PPL before Integrated Course???

[captwannabe]

Is it a good idea to have a PPL before starting an integrated course?

If you had a PPL before an integrated course, where did you train for it? Did you require much retraining on the integrated course?

How often do you have to fly to keep a PPL current?

:confused:

[scroggs]

Why would you want to spend extra money on a PPL before doing a course that is designed to take you from scratch? Unless you have money to burn...

Scroggs

[Eddie_Crane]

How often do you have to fly to keep a PPL current?

:confused:

JAR-PPL(A):
12 hours in last 12 months of validity period. Min. 6 hours PIC, including 12 take-offs and landings, and one instructional flight (or any other skills test) OR proficiency check in last 3 months of validity.
Three take-offs and landings in last 90 days for carriage of passengers.

I guess most of it should be correct?

[Eddie_Crane]

Why would you want to spend extra money on a PPL before doing a course that is designed to take you from scratch? Unless you have money to burn...
Scroggs

I can think of one instance where it would be useful (if not necessary, mainly because it applies to me directly).
If a wannabe wanted to get a JAR Class 1 Medical with the UK CAA through their "deviation route" workaround, he/she would have to satisfy three requirements: be over 21 years of age, have had a stable prescrition in the last 3 years (with refraction somewhere between intial and renewal requirements) AND hold a PPL (not sure why this "requirement" is in place, but it is there). Anyway, this workaround allows people with say a -6.00 shortsightedness to gain a Class 1 Medical and proceed onto commercial training. One could then choose Integrated or Modular as he/she pleases/can afford.

[scroggs]

Incidentally, while we're on the subject of PPLs - they are not an appropriate subject for the Wannabes forums - they belong in Private Flying, which is where posts and threads about PPLs get moved. I'm not saying this is one of those threads, but Captwannabe may be looking for one or two posts...

Scroggs

[window-seat]

I decided to complete a PPL prior to deciding on Integrated or Modular training for the following reasons:-

- As a self test before embarking on the huge task of commercial training
- To see if I actually enjoyed flying
- To give myself a basic knowledge of all the aviation subjects
- And to help make a few contacts (which may come in handy at some later stage)!

Had I gone down the modular route, then the PPL hours would have got me off to a good start. As it worked out however, I completed an Integrated course and saved a fair few SEP hours due to having the PPL. This meant I received a cash refund for the hours not flown which came to around two thirds of the PPL cost.

Having said all that, many people just had a few hours PPL training to give them a taste of things to come. A few had never sat in a light aircraft in their life!! :uhoh:

So a PPL is not necessary, but may give you a heads up! Everyone to their own.

W-S:ok:

[small_dog]

Bear in mind that some parts of your PPL training *may* be different to that which you subsequently receive during your integrated training and thus you might have to subsequently unlearn/forget certain parts of your PPL training. This doesnt happen with 100% of the cases, but it does occur and is something worth bearing in mind. It can depend on your mindset a lot of the time (you have to accept that whilst you may have done things differently before, you now have to do it the way the school wants you to; some people find this easier to do than others).
At the other extreme are the people who start training without never been in a light aircraft before (as mentioned by window seat).

[DVR6K]

I got my PPL well before I decided to pursue an integrated course just for the recreational side of it more than anything to do with training in the future. I claimed back 15 hours of my CPL flying back because I had a current PPL which equated to a nice round £1500. (Little effect on the 60 grand I spent training...)

I hadn't flown for some time before I started the CPL but found it easy to slip back into the rhythm of things and the VFR nav I found a bit easier than the guys who had started from scratch.

I am intrigued by the deviation system as it is how I gained my class 1 medical and had no idea whatsoever that you needed a PPL to get it, very interesting.

[Aerospace101]

I would'nt bother with a PPL - waste of money

Instead spend about £1500ish and get yourself upto 'solo' standard. That'll test whether flying is for you, and will be a fairly big achievement.

Their are scholarships that do this; like the Air League, GAPAN, RAF etc... So look at those, because you could do it all for FREE!