Learning to Fly

[Ste]

I'm currently learning to Fly in Australia and part of the criteria to reach PPL level is to take an GFPT test or General Flying Progress Test ( like a restricted PPL without having done NAVs).

How long does it typically take to pass GFPT?

[Seco]

last i heard you could do it in bit over a month. i think thats what the flying school told me

then again, that may have been sales pitch

[PILOTGAL]

The minimum flying time to attain the GFPT required by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) is 20 hours, comprising 15 hours dual instruction and 5 hours solo. This is not always an accurate indication of the time required to pass the test. Most people achieve their GFPT within 30 to 35 hours of flying at my school.

This is of course dependant on several factors, namely, how often you fly, personal aptitude, weather etc.

Hope this helps!

[Capt L]

Ste,

You don't have to do the GFPT if you don't want.

If you are spacing your training out over a period of time it means you can take your mates up for jollies, but if you're going straight into your navs, there's not really any point.

CL

[Ang737]

30 - 35 hours to get to GFPT. Damn your school must be making a fortune. A student should be well on their way to doing PPL Navs by then. Let me guess 15 - 20 hours to go solo.....??

Ang

[Bula]

hahaaha.. only the few, the brave and the absolutle insane would send someone solo in less

You shouldn't set criteria though. You get the gun hoes who you can send solo after 11 hours. Or the get the not so gun hoe who you send solo in 30 hours.

So many people have unrealistic views on it all.

[rmcdonal]

Bula. I gess that makes me gun hoe. I got solo in about 11.
However I reckon it also has a bit to do with luck. If you get a good run in on your flying, then its easy to go early. However if the weather is up the creek then you get rusty.

[always inverted]

I wonder what the lowest hrs to go solo are (of the people on here)
Looking back in my log, went solo after 6.6 hrs

[McRippy]

i think i went solo in 8 hours had some time in ultra lights but wander what the syllabus says

[PILOTGAL]

There is no legal minimum hours specified for solo, mcRippy, it's purely at the instructor's discretion.

The first time you have to adhere to minimum legal hours requirement is GFPT.

[Parablues]

Minimum Flying Hours...

Some "rip off" schools like the Bruce Hartwig Flying School at Parafield or the Murray Bridge Flying School at Murray Bridge will probably have you soloing by 22 to 27 hours. Far too much. The average time is between 12 to 18 but that all depends on pilot ability and whether the student has any problems with the landings or whether Spike007 is his instructor. Spike will have you flying IFR in just under 30 hours - wonder if he has left any digital cameras in the back of any planes lately?

[Big Jan]

I went solo at around 10 hrs and thought the instructor was dragging it out (God was I dumb and full of myself).
The best I ever saw as an instructor was a 17 year old who was shaking so much on his first flight I thought he was going to pass out.I was only a grade 3 so had to ask a fellow grade 2 to asses
this guy for his solo.He was ready at 3 HOURS and I flew with him till 4 hours to be absoloutely sure.The guy that I asked to check him was rather abusive when I put him up but came back after 0.8 mumbling something about freaks.
I am not stretching the truth when I say that this young fellow was more in command of an aircraft at 4 hours than many I have seen at 30 hours.
And before you ask, NO! this guy was a genuine 4.8 hours to solo pilot.
By the way speaking of Bruce Hartwig flying school, Does the blonde poisoned dwarf still own it?

[Keg]

Comparing hours to solo is a bit like comparing sizes of other things. It doesn't matter a zot as long as you know what to do. I've seen people go solo in 15 hours who turned out to be aces later on and people who went solo in 10 who could not nav to save themselves. Hours to solo may tell you a bit about pure 'stick and rudder' but it won't tell you much about 'management' beyond that!

[Icarus2001]

Well said keg, mine is huge by the way.

Another big factor is the measurement of those hours. Is the school using watch time or VDO. Do you have a long taxi to the runway followed by a short transit to and then from the training area? All that time just ticking away.

Much better to focus on learning the skills and being able to meet the competencies than hours required. My experience is that the time required to go solo is not related in any way to the hours to pass the GFPT or gain a PPL or even to the eventual standard achieved.