Training for the PPL

[Nav420]

Hi i am 19 years of age. I started a degree in computer science, after a few months i realised that it was not for me.
I always had the fascination of becoming a pilot from a very young age, but as i grew older it faded away because i was told and i thought that you have to be very clever in maths and the sciences and have to have amazing grades in these subjects, i looked into becoming a pilot more realising that my thoughts were totally false and that i could actually persue a career in becoming an airline pilot, the only stumbling block would be the cost of it all.

my questions to you guys are-

1. I live in Berkshire and the closest option for me to complete my PPL would be at White Waltham in Maidenhead or Wycombe Airfield, and in order to complete the PPL at these 2 airfields it would cost me £10,000.

So should i do it here in the U.K or in the USA, obviously the PPL in USA is a lot cheaper but is the standard of it actually any good as compared to the UK, and if you guys had to choose would you do it here in the UK or in the USA?


2. Should i sit my groundschool exams first before my PPL training, if Yes, which exams should i give first, and how would i prepare for them without any flying experience, and what time frame should i give each module?

Your help would be greatly appreciated.

[AlphaMale]

1. So should i do it here in the U.K or in the USA? obviously the PPL in USA is a lot cheaper but is the standard of it actually any good as compared to the UK? and if you guys had to choose would you do it here in the UK or in the USA?


2. Should i sit my groundschool exams first before my PPL training?

1. This is debatable, JAA PPL instructors in the US are just as good as the FI here in the UK, do some research on 21 day PPL's (you'll find a few threads on here) The cost for me (time off work/flights/1 month+ accommodation etc) seems to be quite equal.

2. If you're referring to ATPL ground school then you'll need a PPL before you can start it.

Good luck

[poss]

First question you asked I had a debate with someone on another forum about. I don't see a point in going over to the US to learn to fly just to save 2kish... and from an income point of view i'm not very well off.
Also when you go to convert your license from FAA to CAA approved you have to resit all your exams and do a few more hours with an instructor because the JAR-FCL requires more than an FAA PPL. A lot of hassle if you ask me.
Second question - I'd say read the airpilots manual 1 or whatever book the flight school/club require and get to know the exercises you will be doing, get a head start on the aviation law... but really learn as your going through the practical - you understand what your learning a little better.

[Nav420]

Im reffering to the PPL, the 7 exams

[BerksFlyer]

Nav420, I'm also in Berkshire and I can tell you that to do a PPL at White Waltham will cost around £6,500, which is above the odds but not quite
£10, 000!

[Nav420]

Hey BerksFlyer! yep your rite the cost is £6,500 for the 45hour ppl package but do i not have to do the Instrument rating and Night flying as my aim is to become a commercial pilot?

The Instrument rating at white waltham is £2500 and the night rating is £160 per hour and 5 hours is required which is £800 so all in all it adds up to £10,000 right?

[AlphaMale]

The Instrument rating at white waltham is £2500 and the night rating is £160 per hour and 5 hours is required which is £800 so all in all it adds up to £10,000 right?

I don't think you'll find a school offering a £13k Instrument Rating for £2,500.

For £2,500 you're looking at an IMC.

So;

£6,500 for PPL
£800 for Night
£2,500 for IMC

£9,800 leaving you with a couple of hundred pound toward your class 1 medical.

Then you'll need to hour build and sit your ATPL exams, then the expensive bit which is a Multi-IR and CPL and an MCC to top it off ;)

[BerksFlyer]

You only need the PPL, no need to do an IMC or night rating if you want to be a commercial pilot. You get the instrument rating with your CPL.

[Nav420]

So which Modules should i start learning about and reading before i start my PPL which will be in about 3-4 months time-


HUMAN PERFORMANCE & LIMITATIONS
AIR LAW & OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES
METEOROLOGY
COMMUNICATIONS
FLIGHT PLANNING
NAVIGATION
AIRCRAFT GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

If you guys could tell me which ones i could learn and sit before doing my PPL would be a great help and in which order i should do them.

What sort of time frame should i be looking to learn each module in?

Thanks

[AlphaMale]

You only need the PPL, no need to do an IMC or night rating if you want to be a commercial pilot. You get the instrument rating with your CPL.

Well ... You do actually need a night rating to become a commercial pilot.

For the CPL you'll need;


Hold a current JAA PPL
Completed 5 hours night flight time
Have completed at least 150 hours flight time as a pilot, of which at least 100 must be PIC and 20 cross country
Have completed a 300 nm cross-country flight including 2 full stop landings at airfields other than your starting point.
Hold a valid Class 1 Medical certificate
The minimum age for issue of a CPL licence is 18
Have successfully completed CPL or all 14 ATPL theoretical knowlege exams


You won't get an IR with your CPL but people tend to do the CPL/Multi-IR with the same school in the same period. :O others might opt to do an IR in Spain where it's cheaper etc

[maxdrypower]

Thsi has been done a million times before and is easily found on the search engine, however Im bored
If oyu going to do a PPL and wanna start the exams , the best way to do it is air law first , as you cant go solo without it . Not forgetting to get your class 2 also . Then start Nav as this is what you will get into once you have been solo and start consolidating and you have to have passed it prior to your qual x country , I satnd to be corrected but I think you have to have passed met too. Then do the others as you see fit . All must be passed prior to licence issue and I think the GFT .

[Nav420]

Thanks for your feedback, as for choosing the books would the best option be to go for the Trevor Thom's Air Pilot Manuals?

[WALSue]

would the best option be to go for the Trevor Thom's Air Pilot Manuals?
Personally, I've found it better to have a couple of books on each subjet, Ive got Thom's and the AFE books. One topic may be described better in one than another. Of course, does make it a bit more expensive

[AJWatson2209]

Hi Nav420,

Personally I use the AFE books by Jeremy M Pratt. They have come highly recommended by other people and seem quite good.

I am at the start of my PPL licence and was advised to start with the Air Law section 1st so i would agree with the post made earlier by maxdrypower.

All the best.

[Bronx]

Nav420

Suggest you read this >>> Free PPL courses (http://www.gapan.org/careers/scholarships/schols08.htm)

B.