PPL - Now or later?

[REvans]

Hi Guys. Hope you can help me here.

I'm coming up to 15 next Feb and would like to start flying and eventually get my PPL. I took a trial lesson a few months ago and after getting over the initial 'sensations' I loved it. However I am aware of the fact I cant solo until I'm 16 and can gain the license until 17 but I can building up the hours now.

So I'm after some advice. Should I start now and take it slow at around 1 lesson per month and gradually fly more frequently has I get older. OR should I wait a few years until I'm 17 and do whats called an intensive course where I gain my license in a few weeks? I am looking to do my PPL at either AFT or Almat at CVT.

Thank You,
RE:ok:

[Gertrude the Wombat]

Wouldn't advise anyone to do one lesson a month. You'll spend the first 50 minutes of each hour getting back to where you were before. Even if the waste of money isn't an issue it will turn out to be terribly frustrating.

[greatorex]

Agree with Gertrude; one lesson a month is a non-starter especially if you consider that even with minimum hours it'll take you FOUR YEARS to get to complete the course. . . . .

[ToryBoy]

I was in exactly the same position as you 16 years ago!

I was 15 and keen to learn but decided to wait until about half way through my 16th year. I then started and by the time I was 17 I was ready to go solo and completed my licence within 4 weeks of being seventeen.

Personally, I can't advocate intensive courses in the States but that's just my opinion. If you intened to take up flying as a career it's not so bad but if it is a "hobby" then I strongly recommend you stay in the UK and learn in the environment you will need to know about.

Good luck anyway and remember not to get too dispondant on those days when nothing seems to go right when you are learning!! We all had days like that during our syllabus!

[REvans]

Thanks alot, just the type of advice I was looking for. I can see your point it would be a complete waste of time and money if in each lesson Im going over what I did in the previous one.

Any further comments welcome.
RE

[AIRWAY]

Hi RE,

You can also start studying the theory side of the PPL:ok: i know you wont be flying much, but at least when you get there all theory is up there ready to be used, and that way you wont be wasting any time.

All the best

[Circuit Basher]

REvans - not sure whether you're already a member, but why not join your local Air Training Corps Sqn?? You may well find their phone number in your local directory, or try ringing HQ Birmingham & Warwick Wing at 02476 854933, email [email protected] - it covers these Sqns (http://www.aircadets.org/warwickbrum_contact.htm). If you're a bit further West, then you'll probably be covered by West Mercian Wing at 01902 377211, email [email protected] with Sqn list here (http://www.aircadets.org/westmercian_contact.htm).

HQ Air Cadets Site (http://www.aircadets.org/joincadets.html) has most of what you need to know about entry requirements. In case you hadn't guessed, I've been involved with the ATC for around 31 yrs (as cdt and then on the staff) and never fail to be amazed at how few people hear about us. If you have an interest in aviation, a lot of the ground work towards your PPL exams can be covered for free! You also get the opportunity to get flying / gliding experience that will be of value in future PPL training. I'm also a PPL - got a 45 min flight in a Grob Tutor courtesy of Her Majesty yesterday - 25 mins of aeros and 20 mins of learning circuits in a new type!! :ok: :D - not 'loggable' as PPL hours, but hopefully reduce the learning time if I wished to convert to a G115.

[Genghis the Engineer]

Strikes me that right now you want to get your feet off the ground more than anything else, build up some meaningful experience in the air, and then learn in earnest later on.

There are various ways to do this, such as...

- Air Cadets (not as much flying as they used to get, but still some)
- Air Explorer Scouts (variable, from lots of flying to really only normal Scouts with a different uniform - check out the local troop and see what they're up to)
- Most gliding clubs have cadet schemes allowing you to join and get cheap flying (a fun environment to spend your weekends too).
- Find out who your local flying club / microlight club / PFA strut are. See if they'll have you as a junior member, you'll almost certainly find lots of people happy to take you flying - especially if you volunteer to do a few jobs. You'd get lots of stick time that way, although most of it would probably not be loggable. (Although I know somebody who at about your age started trading floor-sweeping, plane-cleaning, phone-answering, etc. for lessons at a microlight school, by the time he was 19 he was an instructor.)

Like others, I agree that a lesson a month will not get you very far. Equally I don't think that an intensive US course is a good way to learn from scratch, although if by that time you are a fairly experienced glider pilot then all you'd effectively be doing is a rating - since you'd already know how to fly in British airspace - and it can then make sense.

But do look seriously at gliders and microlights, they are cheaper and still very much real flying.

G

[easyflyer]

Ok - let me offer my experience.

All I wanted to do was fly, so I had a trial lesson at 11. Clearly you couldn't even log hours towards PPL issue at that age - one had to be 13. So at 13 I started to learn. Had a lesson every 6 weeks at the early stage (I was a paperboy!), and supplemented with christmas/birthday/washing car money.

I found that the whole recency thing was never a problem - after 5 mins back in the stride of things again. I had to tweak the course a lot, as back then (mid 90s) you couldn't solo until 17, so I arranged the course to have all dual time complete and first solo on my 17th birthday (missed that by a week due to weather). Then polished off the solo time quite quickly (better paying job) and bobs your uncle. Job done.

So I'd advocate spreading it out. I enjoyed looking foward to my next flight throughout the period, and really made sure I was up to speed on the home study. And an advantage - I recently went flying after 8 months gap, and the instructor couldn't believe (i) I hadn't flown for that long and (ii) I'm as inexperienced as I am. This is a reoccuring scenario. So I think gaps in training stand you in good stead for later on.

Happy landings

ef

[Aerobatic Flyer]

I'd agree with the gliding suggestion above. It's an excellent way to discover flying, and the skills you learn will help a lot when you come to fly aeroplanes.

If you go to a gliding club where there are also powered aircraft, you might get a lot of interesting flying - even if it will be as a passenger. If you're in the Midlands, Husbands Bosworth and Bidford are two good gliding clubs where you will also find interesting aeroplanes.

Bidford's often a bit muddy, so there's lots of aeroplane washing to do.;) In exchange, there are Cubs, Jodels, Chipmunks, Tiger Moths and all sorts of other fun machines to have goes in.:)

[Scuzi]

I did a lesson every month until recently as it was all I could afford. I went solo at 15 hours, did my first solo nav at 20 hours and I'm applying for the skills test after 47 hours. I have been taking lessons once every 2 or 3 weeks since I reached 30 hours and I haven't had a problem.
I found it easy to pick up what I did in my previous lessons but everyone is different. I say give it a try, if you aren't making any progress then wait for a year or so and fly more frequently. You won't know until you try.

Start to read up on the theorey and do the exams when you are 16. That way you won't be held back.

Best of luck! :ok:

[REvans]

Wow, didnt expect to get this many replies!

Someone had mentioned the ATC to me but when I tried to look on the internet for some information I couldnt find much. Im about 5 minutes down the road from Cosford, I know there is quite alot of ATC and gliding activity down there. I will go down and have a look see if there is anyone I can talk to. Maybe even has Genghis mentions there could be some jobs there as I would enjoy been around planes in general and meeting the people in aviation. Ill definatly look into that further though.

Has for starting the theory now, how do I go about that? After I took my trial lesson the CFI explained the two different theory books that can be used one was more pictorial and the other more text based. I take it these can be purchased from any of the online pilot stores? I'd be definatly interested in doing this so I could have a clearer understanding of the theory when Im in the air and the exams.

I may also try what Scuzi suggested and try taking a handful of lessons next year and if I find myself struggeling at the start of each lesson then wait a year.


Once again thanks for your replies guys they have been a great help. :ok: Any more comments welcome.
RE

[AIRWAY]

Hi RE,

For PPL theory, Trevor Thom books :ok: the best...

You can find them at transair pilot shop, or at the local flying club shop, 7 books in total and you can buy them seperately.