After the PPL

[tiggermoth]

So right now I'm a student PPL.

What happens when you actually pass, and get your PPL?

Where do you go from there?

Is it a terrifying ordeal? How long do you leave it until you take yur mates up? Do you rent, or get a share, or rob a bank and buy an aeroplane?

I'm really looking forward to writing up a little flight plan and making a good cross country run once I get the PPL. Getting an idea of how people make use of their PPL would be really interesting!

Do many people drift away once getting their PPL due to various reason?

So many questions, so little flying time..

TiggerMoth

[Humaround]

It's very important to think about what you are going to do after getting your PPL. I believe a high percentage of new PPL's lapse after the first couple of years. What a waste!

Plan your first post-PPL x-country.

Plan to take your partner/mum/dad/significant other flying as soon as you feel confident (and as soon as they agree!)

I told my wife I'd fly her round a distant hill (Sugarloaf, just visible from our favourite walk) on the first fine day after I was able to do so. It was a memorable occasion for both of us, I'm not sure who was most nervous...

Plan to progress your flying and make it as easy as and cheap as possible to go flying anytime - I recommend buying a share at a local farmstrip.

good luck

[JackOffallTrades]

Lots of options become available to you Tiggermoth. Like Humaround says, don't let your licence go to waste by not using it and not staying current. My advice is fly solo for a while and then with your mates/family doing things that you've been doing under training till you start to yawn a bit and yearn for more adventure. Then consider......

1. Doing a rating (night, IMC, twin, IR etc) or,

2. Taildragging

3. Aerobatics

4. Display/formation

5. Commercial licence

6. Buying an aircraft/share in an aircraft

7. Flying abroad/touring

Blah blah blah...... I could make this list much longer but I think you get the idea. If you're not sure what you want to do then try some of the above or research what is involved and see if it's for you or not. Only you will know what you like.

[tangovictor]

I was told or read somewhere, that in the UK approx 80% of new ppl holders, let the licence laps after the first year !
I can't remember where I saw this, but, thats kinda strange isn't it, all that time effort and money, wasted.
I can only assume, that the high cost of purchasing an airplane, frightens people off ?

[Bahn-Jeaux]

I had a similar thread running a few months ago re PPL lapse rates but then i began to wonder how many of those who lapsed were actually on the road to ATPL so didnt use the priveleges any more.
Just a thought as I was told a few days ago that my cousins husband who is a BA captain, was getting his PPL again.

[Rod1]

You can also cost share with more experience PPL’s, which will help you, gain experience at less cost. You need to be able to stay very current and fly as much as you can. A share in a PFA aircraft is often the best way to do this.

Rod1

[Gingerbread Man]

Just a thought as I was told a few days ago that my cousins husband who is a BA captain, was getting his PPL again.

Is it not the case that each license supercedes the previous one? I was under the impression that if you had a current CPL, then you also had a current PPL by default. Am I being hopelessy naive?

As for the topic in question, i've had my PPL for over a year and have done about 5 hours flying with it. The main reason being that I am a student and flying is expensive. I don't have sufficient means to fly regularly and it seems a waste of money to fly with an instructor to get current and then let it go again. My aim is to earn enough money so that I can start Aeros training this year. The only thing is I really want to have lots of other qualifications like IMC and night, but my aim is to go for an ATPL, so I don't want to pay for things that I may have a chance of getting for 'free' later on (if I can get into CTC, for example).

Ginger

[Bahn-Jeaux]

Not too sure as to the full details as it had filtered down through the family to me.
I know he did an integrated course many moons ago so dont know the full circumstances as I havn't spoken to my cousin for years now. (paths havn't crossed, not a fall out)
Might it be a revalidation ?

[S-Works]

Originally Posted by Gingerbread Man

Is it not the case that each license supercedes the previous one? I was under the impression that if you had a current CPL, then you also had a current PPL by default. Am I being hopelessy naive?
As for the topic in question, i've had my PPL for over a year and have done about 5 hours flying with it. The main reason being that I am a student and flying is expensive. I don't have sufficient means to fly regularly and it seems a waste of money to fly with an instructor to get current and then let it go again. My aim is to earn enough money so that I can start Aeros training this year. The only thing is I really want to have lots of other qualifications like IMC and night, but my aim is to go for an ATPL, so I don't want to pay for things that I may have a chance of getting for 'free' later on (if I can get into CTC, for example).
Ginger

Yes but what happens is people go onto fly bigger machinery for a job and the lighter end of the licence expires and they do not renew them. My friend is in the same position., just got a job with BA and already his IR and MEP privelidges have lapsed and the SEP is not far behind.

There is also an odd mentality with a lot of airline pilots that they would not be seen dead in a small aircraft now they fly "proper" airacraft. Then a few years down the line they discover how dull flying a "proper" aircraft is (but to be fair they are very good at Suduko) and they went to get back to real flying so renew the ratings again.

Every one of my friends who flies for a living with high airline hours have returned to GA as they find the day job so dull. My Canadian friend 17,000hrs training Captain came over for the Jersey air rally this year, we got weathered off but spent the time touring France with our group, I lent him my 152 and he was so hooked he has booked for next years rally!!

[acuba 290]

for me was first thing after skill test and getting PPL issued, is to try out some other airplanes to compare with one i used for training. I've done my training with c172 and then was big fun to fly with P-28 Archer II and later as i came home with Mooney with RG and VP 2 weeks ago i was flying in Russia Yak-18T, very funny

[JackOffallTrades]

Proper flying??

No such thing, or it's all proper. I fly a big shiny fast lump of aluminium with lots of people, knobs, buttons and switches on board to earn money. I spend hours trucking across continents, seas and oceans monitoring, checking and programming bits of ultra-clever, hi-tech stuff. I love it too.

However, on a day off I like to keep my SEP rating valid. As an ATPL holder I am allowed PPL privaliges, provided I meet the same currency requirements as a (brown licence) PPL holder. Also, because I have a UK ATPL (rather than a JAR one) I am also allowed to excercise the privaliges of an IMC rating. Not sure I'd want to though.

I couldn't rate one against the other. I love flying from one big international airport to another 1000s of miles away in a highly rated Boeing. I also love pottering about Berkshire at 1000' occasionally venturing into Oxfordshire in a highly rated Piper Cub. Marvelous!!!

[OpenCirrus619]

With your handle why not try the Tiger Club - you can work on:

• Tailwheel
• Aerobatics
• Formation Flying
• Tiger Moth
• .....

OC619

[MichaelJP59]

For me the problem has been finding a share that suits. I don't want a share in a Cessna 152 or PA-28, of which many are available, but something more down the PFA route which generally have more modern panels and higher performance.

Haven't been able to find anything yet in my area but still hoping. I've found plenty of suitable aircraft but no owners willing to share yet

[acuba 290]

Originally Posted by MichaelJP59

For me the problem has been finding a share that suits. I don't want a share in a Cessna 152 or PA-28, of which many are available, but something more down the PFA route which generally have more modern panels and higher performance.

Haven't been able to find anything yet in my area but still hoping. I've found plenty of suitable aircraft but no owners willing to share yet

have same problem. In our area there is only Mooney M20C or M20J 201 availible. I would like to chart P-28 Turboarrow, but can't find it...We are not living in USA unf....

[foxmoth]

There is also an odd mentality with a lot of airline pilots that they would not be seen dead in a small aircraft now they fly "proper" airacraft. Then a few years down the line they discover how dull flying a "proper" aircraft is (but to be fair they are very good at Suduko) and they went to get back to real flying so renew the ratings again.

I fly the big stuff, in my spare time I instruct for Ultimate High which has to be some of the most fun flying going. Most of the other instructors at UH are also airline pilots and like myself have kept their enthusiasm and SEP ratings going right the way through.

[JackOffallTrades]

Sudoku

Originally Posted by foxmoth

I fly the big stuff, in my spare time I instruct for Ultimate High which has to be some of the most fun flying going. Most of the other instructors at UH are also airline pilots and like myself have kept their enthusiasm and SEP ratings going right the way through.

Cool,

I'd love to see someone doing Sudoku in the front of an Extra 300 while it was being spanked!!

I'd also love to take some guy up who reckons airline pilots are sh1te at GA! Just look at two of the GB competitors in the Red Bull races for example.

Haven't flown aeros for ages (seems like). How much do UH charge? (please PM me as required!).

[foxmoth]

If you put Ultimate High into your search engine you should find their web site which I think has rates, if not it will have the phone no. If you cannot get a result from this then PM me and I will let you have details.
(don't want to post the website incase it is pulled for advertising)

[tiggermoth]

Blimey, I though that getting a share in a liitle 152 or a PA28 would be the first step after a PPL licence?

I think I'd be happy to go up with something with flapping wings, with feathers stuck on with wax.

....I'll get my coat...

[stickandrudderman]

I would definately go straight on to IMC training post PPL.
It will teach you a lot more about what all the instruments are for and also greatly increase your confidence.
After that, as demonstrated above, the choices ar almost endless!
HAve fun!

[Piltdown Man]

After I got my PPL, my next flight was with a friend. We went to the Isle of Wight, which neither of us has been to before. Then I went with my brother to all the houses we had lived in etc... Then I got checked out in something bigger and when I got to about 40 hours total (I got my PPL at 19 hours via a "Silver C" conversion - are they still possible?) started towing at my gliding club. After 30 hours towing, was then tailwheel trained (another tug). Had I not got a commercial licence I think I would have bought a share in an open biplane (long or short wings).

I'm not suggesting that you don't lack imagination, but I never really understood what you do with an aircraft untill I spoke with people who I met socially at gliding and aeroclubs. For the record I was a member at West London Aero Club (White Waltham - I hope it hasn't changed too much) and LGC at Dunstable. Therefore, may I suggest that you join an aero club with a social scene.

Best of Luck

PM