RE: PPL part time? How

[Need For Speed]

Hi folks is it possible to do a PPL part time, say over a year or something like that,spreading the cost etc... and sitting the exams in your own time.Is this a Viable option or is it better to do it full time.
Also if you did it this way, would you get a log book at the start and then log your hours as you go along etc etc .....
any help appreciated

[Lucifer]

To get the basic airmanship skills, I would definitely advise you to the PPL in one go, or two blocks, or you could waste money just relearning what you did on your last trip.

[TooHotToFly]

Although it's better to do the course in one go, lots of people only fly once a week or a fortnight. You'll end up flying more hours but you get there in the end. One idea is to save up for 6 months and then spend 6 months doing the course. You have to wait before you can start flying but you get to fly more regularly once you begin.

[thefridge]

Hi Need for Speed

Its Horses for courses.

Did my PPL 3 years ago over 25 weeks flying two one hour sessions per week. Worked for me as had time to assimulate the information and review the lessons.

Where are you based? you will need to find a good school.

Have a look in the flyer monthly magazine as a good number of schools advertise in there.

Good Luck

[BigAir]

I tried to do my PPL in the UK in 4 weeks, but due to weather and other issues it took me over 13 months!!! Yes I know there will be sceptics who will doubt my motivation's etc, but there were valid reasons why it took so long. However, even taking this amount of time, I still completed the course in 2 hours above the minumum requirement, just make sure you remember the rules concerned with passing exams (all within 12 months of first pass, and pass Skills Test within 24 months of finishing exams).

Good Luck, and have fun doing it.


BigAir

[Tip tank]

I did my PPL over a year (in the minimum number of hours) and had no real problems. I found two things which helped:

1. Do a block of 2/3 hours just after the first solo - this helps consolidate what you have learned and practice landings/approaches on your own.

2. Do another block just before the flight test which makes sure you are 'fresh'.

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...was that TO or FROM?

[willwc22]

I started my PPL at 14, soloed at 17 and one week and finished it at 17 and 50 weeks - almost 4 years, and with 45 hours TT. Providing you are savvy, read your stuff and quick to get back in the sadle, you should be fine. I had to significantly restructure my course due to solo age limitations (I had to do a lot of dual x-country before my first solo). I did this simply because I couldn't afford any other way.

You have to watch out for exam expirey if you wait for too long between sitting them and taking the relevant practical exam. If you have a supportive flying club, it's cool.

And, although its not cool, Flight Sim does help a lot to keep the check-lists, FREDAs and the like up in your mind. 'Fly' an hour on that on sunday, and you'll likely not forget the theory - just perhaps the practice [joke]!



[This message has been edited by willwc22 (edited 29 January 2001).]

[tunneler]

Did my PPL at Prestwick over a period of around 14 months, tried to get a lesson a week but obviously due to wx etc it wasn't always possible. Got it done after 46hrs.

It goes with out saying the more frequently you get up (no jokes please) the more comfortable you will be in the air, however I reckon that not flying as often has at least one plus point - you go over your checklists that little bit more intently than if you had been flying the previous day.

Its great fun go for it!!!!

B

[paulo]

For me, an ideal would have been 2-3 hours, once a week. A few weeks ago I came back from doing 21 days in Florida. Barring a couple of days for Christmas & New Year, it was fairly intense. Nice to be flying every day, but too tired inbetween to really think things through.

I flew yesterday having had a few weeks break, time to think through my checklists and drills...felt much better, surprised myself by greasing a couple of touch and gos...

If you can afford to do it here on, say, a weekly basis, I'd do that. Otherwise chuck yourself at the Florida PPL factory, but without thinking you have to do the whole 45 hours there.

[Lawyerboy]

I sincerely hope it is possible to do your PPL part-time! I started flying seriously (inasmuch as I went with the intention of actually getting a PPL) in 1997 and have accumulated about 30 hours since then. I flew my first solo last July and have, since then, flown a total of 3 hours, with 1 hour 20 minutes solo.

My problem is twofold; one, I can only afford to fly twice a month or so, and two, I don't have the time to fly any more than that anyway because of work commitments. On top of that you have the good ol' British weather, and so I really only get to fly on average once a month or so.

Still, I'm enjoying it and I'll get there in the end. It does cost you more this way, and it is sometimes frustrating not being able to get quite as far quite as quickly as I'd otherwise be able to, but when I'm at 1,400 feet on a clear day I don't much care how long it takes me...