PPL training in South Africa for an American?

[xenu]

I like the idea of training in a far off exotic country rather than at home. The structured environment and isolation from distractions seems more conducive to learning. Also, I'll be able to experience a far off exotic country while fulfilling my dream of learning to fly.

One school I'm considering is APTRAC in Port Elizabeth. They quoted me a price of 77K Rand or ~10,000 USD including accommodation with meals. With airfare to SA that will be $11,000. Assuming miscellaenous expenses the grand total is $12,000.

Training is broken down over two months into 25 hours dual, 15 hours solo, and 5 hours dual simulator. Ground school and testing is also included.

I live in an area with many small airports (Tri-State NYC region). The price for a PPL locally would cost between $9-$10k. This does not include accommodation or the opportunity to see another country.

Assuming I pass, is it feasible to convert my CAA license into an FAA license? Will the process be simply a matter of taking the FAA written + flight test back home?

What do you think of my plan? Any feedback/advice/tips/warnings will be greatly appreciated.

[ZS-PTU]

This is exactly what I did a few years back, and had the absolute time of my life.
APTRAC in PE is a good option. It's a lovely place to train - right on the coast, international airport, with good aircraft. I trained at 43 Air School, which is about 100 miles down the coast in Port Alfred. I can't recommend 43 enough. I think it might be slightly more expensive, but also has good accommodation and food on site, loads of aircraft, good instructors etc. Also, there are decent schools which are cheaper up in johannesburg and pretoria.

In terms of converting your license, it should be simple. The SA CAA License is fully ICAO, and therefore you can use it to fly in the states anyway. If you did want to convert, it would be a case of writing your air law and human performance exams, and doing an FAA flight test. The SA PPL exams are actually pretty tough, so the US equivilent won't be any harder.

A couple of words of warning though.
Firstly, you won't complete your PPL in the 45 hours quoted. Assuming you don't have to retake any lessons, and pass every test perfectly, you still have to account for external factors. If your lessons creep over the alloted time, then the hours build up very quickly. Instead of doing an hour lesson, you might be flying for an hour and 15 mins. Also, sometimes you can get airborne, the weather changes and have to cut your lesson short, which will result in you having to re-do the lesson. So many factors increase your hours, and also the time you'd be at the flying school. If you have a couple of weeks of bad weather, you'll have to pay for an extra couple of weeks of accommodation and food.
Lastly, in terms of costs, I was fully fed and housed, and still managed to spend plenty of money on food and other things. You'll probably eat out more than once a week, and all the other little expenses add up quickly.

Conclusion: Go for it! just be wary that the initial cost will increase, no matter how good at flying you are.

ZS-PTU

[Clintonb]

ive also been looking into doing my training in south africa but starting from 0hrs all the way up to frozen jaa atpl. ive been looking into progress flight school, lanseria flight centre in joburg and flight training college in george. do you have any insight on these 2 schools????
Thanks for your time.
safe flying

[funkydrumming]

I have been doing my PPL in P.E !I visited 43 Air School looks like a good school but too expensive for me.

APTRAC had some deals going, because their students have been moving to other schools.Not sure if they are still doing them.

The good thing about training in P.E is the winds,and the fact you get to mix with the jets.:ok:

The PPL's exams were tricky due to the way the questions are worded,the school i was at had practice exams which helped as some of the questions came up on CAA exam.

If you guys need any other help feel free to ask or pm me.

[Clintonb]

thanks funnkydrumming..

yea i had a look into 43 air school but they dont do anything with jaa anymore compared to some other schools whihc are very few in SA where they have connections with schools in europe where you can do your distance learning for your jaa while you still training in SA and then go over and do the jaa exams in europe.
by the way which school in PE you been training at????

[funkydrumming]

No problem,got so much help off people here by reading their suggestions,least i can do is try and help others!

Algoa Flying Club where am still a member.Its a nice little club with friendly people,pool table a bbq area and a bar :zzz: .(They even let me film my solo flight )

Flew into George,didnt see the school but met a couple of instructors that trained there and they seemed to be happy.

My plan is to do some hour building in P.E and in the States whilst studying for my ATPL's then finish off in the UK.

:ok:

[jbayfan]

Take a look at SAFTA south of Johannesburg. (South African Flight Training Academy - Residential flight training (http://www.safta.co.za)) They're right next to the GF and literally have the airfield to themselves. You'll get far more time training than sitting waiting 15 minutes for take off clearance and another 15 minutes getting to the GF like most other schools.

They also have an ex B747 airline training captain as their CFI and a former Air Force fighter pilot as their CGI. One of their owners is a former US Army National Guard helicopter pilot and a current SAA airline pilot.

They offer inexpensive rates and quality accommodation and meals. Plus they use the C172 as their primary trainer where most schools use the smaller C152. Email them for info!!

[Alternate Law]

Skyhawk Aviation, at Lanseria International Airport, Johannesburg.

Sky Hawk - Home (http://www.skyhawk.co.za)

[GgW]

They also have an ex B747 airline training captain as their CFI and a former Air Force fighter pilot as their CGI.

That has got absolutely nothing to do with PPL training.

Xenu if you live in a area with many small airports than why do you need accommodation. In the end its going to cost you more to go abroad and do your license and then convert it back to a FAA one.The price that you are quoted, is the minimum training requirement, 75% of people go well over the 45 hours. Its al down to personnel ability.The price quoted in the states, does that include 5 hours in the sim aswell or is it 45 aircraft hours?

[michael95u]

I agree with SoCal.

It is much cheaper in the states. Also, while you will have an ICAO recognized certificate, when you come back to the states, you will have to apply for a Private Pilot Certificate based on your Foreign License. While the process is easy, you will be issued a RESTRICTED certificate. The only way to get a standard certificate would be to complete the minimum FAA training under Part 61 for a PPL (10 hours solo, 25 hours dual), plus take the FAA PPL written test and complete the practical test. Or, you can fly with your restricted and when you reach 250 hours, take the FAA Commercial Pilot Practical Test and Written Exam and you will have a Standard Certificate.

Moral of the story: while it might be a great adventure to do it in SA, it is much more expensive, and the cost to get an unrestricted certificate in the US once you are back will be between $5000 and $10000.

[michael95u]

Sure you are right. If you trained under ICAO rules, you are correct. But can someone learn all of the FAA Private PTS maneuvers to standard, meet the night and simulated requirements (not every country requires the same thing), and other requirements in 3 hours? Nope. I have had to do this 5 times in the past year with students who got their PPL certificates in various locales around the world.

Moral of the story is exactly as you say: train in the US, then take a flying holiday to SA with the money you save.

[jbayfan]

To all the patriotic Americans who think that the FAA rating is superior to some foreign ratings, sorry to burst your bubble! The South African PPL rating meets all the requirements of the FAA rating but includes substantial ground theory not found at any of the FAA schools other than the American aviation universities.

I arrived in the USA with a South African PPL and they converted my SA PPL without requiring any additional training, and I had FULL PPL privileges. I attended a university in Massachusetts and continued to complete an aviation degree and to obtain my FAA CPL and later my FAA ATP.

The FAA theory, unless obtained at a US Aviation university, is a joke but I will admit that the flight training is of a high standard. Ask all the Indian students who learn to fly in the USA and then return to India to write the Indian DGCA papers. They have to attend a full ground school back in India and still struggle to pass the papers. The South African trained Indian pilots find it a breeze getting through the Indian DGCA theory exams.

The Indian DGCA recognises the South African radio license, but those trained in the USA have to qualify for a radio license when they return to India, which is a 6 month debacle.

If you only want a PPL, then do it in the USA, but if you want to go further with aviation as a career then you will be doing yourself a favour training in South Africa.