How long to get CPL?

[salin]

Starting with zero hours and training part time (say only 1 day a week available for training) how long would it realistically take to get a CPL(A)? Is it advisable to avoid doing it this way?
Unfortunatly work commitments preclude doing a full time course.

[Ando1Bar]

I'd say give yourself at least two years. GFPT (student) training make take up around 35-40 weeks. PPL training another 8-10 weeks and CPL another 35 odd weeks. Add to this any time that it will take to make up the command hours required for a commercial licence.

Keep in mind that the PPL (and some of the CPL) exercises goes for around 3 hours each, and may cost anywhere between $500-1000. Because of your budget you may not be able to do these every week.

[rmcdonal]

Works out cheeper for you if you do it all in one hit, then you dont have to go back over the stuff from the last lesson.

[inthesoup]

Salin,

The biggest hurdle (time factor) in getting your licence is the theory.

If you are considering starting to get your licence then start studying now.

the first hurdle is the BAK (Basic Aeronautical Knowledge), can be confusing if you don't back up the theory with a little flying. Overall durable.

However the next step depends on your commitment.

You can either go through to your PPL - (pass the ppl exam - similar to BAK but little more indepth plus meterology and navigation). This is a great way for more flexibility in your hour building, where you can take family, friends and cost share the flight. (ie hire out the a/c for $xx and divide that up between bum on seats, works out rather heap).
Whislt flying once or even every fortnight study for the 7 CPL exams and save money to finish off the cpl syllabus. this can tale around 1 year, uptil as long as it takes you, but generally 18 months

OR

Still have to do BAK then GFPT. Once you do that start studying for the commercial exams. Do the PPL syllabus but don't do the PPL flight test and continue your way through to the CPL flight test. The only downside to this is no flexibility to where you can go, (because you are directly supervised by the flying school in where you can go AND you CAN NOT take passengers with you). The only advantage?? with this option is 1 less exam and flight test. Duration of the course? again depends on how long it takes you to complete the 7 exams.

Hope this helps.

PM me if you want further details, break up of how to go about thisc

Cheers
ITS

[zepthiir]

I may be opening myself to a flame here but im going to suggest option 3. Skip the GFPT practical exam (still need to do the BAK) and go straight through to PPL, they will cover the GFPT and PPL in the one flight test and depending on the person conducting your PPL exam it may not take you any longer than a straight PPL flight test.

Since you plan on going straight to CPL the GFPT wont really do much for you. My instructor tried to convince me to do the GFPT aswell to get accustomed to the testing procedure but really you shouldnt have any trouble with the PPL flight test. Your instructor wont let you go for it unless he thinks you are ready and will pass.

This way you still skip one exam and save yourself some money but also have the extra freedom PPL allows. Also note that going straight from GFPT to CPL skipping the PPL will mean you may not fly more than 15hrs without a check flight and every flight must be signed off by an instructor. Also with a GFPT you may only carry passengers in the training area and not on navs.

All three steps will probably take you roughly the same time however as soup has said it really depends on your commitment. If you can only fly once a week try and set aside at least a few nights a week for study. You will be amazed at how quickly the practical hours dissapear and how slowly the study for the 7 CPL exams will progress if your not careful. You dont want to get stuck with all your practical done and no theory tests completed.

Zepth

[Ando1Bar]

I may be opening myself to a flame here but im going to suggest option 3. Skip the GFPT practical exam (still need to do the BAK) and go straight through to PPL, they will cover the GFPT and PPL in the one flight test and depending on the person conducting your PPL exam it may not take you any longer than a straight PPL flight test.

This way you still skip one exam and save yourself some money but also have the extra freedom PPL allows. Also note that going straight from GFPT to CPL skipping the PPL will mean you may not fly more than 15hrs without a check flight and every flight must be signed off by an instructor. Also with a GFPT you may only carry passengers in the training area and not on navs.

Zepth

This can save some money and time, but you'll miss out on being able to take friends, family etc for a flight once you've done the GFPT training. Although you'll only be able to fly in the local area once you've passed the GFPT test, this is a good way to build your command hours at a low cost. If you take 3 friends up for an hour, you can cost share the flight meaning it may only cost you $40 (the others pay $40 each), but you get the full hour in your logbook.

[Di_Vosh]

I'd prefer Zepthiir's option than Ando1bars option for the simple reason that you're going to run out of people to take into the training area very quickly.

OTOH, with a PPL, you can gain your command hours by cost splitting some really good flights (Victor1 out of BK, 12 Apostles out of MB, etc.). I got at least 30 of my CPL command hours taking friends and family around Victoria and southern NSW. After my CPL, I got plenty more doing the same.

Back to the original question, though, if you're only training one day per week, then 2 years sounds about right. Esp. if you're doing it out of somewhere like MB, where you'll be cancelling flights regularly due weather.

I'd recommend doing as much of your ab-initio flying more regularly than one day per week, for obvious reasons. Can you take a week or two off work and spend that time full time at the flying school? That way you could get your general handling consolidated before having to go back to once per week.

Or...

Do your work commitments prevent you from flying prior to 8:00 am or after 6:00 pm? If not, you may want to consider early morning/evening lessons during the summer (If you're in a state that has daylight savings)?

Just some ideas.

DIVOSH!

[NAMPS]

Each of the options describe have merit.

Another factor as to how long it will take is the effect of weather on "once a week" training. I appreciate that work commitments will govern here, but I found that weather can be a big factor in the time it takes. If your "once a week" training is flexible then there should be no problem. If, on the other hand, you are stuck with a particular day of the week then you could probably add a few months over the couple of years.

[zepthiir]

This can save some money and time, but you'll miss out on being able to take friends, family etc for a flight once you've done the GFPT training. Although you'll only be able to fly in the local area once you've passed the GFPT test, this is a good way to build your command hours at a low cost. If you take 3 friends up for an hour, you can cost share the flight meaning it may only cost you $40 (the others pay $40 each), but you get the full hour in your logbook.

Just wondering how you miss out on being able to take family and friends for a fly if you obtain a full PPL by my method? Granted it takes longer before you can but after GFPT all the training to PPL is navex which you wouldnt be able to take passengers for anyway. Plus having a PPL to take you the rest of the way to CPL means you can cost share your command training and you are less limited in what you can do when you take friends and family for a flight.

As soon as I got my PPL I took my wife and parents (seperate flights of course) up for harbour orbits and victor 1 flights, not something you can do with just a GFPT.

In the end though it is up to the individual to discuss with their instructor exactly what they want from their training and where they want to end up. Make it abundantly clear that you want to progress through to CPL and make sure you get setup properly for a 150 hr course (less hours plust GST free training) and make sure you have an instructor that listens to what you want out of your training and is able to give advice on the best way to go about it.

There are many different ways that training can go and only you and your instructor will be able to work out what is best for your situation.

[Ando1Bar]

I was just giving some food for thought. It could be six months between finishing the GFPT training and passing the PPL test due to budget constraints. But if you've got no interest in taking passengers around the local area then skip the GFPT, but most people are keen to show off their skills ASAP...

[salin]

Many thanks for the replies. My main concerns are firstly, to ensure that I'm a safe and competent pilot and, secondly, to ensure I'm not continually repeating training. Anyway I might try and do a potion of it full time, as suggested.