How long did it take you to complete your PPL?
Not so N, but still FG
Join Date: May 2000
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Do it now RC! I started in late April and finished 11 months later, with one longish layoff around Jan-Feb and a couple of shorter ones along the way. One problem with putting things off is that you can't tell what turns your life might take. I meant to get a PPL when I was in my mid 20s, but didn't; planned it again again just after turning 30; but did nothing, and finally knuckled down and got it in my late 30s on the basis that otherwise I'd have kids and would never do the thing.
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Join Date: May 2003
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FNG
Thanks for your words of support. With the best will in the world I think that it may be too hard for me to watch all you guys having your fun this summer and not be involved myself. I think around 10-12 months is a reasonable time to take over something as important as this.
RC
Thanks for your words of support. With the best will in the world I think that it may be too hard for me to watch all you guys having your fun this summer and not be involved myself. I think around 10-12 months is a reasonable time to take over something as important as this.
RC
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My view on it, and the way I'm proceeding, is to take flying lessons at about the rate I expect to be flying once I (hopefully) get my PPL.
Both financial and other time commitments dictate that in my case, that's about 1 lesson per week. Done about 18 hours so far, and I started in October 2003.
I'm not in a real rush to complete my PPL as I'm only going to be doing recreational flying anyway. I hope it will take about 14 months.
However, if you're looking to make this your career, you may want to accelerate the process and start getting those hours under your belt.
- Michael
Both financial and other time commitments dictate that in my case, that's about 1 lesson per week. Done about 18 hours so far, and I started in October 2003.
I'm not in a real rush to complete my PPL as I'm only going to be doing recreational flying anyway. I hope it will take about 14 months.
However, if you're looking to make this your career, you may want to accelerate the process and start getting those hours under your belt.
- Michael
Grim Sleeper
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I'm surprised no-one's mentioned doing your PPL in the US if you want to get it done quickly.
I got my UK/JAA PPL - it took me three weeks from zero hours and cost $6000 incl. accommodation and flights, .
(Am I going to get stoned to death now for suggesting this heresy?)
I got my UK/JAA PPL - it took me three weeks from zero hours and cost $6000 incl. accommodation and flights, .
(Am I going to get stoned to death now for suggesting this heresy?)
Join Date: Oct 2002
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Slim20 - It's horses for courses - If you are able to take 3 weeks off in one go; want to do it on the cheap; or intend to go pro and therefore want to get going as quickly as possible then a trip to the US is probably a sound idea.
If you're ambitions lie only with recreational flying, or you are in no hurry (radar control is still young and got a degree to finish) then might as well extend the enjoyment of your £,000 pounds investment over the best part of a year rather than one 3 week hit.
Mr. W
If you're ambitions lie only with recreational flying, or you are in no hurry (radar control is still young and got a degree to finish) then might as well extend the enjoyment of your £,000 pounds investment over the best part of a year rather than one 3 week hit.
Mr. W
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I did wonder this myself. Here, I can live rent free, food provided, free use of a car. If I wanted to train in the states I need to pay for the transatlantic airfare, which during the summer (when I have time off) is likely to be astronomical. I then have living costs to consider... etc.
It's about £5000 here. In the states it is about £3000. Add to that the airfare and the living expenses.. and the gap closes fast. You probably could save some money, and indisputably if you want hour building packages.. do it in the US. The difference between the actual training however, seems to be neither here nor there. On top of that, you get to train in UK airspace with UK R/T, both of which are going to be central to your future flying.
Just my opinion, I'm sure there are those who've had great experiences out in the US, and I'm not especially qualified to talk on the subject. For me though, there is not much contest.
RC
It's about £5000 here. In the states it is about £3000. Add to that the airfare and the living expenses.. and the gap closes fast. You probably could save some money, and indisputably if you want hour building packages.. do it in the US. The difference between the actual training however, seems to be neither here nor there. On top of that, you get to train in UK airspace with UK R/T, both of which are going to be central to your future flying.
Just my opinion, I'm sure there are those who've had great experiences out in the US, and I'm not especially qualified to talk on the subject. For me though, there is not much contest.
RC
Join Date: Jun 2003
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The gap closes even quicker when you consider
a) the cost of conversion training to fly around the UK
b) if saving some £1000-2000 is that important, the person will certainly not do much flying after they get their PPL.
a) the cost of conversion training to fly around the UK
b) if saving some £1000-2000 is that important, the person will certainly not do much flying after they get their PPL.
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I agree - b) is the real issue. FFF has been saying it for years (and I agree) but nobody ever listens. 
If you fly regularly (say more than 30 hrs a year) then after a couple of years a thousand or so saved on the PPL is a fairly small fraction of what you have spent on flying. After five years it's peanuts. It's much better IMHO to learn at a decent school* in the environment you are going to fly in than to save 5% of your five-year spend by learning on a shagged-out C150 at the el-cheapo school of flying.
* you know, well maintained aeroplanes, good instructors, well-organized, that sort of thing...
If you fly regularly (say more than 30 hrs a year) then after a couple of years a thousand or so saved on the PPL is a fairly small fraction of what you have spent on flying. After five years it's peanuts. It's much better IMHO to learn at a decent school* in the environment you are going to fly in than to save 5% of your five-year spend by learning on a shagged-out C150 at the el-cheapo school of flying.
* you know, well maintained aeroplanes, good instructors, well-organized, that sort of thing...
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I believe it can be cheaper to do it abroad. Most of those against foreign training tend to compare worst case scenarios abroad with best case scenarios in the UK. If you intend on receational flying you can get an ICAO PPL at about half the price of the JAA equivalent and you'll be able to fly G-reg day VFR. N-reg aircraft are becoming increasingly common nowadays. you could do a FAA part 141 PPL and IR (70hrsTT Minimum) in as little as a month if you are brave enough, and at a similar price as a JAA PPL given the exchange rate. You will also be able to convert to a JAA PPL/NQ/IMC very easily.
i agree that there are differences but a lot of them are exagerated. For example, the issue of RT. You'll be much better at Rt and ATC procedures if you train at certain busy regional airports in the US or in certain busy areas e.g. LA basin, Northeast USA. a lot of UK PPLs will find it hard to cope in some of these environments. You can get Mountain flying thrown in for free if you train in certain areas.
Unfortunately UK FTOs are tied down by red tape and high operating costs. Some of them have resorted to spreading myths about foreign training to protect their own interests.
RULE NO.1 of flight training: Don't believe everything flying schools in or outside the UK say.
Aeroplanes fly the same all around the world, RT is similar (all based on ICAO guidelines), navigation is the same, airspace is similar (Uk VFR airspace is not the busiest in the world). There are some differences in RT and procedures but its not worth sweating about. When you listen on the radio in UK for the 1st time, you will be shocked by the quality (or lack of it).
In the end of the day don't be swayed by what FTOs say, speak to as many people as you can and try to make a judgement for yourself and see what type of training suits you.
I might some pro-foreign training but i'm just trying to show you the other side of the coin. remember, there are lots of planes flying in UK airspace as we speak crewed by foreing trained pilots. Even BA train their cadets in the US.
Evo
"shagged-out" describes 75% of the UK training fleet IMHO
Radarcontrol
£5000 is a bare minimum in the UK. I did mine in one of the cheapest Uk schools and in mimimum time and it cost me about that amount.
Capt. Manuvar
i agree that there are differences but a lot of them are exagerated. For example, the issue of RT. You'll be much better at Rt and ATC procedures if you train at certain busy regional airports in the US or in certain busy areas e.g. LA basin, Northeast USA. a lot of UK PPLs will find it hard to cope in some of these environments. You can get Mountain flying thrown in for free if you train in certain areas.
Unfortunately UK FTOs are tied down by red tape and high operating costs. Some of them have resorted to spreading myths about foreign training to protect their own interests.
RULE NO.1 of flight training: Don't believe everything flying schools in or outside the UK say.
Aeroplanes fly the same all around the world, RT is similar (all based on ICAO guidelines), navigation is the same, airspace is similar (Uk VFR airspace is not the busiest in the world). There are some differences in RT and procedures but its not worth sweating about. When you listen on the radio in UK for the 1st time, you will be shocked by the quality (or lack of it).
In the end of the day don't be swayed by what FTOs say, speak to as many people as you can and try to make a judgement for yourself and see what type of training suits you.
I might some pro-foreign training but i'm just trying to show you the other side of the coin. remember, there are lots of planes flying in UK airspace as we speak crewed by foreing trained pilots. Even BA train their cadets in the US.
Evo
"shagged-out" describes 75% of the UK training fleet IMHO
Radarcontrol
£5000 is a bare minimum in the UK. I did mine in one of the cheapest Uk schools and in mimimum time and it cost me about that amount.
Capt. Manuvar
I started in January and finished at the end of August 2003. Basically booked 1 lesson per week to start with, and then once my solo circuit work was coming up, I started to book double slots. I also took a couple of weeks off and booked a double slot each day. Needed a few triple slots for QXC and GFT.
I only lost 2-3 weekend slots because of weather, however in the two weeks that I booked off, on one of them, I only flew once, as it was sh1ty all week. Those lost days did come in handy, as I still pitched up at the a/f for some of the day, and spent time with instructors doing work for exams etc. (and drinking coffee)
I'd go along with the other people who say "go for it" and do it as quick as you can.
I only lost 2-3 weekend slots because of weather, however in the two weeks that I booked off, on one of them, I only flew once, as it was sh1ty all week. Those lost days did come in handy, as I still pitched up at the a/f for some of the day, and spent time with instructors doing work for exams etc. (and drinking coffee)
I'd go along with the other people who say "go for it" and do it as quick as you can.
