I've been itching to get a PPL for a while, and I'm thinking that I want to start working towards mine sometime in the next year. The tough part is figuring out how, since there don't seem to be too many places that give a good high level overview.
Assumptions:
- Theory & Medical need to be completed in the same country, but practical instruction can happen in another country
- Your license issuing country is EITHER the country you completed theory & medical, or your country of residence (if you move it)
- You need to travel to your license-issuing country periodically to have your medical inspection renewed.
- It is better to get a license from an EASA country than it is to get a US license & screw around with validation or conversion.
I am assuming that I will not get an NL-issued license, owing to the theory exams being English only & requiring an expensive & redundant radio test in addition to the aviation English test.
This leads me to four different options:
- Belgian theory, medical, and flight training at a flight school. I would need to do this over time, since it's a 90 minute drive to a lot of the airfields there, and weather conditions don't favor doing an intensive course.
- Belgian theory & medical, and instruction with a Dutch flying club or flight school. This option would be more expensive than going to Belgium, but the airfields are a bit closer & there's some value in staying with the same club you got your license at.
- Intensive course in Spain, Hungary, or Croatia, with theory & medical via the flight school. This option would be the most cost effective, and I could use up the mountain of vacation days that I've accrued over the years. When I renew my medical certification, I'd need to travel back to that country (or move my license to the Netherlands).
- Theory & medical in Belgium, intensive course elsewhere. This has the cost benefits of doing it all in one spot, but the benefits of having semi-local theory & medical exams.
Are my assumptions, and my ideas about options correct? If they are, I'd love to hear people's thoughts, particularly around doing my theory in Belgium & practical components with either a NL club or at an intenstive flight school.