Couple of questions re PPL

[Pat S]

Keen to get underway with lessons in 2010 with the aim of getting my PPL. Just wondering how long it would take if i did lessons say once a week (understanding that this varies slightly per individual)? Also, i'm thinking that i need to budget around 14K for the full PPLA?

[tmpffisch]

Hi Pat

A quick look through my logbook sees about 50 flights to PPL, however I flew a few times a week. If you're up to standard and progress every flight, it should take about a year, flying once a week.

Cost depends on where you do it, capital city airports cost more than country strips due to landing fees, rent, etc. PPL cost me $17700 at Moorabbin.

[toolowtoofast]

IMHO, at 1hr a week, it would be very difficult to do a 50hr/50 week PPL. If you have the $$, fly at least 2hrs a week, expect to take 60hrs. 60 @ $200/hr, + exam fees, $14k.....

If you do manage to do it in minimums, good on you, you'll save $2k.

[eocvictim]

Two hours a week for the GFPT is probably the best way to push through the walls you'll find yourself stuck on. One lesson a week is the easiest way to knock down the Nav aspect without overloading yourself mentally, physically (if you're still working) and financially.

Your age and the type of person you are will affect the length of training. Expect anywhere from 60-100hours depending on how much time you can devote to your training.

[Homesick-Angel]

It worked best flying in blocks for me. Id save up a bit of cash then fly it out. I did GFPT really fast, but then slowed down to do the Navs as one or two a week was plenty, then after a longish break due to being broke I came back and did a few Navs in the week leading up to the PPL test and passed no worries. I was obsessed (still am) and did heaps of work on the ground with all the radio calls and procedural stuff so that I wasn't bumbling around with it and burning money at so many dollars an hour. I did it pretty much on the minimums, but doing it in blocks like that really worked for me even though I felt pretty overloaded sometimes.Im convinced that you can do a heap of work on the ground and save yourself a lot of cash no matter what point of your training your up to.


**A note...Get the theory done asap if you can..Costs you nothing but the books and some time**.

Good luck.Tis a lot of fun.

[AerocatS2A]

I did one lesson per week at .7 hours per lesson (it was all I could afford). When the time came for navs I had to save up for a few weeks between each nav. It took me 18 months in total and around 58 hours due to doing an aerobatic rating and tailwheel endo. So it can be done but it helps to have an understanding and willing flying school (Mainland Air in NZ knew my budget restrictions and were careful to keep lessons to 0.7) and it's always better to do more per week.

[ab33t]

Get the ground stuff out the way

Depending on your retention I woulod recomend flying at least every week as you do require continuity .

[Horatio Leafblower]

I think you have a friend with a flying school in country NSW.

He will be willing & able to help you get things done very efficiently, and for less than $14k!

Call him. :ok:

[Rusty1970]

I'm pretty close to GFPT, weather and my ability depending, and I'd recommend a minimum of an hour a week. I have been doing an hour a week for 2 weeks, then skip a week (work committments keep me from flying on the 3rd weekend) I really notice the break. Add in weather and other things that crop up that mean you can't fly, and the breaks become longer from time to time.

It's not that you necessarily forget the things like radio calls or checks because you can run through those in your head during the off weeks, but I find my flying becomes sloppier. You'll go back to doing circuits and I find my accuracy suffers (I find myself 100ft or so lower/higher than I should be by the end of my downwind checks). It takes a few under the belt again to get back up to speed. By then, half the lesson is gone. When I can do a few lessons over a few days in a row like over the Christmas break, I think people find themselves progressing much more quickly

I'm not saying don't do it (flying once a month is better than not flying at all because it is fantastic and oe of the best things you'll ever do), but you'll find it easier and cheaper if you can manage at least that once a week refresher. More if your bank account and free time can afford it.

[LeadSled]

Par S,
Do yourself a favour, save your money, and arrange to take vacation leave/time off, and do it all at once. This will minimize the hours/cost, maximize the standard you reach, and be a very satisfying experience.

With one hour a week, about half of each lesson will be catching up to where you left off the previous week, ie; very roughly 50% of flight time "wasted". I am speaking here as an ex-GA instructor and CFI.

Do it in the country somewhere, not at a GAAP. After all, if you were learning to drive, would a busy road in peak hour be the place to start. You do not need "GAAP" experience to start with, that will come much easier later on. 20min. taxi time per paid/block hour and long transit times to training areas doesn't do the budget much good, either. In the bush, airborne and you are in the training area.

I know of many examples of pilots who have got to GFPT (or the old Restricted PPL) in 3-4 weeks.

Tootle pip!!

PS: Where are you, that will result in advice on where to go.

[dude65]

GFPT took me from July 1 to October 26 (in the same year)

PPL took me from Jan 12 to Aug 26 (also in the same year)

I did the GFPT on a sort of pay as you go, meaning that I saved up the $$$ then had the lesson. That worked OK for the GFPT part. With the navs I borrowed a bit and saved the rest and tried to fly at least twice a month.

I did the whole thing while working and did it all part time. You must also factor in poor weather, bumped lessons, illness (I remember cancelling one navex as I had a shocking headcold) and whatever else you can think of that will stop you getting in the air.

For what it's worth I reckon save and do your GFPT. Then save again and do your PPL. In between you can take your mates out for a blast in the training area.

[YPJT]

You can save yourself several hundred dollars also by not bothering with the GFPT. At the end of the day, it is only a passenger carrying privilege on a student licecence and to utilise those priveleges you still need the aircraft signed out by a licenced pilot and an instructor on the ground "supervising" your flying. Unless the training ops manual specifies otherwise, you are also limited to flying within the confines of the training area.
Some schools will tell you that you must do a GFPT and that may be the case if it is in their ops manual but remember, you only need it if you have a burning desperate desire to take up pax before gaining your PPL.

[Pat S]

Thanks for all the great info. I'm in inner city Sydney so Bankstown will be my friend. Thinking of either Schofields or Whitworth at this stage. I must admit, i did start taking some lessons a couple of years ago. I was doing a lesson a month (was all i could afford) but it was totally impractical. I was taking more than half the lesson to catch up to where i was the lesson before. I think i did about 6 hours all up. I thought doing a lesson a week would be the way to go but i can see that doing a few a week would be even better. Not too fussed with taking paxs up on GFPT - not sure any of my friends would be brave enough to take the challenge!

[Track5milefinal]

You can save yourself several hundred dollars also by not bothering with the GFPT.


Then you have to go over everything that is in the GFPT flight test in your PPL flight test... Dunno about you but i wouldn't be keen on doing Medium level turns, Climbing and descending etc on my PPL Test!!

Doing your GFPT also gives you something to work towards and knocks off the "General flying" side of things then you can concentrate on your NAVex's

My 2 bob :ok:

[tmpffisch]

Then you have to go over everything that is in the GFPT flight test in your PPL flight test... Dunno about you but i wouldn't be keen on doing Medium level turns, Climbing and descending etc on my PPL Test!!


I skipped GFPT. No biggie.

I found through flying a PPL test, that one would climb, descend, turn left and right through normal flying, to the satisfaction of the ATO and requirements of the test... and it saves a fair whack of money.

You'd hope that by PPL level, the thought of having to do something basic like that isn't too stressful. Did however have to do a stall (which was under the hood as a unusual attitude with wing drop).

[bentleg]

I'm in inner city Sydney so Bankstown will be my friend


Do consider Camden. Its not much further than BK. No waiting in queues to take off and no 10+ minute commute each way to the training area. You also have two runways, grass and bitumen. Some good schools with nice aircraft.

[LeadSled]

Pat S,

Unless you enjoy shooting yourself in the foot, and tearing up $$$ bills, forget Bankstown.

Creamie is right, it can be done in double quick time, and you will be a better pilot for it. Some years ago now, but my PPL was 30 days, start to finish, would have been even quicker if I hadn't been held up waiting for the SPL to arrive in the mail, so I could go solo --- and I was just flying in the evening after work, and weekends.

Now, sadly, Camden can also be a real pain in the ****, particularly the days the main runway is closed for filming a third rate TV show. Think about RNAC , Scone , over the hills, out of the Sydney basin, Bathurst, Orange.

Tootle pip!!