How long did it take you to achieve your PPL?
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How long did it take you to achieve your PPL?
Hi folks, can you please tell me how long it took for you to achieve your PPL as it so far taken me almost 5 months to date and have clocked 32.5 hours I am now at the stage of building up some solo time and than onto my navigation side, I just feel I am being taken for a ride by Redhill aviation, they are not booking enough slots for me, not enough instructors and not enough aircrafts available, although I have passed all my theory studies and achieved an average of 85% I feel quite overwhelmingly depressed as I want to achieve my fatpl by the time i reach 30 years old.
Last edited by RITZER82; 7th Oct 2009 at 14:45.
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I learnt to fly at Cub air in Redhill and apart from a couple of niggles they were great. Took me eight months whilst working full time as well, 45hrs 5mins I think.
You have to push flying schools all the time as they are rarely as committed as the student its a common theme in all the countries I've flown in. PM me if you like, I have had a bit of time a different schools and seen most of the good and bad points.
You have to push flying schools all the time as they are rarely as committed as the student its a common theme in all the countries I've flown in. PM me if you like, I have had a bit of time a different schools and seen most of the good and bad points.
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6 weeks but I did it full time. 
Surely it's down to the student to book his or her slots as only the student will know his or her availability and other committments.
Weather and serviceability can't be helped which is why you should always book back-up slots.
And there's no need to set yourself a target which you may not achieve if it's just going to depress you.
Cheers
Whirls
Surely it's down to the student to book his or her slots as only the student will know his or her availability and other committments. Weather and serviceability can't be helped which is why you should always book back-up slots.
And there's no need to set yourself a target which you may not achieve if it's just going to depress you.
Cheers
Whirls
About 3 years - I kept moving job (my employer at the time believed in moving people, often to the other end of the country, about twice per year) and a couple of times I just ran out of money.
Started on the University Air Squadron on Bulldogs, then after I graduated went solo on a Spectrum (microlight) in Yorkshire, then 2 job-moves later got my licence on a Shadow (also microlight) in Wiltshire.
If presumably you're also working, so this is not full time: 5 months to do 32 hours of lessons, learning to fly in British weather Ritzer - I'd say you're not doing badly at-all. If it's full time, then yes, it's dreadful.
G
Started on the University Air Squadron on Bulldogs, then after I graduated went solo on a Spectrum (microlight) in Yorkshire, then 2 job-moves later got my licence on a Shadow (also microlight) in Wiltshire.
If presumably you're also working, so this is not full time: 5 months to do 32 hours of lessons, learning to fly in British weather Ritzer - I'd say you're not doing badly at-all. If it's full time, then yes, it's dreadful.
G
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It took me 5 months which included the night priveleges (45 hours total time), I was very lucky with the weather as the QXC / Skills test had no weather delays. I had a very supportive flying club and where possible tried to fly twice a week. Doing the night flying also allowed me to fly in winter after work (although only 5 hours it all adds up).
Stick with it and enjoy the flying.
Stick with it and enjoy the flying.
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I went through in exactly one month. With total flight time of 45.7hrs.
Study full time within this month and flights almost every day, another guy at that time passed the complete PPL course in 3 weeks and it was the fastest result of the Avioservice flight school.
You can continue with ATPL in any other FTO. Or at least to continue the ATPL ground training with the same school, but to build hours in any other.
Study full time within this month and flights almost every day, another guy at that time passed the complete PPL course in 3 weeks and it was the fastest result of the Avioservice flight school.
You can continue with ATPL in any other FTO. Or at least to continue the ATPL ground training with the same school, but to build hours in any other.
It's not so much how long it will take you, but how you are being treated by the school. Are you getting continuity of instructor(s)? You should be aiming to fly with the same one all the way through your course with the odd exception. Are you booking lessons and having them cancelled? Are there other ppl students with the same problems? If you are getting messed about, consider other schools - it's no big deal to change schools at ppl stage and you should have a few options in your area.
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about 3 months... includes CTA/CTR and cross country navs with entry into circuit pattern at an aerodrome other than the departure aerodrome and a touch and go...
good fun!
72 hours total time
good fun!72 hours total time
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Ahhh ok thanks for your experiences and thoughts shared here guys has been a great honour to take aboard I feel a little bit more relaxed now I thought I was the only one that will experience finishing my PPL approximately in 6 months time, the FTO overall is not bad at all especially when you consider the landing fee and the circuit fee, my instructor is a very experienced one and I have no complaints on he's skills as an instructor, from next week onwards I am having another instructor a BMI captain so looking forward to that very much indeed and a great privilege too.
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4 weeks for me full time. I'm an instructor now and normally do a PPL in 4 weeks. It does however depend on how well prepared the student is, I am lucky as where I work the weather is usually not the problem and neither is instructor availability as you are allocated an instructor for your whole stay so there are no continuity issues.
Good luck in getting it finished!
Good luck in getting it finished!
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Some thoughts
I can see where you are coming from original poster - I did my PPL in Ireland part-time and ended up flying about one hour every one to two weeks or even more due to weather and occasional tech problems etc.
My school was fine but I personaly found it frustrating a lot of the time with the length of time it was taking to finish. It is very easy to lose momentum and even if you are the most enthusiastic student around it can have a retrograding effect. I think it depends on personality, some people are ok with doing it that way and others aren't - there isn't a right or wrong here in my opinion just horses for courses.
Having since done further training abroad and with the benefit of hindsight, if I were to do the PPL again I would find a school with a GOOD reputation in the U.S.A and do an accelerated PPL course there as some of my friends have done. There are many naysayers about doing it this way but I can honestly say I don't think those that I have flown with are any better or worse than I am and they achieved their PPL's much quicker and actually cheaper too.
So I think doing something like that may benefit your training but that said it sounds like you are nearly done anyway so you may as well keep your head down and just stick with it
My school was fine but I personaly found it frustrating a lot of the time with the length of time it was taking to finish. It is very easy to lose momentum and even if you are the most enthusiastic student around it can have a retrograding effect. I think it depends on personality, some people are ok with doing it that way and others aren't - there isn't a right or wrong here in my opinion just horses for courses.
Having since done further training abroad and with the benefit of hindsight, if I were to do the PPL again I would find a school with a GOOD reputation in the U.S.A and do an accelerated PPL course there as some of my friends have done. There are many naysayers about doing it this way but I can honestly say I don't think those that I have flown with are any better or worse than I am and they achieved their PPL's much quicker and actually cheaper too.
So I think doing something like that may benefit your training but that said it sounds like you are nearly done anyway so you may as well keep your head down and just stick with it
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Ritzer,
Looks like we have a few things in common;
I'm 27
First lesson on 10/04/09
First solo on 22/05/09 @ 14.5hrs
First solo XC on 21/06/09 @ 22.5hrs
Currently waiting for the weather to brighten up for my XC qualifier (150nm), which I'm hoping might be on Monday (12th). I have a total time of 32hrs 59mins and after the QXC I will be around the 35hr mark.
I just hope I get the PPL completed before the winter weather comes in. I've had a few flights canceled over the last 2 months or so due to the flights being Nav exercises and needing VFR conditions.
I tend to fly every other Sunday for 1 or 2 hours.
Also like you, I'd like to think I'll be armed with a fATPL by 2012 when I hit 30 and hopfully the recession will seem like a distant memory.
Good luck with the rest of your training.
Looks like we have a few things in common;
I'm 27
First lesson on 10/04/09
First solo on 22/05/09 @ 14.5hrs
First solo XC on 21/06/09 @ 22.5hrs
Currently waiting for the weather to brighten up for my XC qualifier (150nm), which I'm hoping might be on Monday (12th). I have a total time of 32hrs 59mins and after the QXC I will be around the 35hr mark.
I just hope I get the PPL completed before the winter weather comes in. I've had a few flights canceled over the last 2 months or so due to the flights being Nav exercises and needing VFR conditions.
I tend to fly every other Sunday for 1 or 2 hours.
Also like you, I'd like to think I'll be armed with a fATPL by 2012 when I hit 30 and hopfully the recession will seem like a distant memory.
Good luck with the rest of your training.