot about handling and reading the weather. Its café is a favourite stop for visiting pilots too. Down on the coast at Portland there is also CAA-approved drone pilot training.
Wherever you train, the Dorset coastline makes for memorable flying, with Poole Harbour, Old Harry Rocks and the Jurassic Coast all within easy reach.
Choosing a flight school in Dorset
- Visit before you book. Look at the aircraft, meet the instructors and ask how many students they are training at the moment.
- Ask what the price includes. Aircraft hire, instructor time, landing fees, ground school and exam fees are often charged separately.
- Check which licence you are working towards. A PPL, LAPL or microlight NPPL each suit different kinds of flying, and not every school teaches all of them.
- Start with a trial lesson. It is the easiest way to find out whether a school and an instructor suit you.
Below are some of the flight schools in Dorset listed on AviatorFinds. If you run a flying school in the county and are not listed yet, you can add your listing here.
Flight schools in Dorset
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More flight school area guides
- Flight Schools in Cornwall: PPL at Newquay and Bodmin, microlights at Land’s End, gliding at Perranporth.
- Flight Schools in Arizona: Chandler, Falcon Field in Mesa and Stellar Airpark.
See every area on our Flight Schools by Area page, or browse all flight schools, clubs and associations in the directory.
