Trial lesson

[Captain320U]

Ok as the title suggests I had a trial lesson for 60 mins in a C152 back in June. I spoke to my instructor and he said that trial lesson will count towards my PPL. I start my PPL (modular) in January 2020 however I don’t have any logbook or haven’t made any record of that 60mins trial lesson. My question is how would flight school know that I already have 1 hr?
I did mention this however when I went for my class 1 medical.

[31Pilot]

If it’s the same flight school they’ll know and have a record of the flight? They will have a training record for you if you’re returning to them.

Get a logbook but check the flight time was actually 60 minutes before filling it in!

It doesn’t make a difference for your medical as you don’t really need the certificate until you fly solo for the first time.

[Captain320U]

If it’s the same flight school they’ll know and have a record of the flight? They will have a training record for you if you’re returning to them.

Get a logbook but check the flight time was actually 60 minutes before filling it in!

It doesn’t make a difference for your medical as you don’t really need the certificate until you fly solo for the first time.



Yeah it is same flight school so hopefully they’ll have a record of it. As far as logbook is concerned, do I need to get the logbook before I start training or after I start training. I was slightly confused as my flight school have mentioned I’ll have to get headsets, charts, logbook.. etc once I start or something like that.

[31Pilot]

You will write down your flight time after each lesson and often the instructor will watch you completing your logbook, certainly where I am anyway. My training record also shows the flight time so I can double check. Some lessons I also have to get the instructor to sign my logbook as evidence of the activity completed. I’d get a logbook as soon as possible.

There will definitely be a record of your trial flight in the aircraft tech log - they might have shown you or you might be shown on your next lesson as eventually you’ll be completing it yourself.

There’s a Pooleys starter kit with everything you need excluding headset. Some of it you won’t need straight away. Or you can buy it all separately. I had a mix of Pooleys and AFE books/equipment for the PPL.

Read up on headsets, David Clarke’s are about £300 or Bose up at about £800+. I went for David Clarke’s, not had any issues. I have heard students mentioning the Bose A20s cause a lot of compass deviation in the 152.

[Officer Kite]

When I started my full atpl course I had 2 trial lessons and there was no way to add them. Though like me I'm sure as soon as you start your ppl you'll realise that 1 hour will count for squat anyway and it bares no relevance whether it's included or not.

[Captain320U]

Thanks to all for your reply above, With the closure of UK Thomas Cook airlines this has got me worried as to what market or airline industry will be when I qualify probably I’ll say 2021/2022.

[ShamrockF]

Thanks to all for your reply above, With the closure of UK Thomas Cook airlines this has got me worried as to what market or airline industry will be when I qualify probably I’ll say 2021/2022.

Nobody knows, the pilot career market has had more ups and downs than a yo yo.

In 2015 nobody got jobs, airlines didn't need pilots,
In 2018 everyone got jobs, airlines were crying out for pilots.

It changes constantly.

[Council Van]

Thanks to all for your reply above, With the closure of UK Thomas Cook airlines this has got me worried as to what market or airline industry will be when I qualify probably I’ll say 2021/2022.
No body knows, especially the flying schools who will tell you the sun shines out of you backside if it means they get your money. I have personally been made redundant twice so far, I know one chap who has been laid off 5 times others who have moved company and the new employer has gone bankrupt in their first week in the new job.

Don't set yourself up with so much debt that it will ruin the rest of your life if you don't geta job.

[31Pilot]

I believe if you have hours with one provider and start the same course with another then it’s possible those trial lessons won’t count, I think it depends what the school accepts (I can’t remember the specifics). If the course is with the same provider it will still count, my trial lessons were done as if I was doing a full PPL course. It all adds up, and you’re one hour closer to the 45 you need! One or two hours doesn’t make much difference in the grand scheme of the 150-200hrs you eventually end up with.

You’re a couple of years away from qualifying, a lot will happen before then. I wouldn’t plan on pinning everything on getting a job straight out of school. From my own journey I’ve noticed that it’s as much about the training as it is the future and financial planning of the whole process!

[Captain320U]

I think I’ll prob concentrate my training in this 2 years and hopefully the airline industry improves by then again this is the one of reason why I am going modular, I can take my time.

[ShamrockF]

I think I’ll prob concentrate my training in this 2 years and hopefully the airline industry improves by then again this is the one of reason why I am going modular, I can take my time.

Good idea. See if you can get some airline experience, or some aviation experience too while you're at it. It always helps to work in the industry a while and build contacts.

[SID PLATE]

.. you might want to change your pprune login name before then. How about "notgonesoloyet" ?