Nppl - Nst & Gst

[tonyhalsall]

In December of this year my lapsed Group A license will pass the ten year (& 13 months) threshold making any future revalidation a bit more of a painful and long drawn out process.

As it is, I need to undertake sufficient training to pass the NPPL Nav and Skills test before December and I can stay group A current.

I let my license lapse because I originally found group A flying expensive and a bit pointless as I only wanted to fly for fun, I then discovered microlights and currently fly 40 or so hours a year in a Shadow which I co-own. I have now decided that I should maintain a group A capability, so on Monday next week I am going to start training again in order to pass the NST and GST. My first flight in a Cherokee for 10 years is provisionally booked for 10.00am Monday.
BUT............................
Currently, it costs me about £15/hour to fly my own Shadow, I will find it highly traumatic to pay £110/hour for a Cherokee to re-train on. I fully intend to get as much preparatory work done as possible and to that end I am asking the group if you can pass on any tips or hints as to what to expect from these two tests. I have downloaded the info from the NPPL web site but it is of course far better to get 'hands on' opinion from those who have been there and done it themselves.

Naturally - anyone wanting to give me a preparatory flight experience in the form of a dummy GST I will happily split the cost or trade you double time for a jolly in my Shadow.

I am North West based, but in Hertfordshire this week until Friday.

Any offers, suggestions or tips will be very welcome

Thanks

Tony


PS - Before anyone asks why I am not simply revalidating my old UK PPL (A) - it's a medical issue.
Log book Group A - Total 70hrs
3 axis micros - Total 135hrs

[BEagle]

NPPL NST:

Plan a simple 3 leg navex exactly as per the website. Get airborne, transit to the start point. On the first leg, just get on and enjoy it and the Examiner will play the role of a quiet passenger; if you get off-track, describe how you're recovering either to track or to the turning point - and you'll need to tell the Examiner what your turning point ETA is. On the second leg, after a suitable length of time (again, tell the Examiner your ETA at the next turning point), you'll be told that the Wx ahead is below your limits and be told to divert to somewhere the Examiner will show you. You don't have to set off immediately, only when you're ready to do so. On that leg you'll be asked your ETA at the diversion and be expected to map read to amend your track and ETA as required. Eventually (when somewhere obvious is in view), you'll be asked to state where you are. If all that's OK, expect the Examiner to pinch control and fly you home whilst you relax and enjoy the view for once!

Top tips- DON'T over map read on the first 2 legs. You must use a 'system of navigation' and not just track crawl. Only use the minimum necessary RT - you're on a simple day VFR flight. Measure twice, cut once - and fly as accurately as you possibly can.

NPPL GST: You won't be put up for this unless your FIs think that you can pass. The usual pre-flight stuff, then just a straightforward flight to show that you can safely fly steep turns, recover safely from a spiral descent, recover safely from various stalls, would be capable of surviving a forced landing and can fly circuits OK.

Make sure that your PFLs are good, you can fly an EFATO safely and cope with all the various types of circuits. The Examiner will want you to pass and will tell you what to do next - it's not a memory test.

All in all it's really nothing to worry about!

That's what I make my NPPL NST and GST applicants do!

Incidentally, hopefully there will be some agreement between the various NPPL organisations soon so that you'll be able to keep both your microlight and SEP aircraft ratings valid more simply and cheaply than is the current case. Unfortunately the CAA made a mistake when drafting the validity periods in the current ANO; hopefully it all be corrected by spring 2004.

[RichyRich]

Hi Beagle

This sounds exactly what I'm expecting for my JAR PPL test, upcoming (would have been today, but the weather is too lousy). Would this be true?

Thanks
R

[DRJAD]

NPPL and PPL tests are fundamentally similar - after all, they are both testing whether one can be let loose to fly around on one's own, or possibly with passengers.

It's just that the nav. and skills portion is split in the NPPL, with nav. first. It's a shorter total route than PPL.

The skills bit is very similar, however, I'd venture to suggest that to be ready to give a safety brief to the examiner as if they were a passenger would be useful.

Sure you won't have any trouble Tony.

DRJAD