Typical first 10 hrs of a PPL

[Tasslehoff]

Hi All,

I would like to know what the first 10 hours of a PPL would be made up off? I understand that there will be some variation from club to club, as well as Instructor to Inst, but just a guide...

I've just done my 3rd hour, so I'm still very new. Typicaly when would my first solo be?

Thanks for reading,

LG

[Daveg4otu]

First 10 hours - IIRC mostly circuits...and again IIRC first solo was at about 8 hours...this back when you could complete in 35 hours..I believe that has changed?

[Tasslehoff]

45 hrs in the UK now...

Thanks 4 the reply.

[Golf--Lima--Papa]

First 10 hours mostly includes general handling and circuits.

Solo will come between 10-20 hours, everyone is different.

There will be many a 'top gun' claiming they had their first solo after 5 hours or so.

[P.Pilcher]

Although I have heard of some organisations where the first and most subsequent lessons after the trial one consists of circuits if the weather isn't too good (!) this, IMHO isn't the way it should be. Your first lessons should concern the principles of handling the aircraft. How to use the cortrols correctly, how to use trim, power and flaps and the effects therof. With these practiced consolidation of these exercises should follow where you learn to fly straight and level at different airspeeds and configurations (flap settings), climbing and descending and turning correctly, both level, climbing and descending as well. Once these are "in the book" it is necessary to find out how to recognise a stall, it's onset and what to do to prevent this happening and to recover if, inadvertently, it does. Then flight at very low airspeed can be practiced. Then and only then in my book does the student get introduced to the circuit where almost all the skills previously practiced get put together. When it comes together, and when some competency in aircraft R.T procedures and a little knowledge in air law is gained, first solo will occurr. With ex-glider pilots this can be in a minimum of about 5 hours. Starting from scratch with a bright, usually young student, it can be as little as 8, but due to weather and other factors, a good student can have his solo delayd for... well over 20 hours. It is to be remembered in such instances that such students will have experience of all sorts of poor weather conditions and many more useful hours of dual experience which will enable them to cope adequately with much more on their first solo than the student soloing at 8 hours, and progress is usually very rapid once a 20 hour solo student earns this privelege.
Enjoy your training and your P.P.L. when it is granted. Remember, most pilots never experience the feeling that they get when they have just completed thei first solo more than once. But some of us experience it twice - when? The first time we send a first solo as instructors. We metaphorically fly every inch of that circuit with our first first solo candidate and the sight of that safe landing at the end is a wonderful feeling for the sending instructor as well. In my case, for all my instructional years, I could never get out of my head the briefing I received so many years ago from my CFI when he sent me on my first solo. It was an excellent one and I used it myself every time I sent one.
As I said ........... Enjoy!

P.P.

[Charlie Zulu]

Let me cast my mind back...

There isn't a "typical" first 10-20 hours as everyone is different but for most folk it'll go something like this.

1) Walk around (supervised), startup, Taxiing, maybe introduction to the radio, straight and level.

2) Walk around (supervised), startup, taxiing, more radio, climbing and descending, following through with controls for take-off and landing

3) As above plus medium level turning turning and maybe your first take off.

4) As above but maybe let loose on own to do the walk around, consolidation of above

5) As above plus slow flight and introduction to stalls and maybe attempt your first landing

6) As above with more stalling

7) As above with spinning (if you wish as its not compulsary but I'm a great believer in spin training)

8) Introduction to circuits (maybe away from airfield to start off with so you don't really have to worry about other traffic whilst getting used to each leg of the circuit)

9) More circuits (at the airfield if the last session wasn't)

10) Yet more circuits

Of course one should not rush any of these exercises and if they run over the ten hours then not to worry as these are the most important to get right as all of your flying will be based on these very foundation exercises.

I personally took around 16 hours to go solo and thought I would never do it! A change of instructor whilst mine was off doing his ATPL exams (this was back in the BCPL days) saw me go solo.

My fiancée took six hours to go solo when she was doing her fifteen hours basic training during her air traffic control course but I'm not sure how ready she would have been if anything untoward should have happened as I still didn't feel ready at sixteen hours.

[DaveD]

Might be worth noting that if your aerodrome charges for landings, then the quicker you pick up landing the plane, the less money it's going to cost you in the long run.

I went solo after 6.5 hours.

I did 6 landings with my instructor and he sent me solo, I was a natural to start off with which greatly benefited me, sometimes you got it, sometimes you gotta practice. (Thats enough of blowing my own trumpet! :ugh:) To stress on something when you do start your circuits... (Don't be afraid of back pressure!!!") I'm sure your instructor will teach you properly, but remember that 1 point, it will stand you in good stead.

[Lister Noble]

There is a massive thread on this forum,search for 0-45 hrs by Mazzie.
Some excellent stuff in it, it will take ages to read but worthwhile.
Took me around 19 hrs to solo.53 hrs to PPL

The longer it takes to solo the better pilot you will be.:}

Sorry last line was a pop at the top guns:D
Good luck and have fun.
Lister:)

[madgav]

CZ
Sounds similar to mine (http://www.gmcc0266.plus.com/ppl.htm), :ok:
Regards,
Gav.

[madgav]

There is a massive thread on this forum,search for 0-45 hrs by Mazzie
Here it is:
http://www.pprune.org/private-flying/138022-zero-forty-five-my-ppl-diary.html
Don't forget 45 is only a minimum and most take longer (including me now :})

The longer it takes to solo the better pilot you will be.http://static.pprune.org/images/smilies/badteeth.gif
Sorry last line was a pop at the top guns:D
He he :)

Gav.

[eltonioni]

I've never understood why anyone gives two hoots about how long it takes to get to solo.

Not only is every pilot different, but every airfield is different, the weather on the day, the crosswind, the runway type, length and condition, the instructor(s), whether you argued with the cat on the way out...

27.4 at Netherthorpe if you must ask :\ and by the time the wind and weather was playing ball for first solo I'd done every excercise up and including to 15 (advanced turning), 5 hours of proper crosswind landings, overhead joins, 24 hours of short field work, 3.9 hours fun flying in South Africa... and I'm still rubbish :D

Oh to be a sky god!

Enjoy the training liamgraysa - it's some of the best flying you'll ever do.

[modelman]

DaveD wrote:

I was a natural to start off with


What happened later?

MM

[Tasslehoff]

Thanks to everyone for the great feedback!

Looks like mine is taking the form described by Charlie Zulu. I'm not really too fussed about when the first solo would be, as from my skydiving days I've learned that experience is worth more than a quick license...

Don't worry guys, I'm loving every moment!!

Blue Skies:)

[DaveD]

What happened later?

MM

Haha, crashed into a tree... :ugh:

Nah, i'm still doing my PPL, only did my solo about 1 month ago..

[fernytickles]

Here's the EAA's "Learning to fly" blog, by Brady Lane - full of great and informative comments - Brady is experiencing most of the ups & downs everyone goes through.

Earning My Wings: a video blog about learning to fly (http://www.eaa.org/apps/blog/learntofly/17/Default.aspx)

[Shunter]

I was under the impression that you were supposed to be taught all the initial exercises (straight/level, turns, stalls, steep turns, all the general handing stuff), basic radio, then going onto circuits, then eventually solo. How exactly does an instructor consider a student ready to go solo at 6hrs?

For the record I didn't solo until 20hrs, yet had logged exactly 45hrs when I applied for my license. First solo timing means nothing.

[Fitter2]

The typical first 10hrs of a PPL

a) lasts 10 hrs, and
b) occurs when sitting in a non-complex single engined aircraft.

If you are lucky, it is sitting beside an instructor who is aware that every student is different, and uses the 10hrs to best effect.

[Slopey]

First 10 hours in the UK..

1) Turn up at airfield
2) Lesson cancelled due to weather
3) Goto 1

;)


My biggest tip from lessons was - Trim, Trim, Trim, Trim, Trim, and Trim! And don't forget about Trim! Very useful that little wheel!

[modelman]

DaveD wrote:

I went solo after 6.5 hours.


You must be an exceedingly quick learner to have mastered:effects of controls,S&L,climbing,descending,stall awareness/recovery,landing with flap/no flap/glide,EFATO,basic nav to alternate (in case yours had another a/c splattered on it) etc,in only 6.5 hours.

I'm impressed:rolleyes:

MM

[MyData]

Mazzy's 0-45 is an excellent reference too. I remember contributing often to that thread back in the days when we were learning at the same time.



Edited to remove link to BLOG.

[Lister Noble]

I miss his inputs,does anyone know how things are going for him?
Lister:)