PPL the basics....

[tinsparrow]

Hi all,

Can anyone tell me exactly what you have to do to gain a ppl, including exams, flight time, etc... secondly, how much will this cost to do in the uk.

thanks

Tinsparrow

[High Wing Drifter]

Download this. It will tell you absolutely everything you need to know about licenses: http://www.caa.co.uk/publications/publicationdetails.asp?id=1191

Advertised cost in the UK is around £4700. Real cost is about £6000 due to landing fees, test fees, books, equipment, memberships, etc, etc. That is assuming you finish complete in 47 hrs (incl test).

[Charlie Zulu]

Hi Tinsparrow,

There is a formal course of training to obtain a Private Pilots Licence. I gather you are looking to obtain a JAR-FCL Private Pilots Licence which the UK CAA issue.

This licence can be studied for at any PPL training organisation that is approved by the CAA. There is a list on the CAA website (http://www.caa.co.uk/) of these approved schools. But rest assured the average flying club at your local field will be on that list! You'll also find that the UK CAA also approve a few schools in the USA to train and test people for the JAR-FCL PPL.

Anyway the course is as follows.

45 Hours Minimum Flying time.

Straight and Level
Climbing
Descending
Climbing Turns
Descending Turns
Slow Flight
Stalls
Spin Awareness (you can also opt to learn spins)
Take offs
Landings (normal, glide, flapless)
Circuits
Practice Forced Landings
Precautionary Landings
Low Level Navigation
Navigation
Instrument Appreciation (This will NOT mean you can fly on instruments it is basically to show you how to do a 180 degree turn to get out of cloud if you happen to get into one).

Most of the above will be Dual (ie, with an instructor). However you will also do at least 10 hours of solo work (ie just you in the aeroplane). This will be:

First Solo (1 take off and 1 landing with a flight in the circuit)
Solo Circuits (Take offs and landings - generally around 3 hours)
Solo Navigation
Qualifying Cross Country (Solo - 2 land aways at airports other than your base airport)

Once the above has been completed and your instructor is satisfied you can navigate and fly a plane you will be put forward to the Examiner for your Skills Test. This takes around 2 hours and is a flying test to test your navigation skills, general flying handling etc.

However before you can do the skills test you need to have passed the following written exams:

Aviation Law
Meteorology
Navigation (I think that is called Flight Plotting now)
Human Factors and Pilot Performance
Radiotelephony
Aircraft General
Weight and Balance

There is also a practical Radiotelephony test that you need to pass. Also on the skills test the examiner will probably ask a few questions about the aeroplane itself in an oral exam. However this oral test is now where near as grilling as an FAA (American) PPL!!!

All the best.

Charlie Zulu.

[Kolibear]

Getting your license is easy, all that you need is time, money & effort. Its keeping it afterwards thats difficult.

Before you start training, ask yourself what you intend to do after you have got your PPL.

[KCDW]

If the initial requirements seem too much, then there is the NPPL to consider: 32 hours before test, less stringent Medical, but you can't fly outside of the UK. 30 hours can contribute to the PPL if you want to step up.

http://www.aopa.co.uk/newsfromaopa/nppl_faq.html

You may find differing views as to it's usefulness here though :D

[Justiciar]

Before you do too much training go and get your medical: Class 2 for the PPL or a GP's certificate for the NPPL. Eyesight is the key element here and you want to be certain you are fit before committing lots of money to a course.