PPL In 21 Days (OFT)

[rziola]

Guys

I would like to know your opinion in regards to completing a PPL (JAA or FAA) in 21 Days at OFT or any other organisation in the US. Do you think this is possible?

[CAT3C AUTOLAND]

It is possible mate, but bloody hardwork. Expect to fly every day, sometimes for 3 - 4 hours, with early starts and late finishes. I did a similar thing in the US back in 1995, and it was tiring!

What I would suggest you do is get all the ground study out of the way and pass the exams before you go, then all you have to nail is the flying. Again read up of all the flight exercises Ex 1 -19, and have them square in your mind.

As I say it is hard work, but also a lot of fun.

Good luck with it, and enjoy it.

[exlatccatsa]

It is possible, but as Autoland says get all of the multiple choice ground exam answers in your head before you go get as much info on the a/c type you'll be flying, so you know all the numbers by heart. I had a great time at Redbird, Dallas in 1980/81 with an English company called Curzon Flight. They specialised in taking Europeans,mostly from the UK, over and sending them back with a PPL in 3 weeks. They sent us all of the manuals on the Tomahawk, ground exams etc abour 2 months before we flew over.
Great bunch of guys.. they knew how to push you..and how to party!! Thanks Chuck Holmes & DickThurbin.
I finished my PPL in 2 weeks 1 day and spent the rest of the time hiring out the Dakota for visits to Kerrvile, home of the Mooney, and South Fork.
Good Luck rziola and whatever happens enjoy it.

[hobbit1983]

I did my PPL at OFT this June – I’d passed all the ground exams & gotten 16 hours logged in the UK beforehand. I took just under a month to complete the PPL, flying roughly 5 days a week or so.

IMHO – I’d say it’s not the best way, as unforeseen circumstances may intervene (weather, maintenance, illness etc) and in any case you’d probably end up being rushed. Other more learned people on here will be able to give you more experienced advice however!

[gcolyer]

Well, it is probably possible to get a PPL in 21 days, but it wouldn't make you a good pilot.


How do you justify this statement?

1) It is very possible to get your PPl in 21days
2) Just because you get it in 21 days does not make you a poor pilot

There are pilots out there that have taken a long long time to get a PPL and not a very good pilot, and ther eare pilots that have taken 21 days and are a very good pilot.

The practical skill level boils down to the individuals appitutde for flying. the theory side will never stop developing. And you cant say that someones theory will be poor because they learnt in 21 days, as they have pased the exams in order to get their licesne. Passing the exams is a testiment to say you have the required level of practical knowledge to hold a PPL.

And in answer to the starting question..yes it is possible..as long there are no delays to your training..i.e Weather, tech problems, illness. Make it easier on yourslef and try to get as many of the exams done before you start the course.

[tangovictor]

Guys
I would like to know your opinion in regards to completing a PPL (JAA or FAA) in 21 Days at OFT or any other organisation in the US. Do you think this is possible?

is it me, or doesn't this same question get asked every week ? :ugh:

[bladewashout]

It does, and answer is always the same:
depends on the student. May work for you, might blow your mind. It blew mine... :* and I had to finish in the UK! Search the archives and find out why people do and don't manage.
BW

[HR200]

Hey, it certainly sounds tempting, but has several issues. I have just come to the end of my PPL, test next week and has taken 18 months due to money, time and weather in the UK.

But, in 21 days, i can't imagin it being easy to do all of the theory and practical in 21 days. In the UK we have 7 written and 1 oral exam, but in the US, i believe its 1.

[gcolyer]

In the UK we have 7 written and 1 oral exam, but in the US, i believe its 1.


That depends if you are doing a JAA or FAA course. If it is a JAA course then it is the 7 + 1 if it is FAA then it is the 1 exam, but it is a mamouth exam even compared to combining the 7 JAA exams.

[scooter boy]

Definitely possible to do in 21 days - much easier to cope with the pace if you are younger (like learning a new language or sport).

I got my FAA ASEL in 14 days in '94 at 27 years old :\ . I could not hope to do it at the same pace now I am an old codger :}.

Ground school best gotten out of the way before departing for the USA - you don't want to waste a second of that stateside time sitting reading the books when you could be flying :cool: (although some additional bookwork will be necessary).

If you are putting in several hours per day then you will not get a chance to forget anything you learned the day before and being in the plane will become as familiar as sitting in your car.

For me it was the best way to learn - but horses for courses, for some people it is more acceptable to do at a slower pace to fit around their work schedule etc...

When you come back IMHO you will be just as safe as anyone else who has a brand new license. Remember it is a license to learn and much of the judgement that makes you safer is impossible to teach no matter how long the course.

Good luck!

SB

[Arclite01]

It's personal but I really did not like OFT at all when I went there.

Arc

[No Speed]

I'm going out to OFT in Feb '07 to do my JAA PPL so I'll let you know what it's like when I get back. As for getting your PPl in 3 weeks,I did my PPL(H) in 4 weeks and it's never done me any harm.

[Jinkster]

I did PPL, Multi Engine Rating, Night Rating and 100hrs hour building in 8 weeks!

Friend of mine did his PPL in 21days when I was out there - he was none stop, i was too - its no holiday but you get it done.....

good luck :ok:

[Keygrip]

What's a night rating?

[ChrisV]

I am studying at OFT right now.
It is possible to do it in 21 days and they even offer a 14 days VIP program.
However, I missed nearly 1 week due to bad weather.
You have to study for your exams before you arrive.
There is not enough time to learn all your theory with all the flying
you're doing. Even if you have some spare time, you'll be so tired after
flying twice a day that you can't use it.

[gcolyer]

What's a night rating?


The correct term is Night Qualification. Us JAA folk have to have a separate qualification to allow us to fly during hours of night. It constists of 5 hours night training.

I had exactly the same remark when I was training in Florida. It was getting fairly dark and I am banging out dual circuits with my instructor. i told him I think we should stop as it is getting dark...his question was "Can't planes fly at night"

I told him JAA folk had to have a separate qualification..he burst out laughing and said I better land then. 4 days later we done my 5 hours night training.

[Kengineer-130]

Well, it is probably possible to get a PPL in 21 days, but it wouldn't make you a good pilot.

:ugh: :mad: :rolleyes: another well informed unblinkered view there then :mad: , so flying consistantly for 3 weeks, learning quickly and getting the chance to put into practice immediatly what you learnt the previous lesson is useless compared to spreading 45hrs over 12-18 MONTHS??? ( as thats the average UK PPL time!!) mate, its people like you that need a damn good attitude re-adjustment, unless you have a credible argument to back up your frankly stupid and stirring post, then I suggest you stop filling theese pags with such utter drivel :ugh: :mad: .......


A 21 day PPL is very possible, I did mine in 3 weeks and 6 days as I booked an extra week just for a bit of an easier time. However, you will need to work hard and apply yourself, its a course not a holiday :ok: , the best way to do it is to get as much groundschool done as you can before you go out there, you will give yourself a much easier time if you do. I went to OBA, and have only praise for them :ok: excellent flight instructors, excellent ground school lectures :ok: just ignore the miserable old farts who say it can't be done/ makes you a bad pilot etc :rolleyes: , they are just upset it took them 5 years and 3 times the money to get thier PPL :E

[tiggermoth]

I'm about day 10 through a 21 day JAA PPL course in Florida.

I can't say if it's possible or not to do it in 21 days, but I'm trying to. Good advice, mentioned before, get all your exams out of the way before going over (I got 5 out of the way plus the RT practical and the FAA and JAA medicals).

You may wish to check for hidden costs, and terms that aren't as published. "No fuel surchages or other extra fees" or "All inclusive price" seem to have different meanings in the US (so it seems). Read between the lines here. Also "Airport Transfers" (for example) may well involve a school dropping you off at a bus stop. And "1 to 1 training & ground school" may make you think that you will have your own tutor for your ground school training.

The flying instructors at the place I'm at though are very good.

You may well enjoy learning to fly a lot more in the UK. One big advantage is that you would not pick up the dreadful droll US Radiotelephony, and also you'd be able to navigate around your own home area. Another advantage would be possibly aircraft in better condition with things like (let's say) strobe lights or landing lights working.

Another thing to factor in is the cost of time off work, and the general disruption of being out of the country for almost a month.

21 days in the USA at the right school may suit some people, but as a person actually in the USA for flight training at the moment, I'd say think again, seriously.

(my flyerlog link has been removed)

[tmmorris]

I did both my driving and my pilot's licenses in intensive courses (one week in Burton upon Trent and three and a half weeks in Welshpool respectively) and recommend it. You don't have the loss of skills between lessons that you do with spreading it out.

However in both cases I realise now that I emerged from the process qualified but with a lot to learn. That would have happened, I suspect, from the usual method too, but I don't know because I haven't tried it...

FWIW I didn't learn much of the written stuff before the start of the course. But: I learn quickly; I worked solidly 8-5 every day for those 3.5 weeks, plus evening written work (when I wasn't flying I was working - about 3 hours of flying and 3 hours of working every day, allowing for ground briefings &c); and I am one of nature's exam candidates (under pressure I remember stuff, rather than forgetting it). Plus I have A level maths (a while ago) and was 30 at the time, rather younger than the average, it seems!

Tim

[tiggermoth]

I've just passed my PPL this morning (with Night Rating) at OBA after 21 days.
It is possible to do, best to do your exams before you go out.
Good luck!

[morts]

Chuck Holmes part time FI working for Braniff?
Dick Thurbin...Wycombe Air Centre?
Ive an idea we may have been at Redbird at approx the same time....May 81?

Gregg.

[mixture]

Dick Thurbin...Wycombe Air Centre?

Wycombe Air Centre ?

I think you'll find Mr Thurbin over at the much more civilised BAFC, not WAC. :cool:

[DBisDogOne]

As numerous others have said, do as many (if not all) exams in the UK before you go as well as a few hours in the air to get the 'feel' of things. Make sure (as P-D mentioned) you are up to an intensive course, I like 'em but they aren't for everyone, only you can make this decision.
The reason behind this as there'll be less to do and you'll have a more relaxed time in the US and can focus on applying the theory to the practice and make evenings a bit more sociable!. Also, allow longer than the normal three weeks to cope with crap weather conditions, I did and was glad of it! (I lost about six days in the end due to crap wx)
The wx in USA is not always as great/predictable as they'll have you believe. At worst, you'll have some time on your hands if you finish on time so can do some extra hours or go do the tourist bit.