steven_innit

In the uk if i decide to do my licence what can i actually do with it? Can i buy my own aircraft and fly like on holiday or do i need another qualification. Is the PPL just for fun flying?

Thank you

gcolyer

With a basic PPL A (Aeroplane) You can fly a single engined piston aircraft in visual meteorlogical conditions (not in cloud basically) and not in the dark. You can fly to all sorts of places for whatever reason you like:

Ireland, France, Germany, Austria, Scotland, Belgium......blah blah blah.

You can add other qualifications (most of them known as ratings) to your PPL, things like:

Multi Engine
IMC (Instrument meteorlogical conditions), which basically lets you fly in cloud.
IR (Insturment rating) similar to above but a lot more training and privelages.
Night Qualification (lets you fly in the dark).
Sea Plane rating


If you have a job where you travel a lot you could fly yourself to work like some of us here do (and claim the cost back from your employer if they let you).

What you cant do:
Fly for hire or reward or gain. So basically you cant make a profit from passengers, but you can charge them an equal share of the fuel cost. If someone said "If you take me to France I will pay for you to a have weeks holiday" then that would be illegal as it is a gain to you.

Other than it is a great privelage to have a license and the start of a bottomless financial pit that you will absolutley enjoy throwing money in.

Shunter

Yes, you can buy your own aircraft and fly it pretty much wherever you like! The license is what it says it is, private - so you can't profit from it (ie. be paid).

You can also choose to do add-on ratings and qualifications which allow you to fly in the dark, in cloud, with more then one engine, on floaty things instead of wheels etc etc..

Edit: like he said ^

LH2

Gcolyer's response above has got to be the best answer to this particular question I have seen in a long time. Very well explained indeed, sir.

sternone

When you start, it gives you also a licence to be a smart guy on PPRuNe!

Justiciar

Although you mention PPL you need to know that there are two licences you can get in the UK: the PPL and the NPPL (National Private Pilot's Licence). The NPPL is a national licence rather than being based on the international standard as the PPL is. Therefore you cannot use it abroad as you can the PPL. The training is a little shorter and a bit cheaper, but don't even consider it if you want to fly outside the UK.

The PPL will allow you to fly a UK registered aircraft anywhere in the world. It will also allow you to fly foreigh registered aircraft in the UK (eg those registered on the American register). A PPL will also generally allow you to go to Europe to those countries which are signatories to the JAA (Joint Aviation Authority) and hire locally, ie an aircraft registered in say France to fly in France.

BackPacker

Sure, but for real bragging rights you need to take a light single into Gatwick, just to pick up your logbook from the CAA, and divulge how much you paid for the privilege. Or inquire about obtaining your ME rating in a Catalina.

Contacttower - congratulations on making Flyers "hero" status. Well deserved!