Header photo: David Howard / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped)
You can’t learn to fly from Heathrow or London City, but there are plenty of airfields around the edge of London with busy flight schools. To the north, Elstree Aerodrome near Borehamwood has four schools listed here: Flyers Flying School, Air Academy, Flight Training London and FlyElstree, which between them cover trial lessons, the PPL and instrument flying.
London at a glance
- Main airfields: Elstree, Biggin Hill, Redhill, Denham, Fairoaks, White Waltham, Wycombe Air Park
- What you can learn: Trial lessons, PPL and LAPL, instrument and commercial training, helicopters
- Schools listed: 14 on AviatorFinds, plus 4 airfields and a heritage hangar
- Events: Pilot Careers Live London (7 Nov 2026), Future Pilot Skills Event (16 Jan 2027)
Jump to: Flight schools Airfields Choosing a school Events FAQs
To the south-east, London Biggin Hill Airport has the MP Flying Club for PPL training, EFG Flying School (Falcon Flying Group) for private and commercial training, and Echelon Air, a Cirrus training centre. To the south, Redhill Aerodrome in Surrey is a historic grass airfield dating from 1933, with schools including Redhill Aviation, Cubair and Cloudbase, plus trial lessons in an ex-RAF Bulldog with Red Dog Aviation.
West of London, The Pilot Centre at Denham teaches courses from the PPL and LAPL to the CPL and instructor ratings, the London Transport Flying Club flies from Fairoaks in Surrey, the West London Aero Club is at White Waltham near Maidenhead, and Heli Air trains helicopter pilots at Wycombe Air Park.
Flight schools in London
These are the flight schools and clubs in and around London listed on AviatorFinds, in alphabetical order. Tap a card to see contact details, location and what each one teaches.
See all UK flight schools All flight schools & clubs
Airfields and aviation heritage around London
The airfield listings below have contact details for pilots and visitors, and the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar is a working hangar where you can see Spitfire restoration projects on a tour.
Choosing a flight school in London
- Check the journey time. London traffic can turn a short distance into a long trip, so choose an airfield you can reach easily for regular lessons.
- 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.
- Start with a trial lesson. It is the easiest way to find out whether a school and an instructor suit you.
New to flying? Start with what it’s like to train for a Private Pilot Licence in the UK, how to become a private pilot: lessons learned and beginner tips and runway markings, signs and lighting explained.
Run a flying school in London that isn’t listed yet? You can add your listing here.
Aviation events in and near London
Upcoming events in London and the Home Counties:
- 7 Nov 2026Pilot Careers Live London 2026 – Sofitel London Heathrow, London, UK
- 16 Jan 2027Future Pilot Skills Event 2027 – University of West London, Ealing, London, UK
- 26–27 Aug 2027Clacton Airshow 2027 – Clacton Seafront, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, UK
Learning to fly: guides from our blog
Frequently asked questions
Where can I learn to fly near London?
The main airfields with flight schools are Elstree (north), Biggin Hill (south-east), Redhill and Fairoaks (south and south-west), Denham and White Waltham (west) and Wycombe Air Park (north-west). All are within easy reach of the M25.
Can I learn to fly a helicopter near London?
Yes. Heli Air offers private and commercial helicopter pilot training from Wycombe Air Park in Buckinghamshire.
Which licence should I train for?
The PPL is the usual starting point, and the LAPL is a simpler option if you only plan to fly light aircraft in the UK. The UK Civil Aviation Authority explains each licence and its medical requirements.
Official sources
More flight school area guides
- Flight Schools in Cornwall: Newquay, Bodmin, Land’s End and gliding at Perranporth.
- Flight Schools in Devon: Exeter Airport, Dunkeswell and gliding at North Hill.
- Flight Schools in Dorset: Bournemouth Airport and the hilltop grass airfield at Compton Abbas.
- Flight Schools in Hampshire: Popham, Blackbushe and Farnborough, from microlights to commercial courses.
- Flight Schools in Scotland: Perth, Glasgow, Prestwick, Fife, Inverness and Aberdeen.
- Flight Schools in Arizona: Chandler, Falcon Field in Mesa and Stellar Airpark.
- Flight Schools in Hawaii: Honolulu, Kalaeloa, Dillingham and Kahului on Maui.
See every area on our Area Guides and Flight Schools by Area pages, or browse all flight schools, clubs and associations in the directory.