PPL or NPPL please advise.

[no-ones_princess]

Hello all,

Been sent over here from E-goat as I want to learn to fly. I have had a few hours and in all honesty I am not a natural.

I have had a conversation yesterday and I am confused. At the time I was listening but not asking the correct questions. Basically we were discussing weither NPPL or PPL is the best way forward for me personally.

I have looked at the flying schools web site and some of my questions have been answered.

I have calculated the costing at PPL - Cessna 152 £5427 and NPPL - Cessna 152 £3859.20 before my members discount and MoD discount so if I pass first time (not a hope in hell) its not really that expensive.

I have one I can't seem to find the answer to to get your helicopter licence you need a ppl is that correct or more rubbish I have just aimlessly believed? I really would like to fly a helicopter.

Any opinions on weither NPPL or PPL is best for me.

Thank you in advance

x x x x x

P.S. I hope this is in the right place

[foxmoth]

I presume the price difference is based on you doing it in minimum time, in practice you may not finish in the minimum and the price would actually work out a lot closer in which case I would recommend the PPL as it is less restrictive. I think you may be able to decide nearer the end of the course when you see how it is going.
You do not need a fw PPL to do a PPL(H) but this will be more expensive.

[funfly]

in all honesty I am not a natural.

If you were a natural flyer you would be a bird:rolleyes:

I first did my NPPL and then converted to JAR PPL, I had to do this because I initially had a Microlight NPPL so I upgraded it to SSEP NPPL.

Unless you have medical reasons I would tend to go for the full JAR PPL as you will find that most training facilities are geared up to this, if you progress down the NPPL route you will, in practice, get very much the same agenda. It's only near the end of your training that you will reduce the criteria for the NPPL.
Don't forget that the cost will depend on your own ability to proceed through the training, some people do it within the minimum but many take quite a lot more time. Add one hour on for every year you are over 25.

[EGBKFLYER]

I would say there are three things to consider in order to make your decision:

1. Do you have any health issues?
2. What do you want to do with your PPL when you qualify?
3. How much cash can you spend now on learning to fly?

To take each in turn:

1. The NPPL only requires a sign-off from your GP (the standard is the same as for driving lorries) whereas the JAR PPL needs an aeromedical certificate, done by an aero doctor. This costs more (your GP will also probably charge for his signature) and the standards are higher - certainly more of you is tested! There are lots of folks flying on an NPPL who can't get or have lost a JAR PPL due to medical issues. In summary - if you have health issues, NPPL may enable you to fly where a JAR PPL wouldn't.

2. The NPPL is valid in the UK during the day. You can't add any ratings (say to fly on instruments or at night). The JAR PPL is a European licence and can be validated to fly in most countries worldwide (with varying levels of bureaucracy!). If you just intend to fly locally at the weekends on nice days, why not just have an NPPL? If you want to tour abroad (even go to France for lunch or something) or you want to learn instrument flying or night flying, better go for the JAR PPL.

3. Although the prices you mention are for completion in minimum hours, the relative expense of NPPL v JAR remains about the same. If you can't afford to spend quite as much money now, maybe you can afford the NPPL but not the JAR. If that's the case, it's pretty simple to 'upgrade' later if you want to.

One last thing - there is no such thing as a helicopter NPPL yet, so if you want to fly helos, it has to be a JAR PPL(H). As stated, you don't need a fixed wing licence first but helicopters are about double the price of fixed wings to learn on, so you need a decent-sized wallet!

You will find that most training schools teach JAR as well as NPPL - most of the lessons are the same anyway. Until quite a long way through learning to fly, you don't really have to commit yourself to either option...

Hope that helps.

[no-ones_princess]

Thank you for the advice looks like it PPL but see how I get on.

I have had some flying time in a cessna I don't think thats going to count as I was not all that determined I just wanted a jolly time and to conquere a few fears.

I think I will start with fixed wing and when I have mastered that art move on to helicopters which I believe is harder than fixed wing as well as more expensive. But then again I believe anything.

I am not too worried about funds I don't have huge living expenses and have a steady income so thats all dandy.

I appreciate the advice I recommend you all stay away from the Wiltshire sky for a while later in the year. :p

[Pudnucker]

Hiya,

I've got an NPPL and have done a great deal of flying since passing my flight test last year (abour 110 hours). The only real restriction is going abroad and adding IMC/Night ratings. However, this looks like it is going to change very soon (allowing euro flying and possibly a night and instrument style rating). This is in the melting pot now so we should hear pretty soon.

I'm thinking of upgrading to a full PPL to gain an IMC and go overseas, but have decided to delay until news of the NPPL upgrade.

With regards to helicopters, the license will cost you about £10k (looked into it too!) but do consider your flying cost. Just to give you an idea, my plane cost me £600 in fuel, £350 in flying charges - and this is for a four seat fixed wing. A helicopter will cost double so consideration of the ongoing cost once you've gained the licence is important. Bear in mind that these costs were based on a lot of flying and pulling three spare seats around the dorset and wiltshire skies!

Good luck with the training - flying is the best thing I ever did!:O

Cheers

[tangovictor]

As EGBK mentioned, it depends what / where your flying will progress to ?
If like me, you have no aspirations to fly at night, or instrument, then the NPPL seems without a doubt the best way forward, as the costing is about half that of PPL, and lets face it, the better fixed wing microlights are every bit as good if not better, than most ageing school group A machines, + again about half as much to rent