Pilot training in the UK
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It is possible that the average time for a PPL is 2 years but that is only because there are loads of people who had a few lessons in say 1967 and then a few more in 1989 and then finished off when they retired in 2011 
I also recall a number of 100+ hour PPL students, of which many or most never finish.
Assuming reasonable availability, which to me means a minimum of one lesson per week, the average time will be 12 months, and this is mostly determined by the weather, and partly by many schools being disorganised and operating unserviceable wreckage. Not to mention bumping prebooked lessons because a bunch of hoodies from the local council estate, with enough body piercings to shift the W&B, booked a pleasure flight (oops I meant to say a "trial lesson"
) which is an atrocious practice which used to happen at one of the schools I was at.
If you could "camp out" next to a school and fly twice a day, you would do it much more quickly - unless you got exceptionally unlucky with the wx. I recall 3 months during my PPL (oct,nov,dec 2000) when I booked a lesson for every day, i.e. ~ 90 lessons, and got just 3 lessons in, due to wx. Warm frontal drizzle, mostly. But people who go to the USA do exactly that: fly 2x a day and at that rate, especially in Arizona, you will be done in 4 weeks.
PPL training can be very frustrating because a lot of flights are cancelled due to haze which is actually lovely flyable wx if you live in the 21st century (GPS) and can instrument fly. The solo x/c flights required in the PPL are extremely sensitive to haze (most instructors will not let you out solo in < 10k viz) and I recall a number people who lost the whole summer waiting for their QXC, with some dropping the PPL and wasting the £5-10k spent getting there. The whole business really needs an ovehaul... one should be taught dead reckoning but to simply block progress until it is demonstrated on a x/c flight is OTT for this day and age. This becomes painfully obvious to anybody who is fortunate enough, during their PPL training, to accompany a pilot who uses modern methods. But at least those people are more likely to hang in there, knowing that the day after their PPL they can chuck out the silly slide rules etc
I also recall a number of 100+ hour PPL students, of which many or most never finish.
Assuming reasonable availability, which to me means a minimum of one lesson per week, the average time will be 12 months, and this is mostly determined by the weather, and partly by many schools being disorganised and operating unserviceable wreckage. Not to mention bumping prebooked lessons because a bunch of hoodies from the local council estate, with enough body piercings to shift the W&B, booked a pleasure flight (oops I meant to say a "trial lesson"
) which is an atrocious practice which used to happen at one of the schools I was at.If you could "camp out" next to a school and fly twice a day, you would do it much more quickly - unless you got exceptionally unlucky with the wx. I recall 3 months during my PPL (oct,nov,dec 2000) when I booked a lesson for every day, i.e. ~ 90 lessons, and got just 3 lessons in, due to wx. Warm frontal drizzle, mostly. But people who go to the USA do exactly that: fly 2x a day and at that rate, especially in Arizona, you will be done in 4 weeks.
PPL training can be very frustrating because a lot of flights are cancelled due to haze which is actually lovely flyable wx if you live in the 21st century (GPS) and can instrument fly. The solo x/c flights required in the PPL are extremely sensitive to haze (most instructors will not let you out solo in < 10k viz) and I recall a number people who lost the whole summer waiting for their QXC, with some dropping the PPL and wasting the £5-10k spent getting there. The whole business really needs an ovehaul... one should be taught dead reckoning but to simply block progress until it is demonstrated on a x/c flight is OTT for this day and age. This becomes painfully obvious to anybody who is fortunate enough, during their PPL training, to accompany a pilot who uses modern methods. But at least those people are more likely to hang in there, knowing that the day after their PPL they can chuck out the silly slide rules etc
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I took a stude flying the other day and he was gobsmacked by my cheapo GPS stuck on the side window and what it could do. I'm not an instructor by the way, I just took a stude flying. I managed to do my PPL in four months, including around a month where I only flew three times because of the weather. That is no reflection on my abilities, I'm a pretty average 100 hour plus pilot who still makes mistakes and has a lot to learn. I just saved up the money and blitzed it. Repetition, as often as possible is the answer. Well it is for me anyway.
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I also recall a number of 100+ hour PPL students, of which many or most never finish.
Peter, i reckon i'm going to have about 250 hrs by the time I take my skills test...but I tell you what, I WILL finish!! I did care about the hours it was taking me to go solo, but now I have, I am not bothered about length of time...as long as i'm flying i'm happy!
But I agree with your point about haze. Twice now I have been unable to fly because of it. Although we did go flying in slight haze and the vis was poor for a sector recce and would be even worse for a navex (without a GPS of course!!)
When I called one local school asking whether I could study intensively, the receptionist sounded very doubtful and told me she had 'never heard' of anybody doing a PPL in less than 6 months. Whilst thoroughly wrong, there's probably a reason she came away with this impression.
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Hi all,
This will probably be most idiotic question on this forum, but I will still attempt to ask it: how do you search for the aeroclubs that do PPL around London? I know many of you pointed me to local airfields and then some of them list their schools, some don't. In general, what to put into goolge to get most accurate results on the local clubs in London?
If this question insults your intelligence, please reply via PM, won;t tell anyone...
This will probably be most idiotic question on this forum, but I will still attempt to ask it: how do you search for the aeroclubs that do PPL around London? I know many of you pointed me to local airfields and then some of them list their schools, some don't. In general, what to put into goolge to get most accurate results on the local clubs in London?
If this question insults your intelligence, please reply via PM, won;t tell anyone...
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I think most training facilities have been listed on this thread. I don't know what the exact Google search would be, but if your interested in flying anyhow, go down to a local airfield and buy a CAA chart. It will show all the airfields around London and the surrounding areas. The little circles will be unlicensed airfields (generally means they don't have manned fire truck facilities), and the ones with a pink surrounding circle means they are licensed. Either will probably offer some kind of flight training, unless they are farm strips. Googling names off of a chart might be your best bet. It's already been mentioned, but I wouldn't travel too far from home.
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When I called one local school asking whether I could study intensively, the receptionist sounded very doubtful and told me she had 'never heard' of anybody doing a PPL in less than 6 months.
It's not the flying you have to keep on top of as much if you want to do it in short order, it's the exams, don't forget there are six of them plus your radio practical.
I think either consciously or unconsciously the idea that flying is difficult seems to sit in a lot of people's minds. It isn't. It's very unforgiving of mistakes but if you have an average amount of nounce and are quick mentally then it's not a big deal. Of course there are plenty of people around who will try and convince you otherwise...
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Learn in the way that suits you - it isn't a competition.
It's a good idea to have a 'plan, but you won't really know until you start.
If you find you get over-loaded/tired then have lessons less frequently, if you have the time and can absorb the information then fly more frequently.
I would agree that most people I know have taken one or 2 years to get a PPL, but some have done it faster - especially if they have more time and are young.
It's a good idea to have a 'plan, but you won't really know until you start.
If you find you get over-loaded/tired then have lessons less frequently, if you have the time and can absorb the information then fly more frequently.
I would agree that most people I know have taken one or 2 years to get a PPL, but some have done it faster - especially if they have more time and are young.
