PPL hours

[commandermonty]

hi I am currently doing my PPL and have around 45hrs. still have fair bit to go (instructor says about 25-35 hrs more). average is around 55hrs at to my school does this mean i am a crap pilot who doest have any chance of being commercial pilot

how long did it take you guys
thanks

[dave_o_EI]

CM,

Agree with SoCal, it depends on the frequency of your flying. I opted for a 1 month JAR PPL course (in California) and flew my skills test with 45hr 15mins in my logbook, the entire course took 29 days. But if you are training at say an hour or so a week, then from my experience of talking to other (very competent PPLs!) who train at this rate, it will take anywhere between 60 and 80 hrs for people to finish.

Absolutely nothing to be worried about just yet

Dave

:ok:

[Whopity]

(instructor says about 25-35 hrs more).That would indicate that you haven't even started Navigation yet and probably haven't got much beyond the circuit, is that correct? Have you tried asking your instructor what your chances are? I know quite a few commercial pilots who I initially trained and rated their chances pretty low, so we can all be wrong or surprised. There is a saying, if you have enough money, anyone cane become a commercial pilot.

[IO540]

UK average for a PPL is 55-65 hours, depending on who you ask.

I think I took about 60.

Very few people do it in 45, and most of those that do are keen "aviation types" who probably have a pile of unlogged hours so they already know most of what the game is about. For example my son (14) "flew me" to Le Touquet, all the way onto the final. I jolly well hope he will do it in 45 hrs - unless he gets into girls before then :)

There is a scarily accurate formula for the time to do the PPL, based on your age. I have forgotten what it is but it is something like age+20. And most people coming into GA are not spring chickens; it's not a cheap hobby and you also need time.

There are also some crooked instructors. I have personally known one, who gloated to me how he extracted £20k from one female student. She did eventually get her PPL with another school. His technique was to knock her confidence just as she made some progress. He may have used other "techniques" too ;) But you have to remember that the school does not get paid extra to turn out good pilots. Many schools have a collection of "permanent students" (at my school there were two old ladies who were way past 100hrs and had no hope, but they enjoyed going up with young virile hour builders) and they love that kind of business. They make money out of taking people up in a plane. If somebody is taking a long time, it could be that they have landed with one of these instructors...

[commandermonty]

thanks for reply whopity
I have done some navigation and done many circuits but before I could go solo my instructor left . second instructor said I be ready for solo in 3-4 circuits but weather wasn't good enough for solo we started nav. then came in third instructor who send me away to do all my exams , after that I had operation , then school exams so took about 6.5 months off when I cam back he retired to Spain. now with my fourth instructor I am doing straight and level/ basics as I have been off for long time.

[Conventional Gear]

I was nearer 80 hrs total.

Many factors, partly because cost was not an issue and it just became a routine to go flying with an instructor, I was having a great time!

I then wanted a specific examiner which meant a three month wait and the hours clocked up more with revision exercises.

I also went to France and around much of the SE as a student, to be honest I find it hard to figure why taking more than the minimum hours would make anyone feel less able as a pilot considering they end up with more experience.

I'm actually reasonably confident when I fly and have been able to take long breaks without taking too much of a hit on my basic abilities, so I don't worry too much about the hours I took.

I do remember a guy at the club who wanted to go the airline route. He pushed hard for a 45hr PPL and failed the skills test twice and eventually passed with 70+ hrs. I think those that talk about solo in 10 minutes and a 45hr PPL had already spent a good deal of time in the air, or did the course in a short time in good weather.

80hrs in at times difficult weather, lots of visits to places, plenty of revision of things I wasn't happy with was a good investment in my mind.

[tom6326]

Took me 51 hours (I had a 6 month brake)

T

[Wibblemonster]

I managed it in 47 hours over 5 years. I had a few breaks in that time due to finances, getting married, starting a new business. I wouldn't worry about how long it takes, as long as you are receiving good training then it's all that to need to worry about.

[flybymike]

Many schools have a collection of "permanent students" (at my school there were two old ladies who were way past 100hrs and had no hope, but they enjoyed going up with young virile hour builders) and they love that kind of business. They make money out of taking people up in a plane. If somebody is taking a long time, it could be that they have landed with one of these instructors...

A lady friend of mine, in her sixties, decided to take flying lessons with my encouragement, although frankly I doubt she would have had the ability to successfully complete the course. I thus anticipated her becoming just such a perpetual student, but in the event, the school concerned pi55ed her about from pillar to post from day one because they were far more interested in the better flying rates obtained from commercial training than the cut throat PPL business. In the end the school went out of business and the lady now confines herself to a bit of occasional passenger flying with me.