Ppl --> Cpl

[G73DC]

I'm a little confused as to which avenue to take in gaining my Commercial Pilots License (CPL). I currently hold a PPL(A) SEP.

I would like to get my Multi Engine, IMC, and CPL in as little time as possible, and would like to know the cheapest, quickest, easiest option available.

I can train either in the UK or US. Please help!

[long final]

Probably better having a look, a search and then a post on the wannabes forum.

Regards,
LF

[G73DC]

LongFinal, I dont suppose you read the request by the PPrune moderator(s) specifically requesting users to keep true to the topics of the each forum. That is precisely why I posted this comment here....

[gus_honeybun]

G73DC.

I think that longfinal was only trying to help as this subject has been done to death on the wannabe forum. If you are looking to get a CPL, then you most definatly will be another wannabe. :)

Just to get the ball rolling to get a CPL you need the following.....

1) Class 1 medical (£387 a la gatwick).
2) 200 hrs TT in your logbook.
3) Completed all the groundschool.
4) A 300 nm cross country.
5) A night rating (or equivilent training).
6) 10 hours Instrument flying.
7) Hold an ICAO PPL.
8) A wad of cash <-- most important of all.

and if you think that was expensive, just wait for the Multi IR :rolleyes:

[FlyingForFun]

Have to agree that Wannabes is the place for this one - Private Flying is up to and including PPL/IMC. No need for flaming, though - I'm sure BRL will move this post if he agrees.

Gus is pretty close. The initial Class 1 medical costs £400, though. It can only be done at Gatwick. Get that done before anything else - there's no point wasting time and money if you can't get the medical.

After that, you need to do the ground-school, and the hour-building. You can do these in whichever order you want.

Hour-building requires 150 hours minimum (not 200) to start the CPL. You need 200 hours for CPL issue, though, and the course is only 25 hours (plus a bit more because no one ever completes the course in minimum time, plus the time for the test). So 170 hours is really the minimum sensible amount to start the course. You also need a 300nm cross-country which must include two landings at airfields other than the airfield you started from. You need either a night-rating or an IMC rating. And the 10 hours of instrument flying that gus mentions is required for license issue, but is part of the CPL course, so don't worry about it.

The ground-school: you have a choice of two sets of exams. You can either do the CPL exams, or the ATPL exams. If you're going to do an IR, or there's even the remotest possibility that you might decide to do an IR in the future, then do the ATPL exams. If you do the CPL exams then decide to do an IR, you'll have to do the IR exams, which will duplicate some of the CPL exams unnecessarilly. Do the ATPL exams, though, and you can then do the training for both the CPL and the IR. Also, there aren't very many schools who do a CPL ground-school course.

Next you have to decide between a residential course and a distance learning course. Residential is best... you'll get far more support, you'll be other students full-time, and everything will be much easier. If you really can't find the money for that, or you have to hold down a job and can't spare the time to study full time, then do distance-learning. It is possible, but it's pretty tough.

Overall, I'd suggest doing the studying before the hour-building. That way, when you come to do the CPL training, you'll be current, having just done your hour-building. Of course, personal circumstances might dictate that you need to do the studying first, and I don't think that's a really big problem, especially if you can manage to fly while you're studying (which is what I'm doing).

Hope that helps. Good luck!

FFF
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[G73DC]

FFF, you have been a great help. Many thanks. I will certainly take all I've read here at Private Flying including that which I have found in the Wannabe forum into consideration.

Thanks all :) :rolleyes: