Duration of CPL and IR courses?

[emu]

For an average UK PPL pilot with IMC, Night, 150hrs, and assuming the normal UK w/x hold ups and extra costs etc. -

1. How many hrs/weeks for JAA CPL?
2. How many hrs/weeks for JAA IR?
3. And what would be a reasonable cost for both?

I know the minimums, but what is realistic.

Thanks...

:confused:

[ 03 November 2001: Message edited by: emu ]

[foghorn]

Depends on the time of year, how busy the school is and how hard you want to push yourself.

I would allow a minimum of 4 weeks for the CPL and 6 weeks for the IR. In summer you may get the CPL done in 3, but weather doesn't affect the IR too much.

I'd allow £5-6000 for the CPL (higher if you're doing it combined with the MEP rating) and £8-10000 for the IR.

cheers!
foggy.

[ 04 November 2001: Message edited by: foghorn ]

[Megaton]

Anyone care to comment on the feasibility of completing the courses on a part-time basis? I realise it's less than ideal but I'll be busy through the week and I can't see my next Boss letting me have that much time off. :(

[mintfavour]

I have exactly the same problem, Got to keep my full time job and very unlikely be allowed to have lots of extra holidays in orde for me to do my flight training, I have seen one school not to far from me that allow you to your CPL/IR part time ie evenings (in the summer) and weeekend. I havent looked into it to deeply yet. But I would also like to here any advise from others about doing it part time.

cheers

[foghorn]

It's possible to do it part time, however I really wouldn't recommend it. You will need all your energy and commitment to get through the course without having to worry about work. You would definitely end up spending much more part-time, IMHO.

Just looking at my log book from this summer it took me 6 weeks to get my CPL (with time off due to instructor leave and illness), and 4 weeks to get my IR!!!

cheers!
foggy.

[feetnkneestogether]

Emu
Have just gone the whole 9 yards (CPL / IR) at Bristol Flying Centre.
Can highly recommend them. It took me, over the August / September period (Good wx ?etc), the best part of 12 weeks. 5 weeks for the CPL and 6 weeks for the IR and then a bit of messing around waiting for tests & wx.
You've got to remember that nothing ever goes to plan. Whatever the FTO tells you over training timings, just add 30%.

I was there every morning at 9.00am ready to rock & roll 5 or 6 days a week, but the age old problem of wx & aircraft/instructor availability rears its head and you'll generally only get the one trip a day.

If you're doing the full Approved JAR course you're looking at 25hours min for CPL and 50hrs for the IR. These are minimums so you'll probably over shoot.

There is no way you can do all this over weekends. It will take you several years.
I was lucky and convinced my boss to give me unpaid leave, and I still had to ask for a 2 week extension! In the end I had to come back to work and then go back a week later , having scabbed another day off, and take my IR test. I got a partial and so went back 2 weeks later to re-take.
Perhaps that little break meant I had lost that edge that could have got me a first-time pass. I'll never know. The continuity is important. Sorry.

If you've got any questions drop me a line.

Soft Landings

Feetnknees.........