PPL and Uni

[fawes786]

Hi I wanted to do my private pilot licence somewhere, and wanted to know whether it would be possible to do it whilst at university. I.e. To do it during summer holidays and over Easter. Also what is the shortest time period that I could complete my private pilot licence in?

Thanks

[Gertrude the Wombat]

The constraints are essentially money and weather. You could easily do it in less than one summer holiday if you treated it as a full time job and had all the money available; more common is people booking to fly once a week or so, actually succeeding once or twice a month, and taking around three years to get the licence.

[J.A.F.O.]

Have you looked into RAF University Air Squadrons?

[tmmorris]

Precious little flying in UAS these days - more if you can spare the time but you won't complete EFT.

[crablab]

Originally Posted by Gertrude the Wombat

...more common is people booking to fly once a week or so, actually succeeding once or twice a month, and taking around three years to get the licence.

I wouldn't day that was strictly true - people tend to finish the licence in around a year (English weather...) and they're booking around once a week and more frequently when they're off work.

[squidie]

Originally Posted by fawes786

Hi I wanted to do my private pilot licence somewhere, and wanted to know whether it would be possible to do it whilst at university. I.e. To do it during summer holidays and over Easter. Also what is the shortest time period that I could complete my private pilot licence in?

Thanks

Given you can do all your exams in the right time before your skills test then you could do the practical in a few weeks if the weather is good. Also as advised earlier the UAS is a good start.

[Maoraigh1]

In school summer holiday, 1964, I did a 2 week course in Glasgow on teaching, then drove to Thruxton where I did the whole PPL course. I had previous gliding experience. It was full-time, living on the airfield.
Doing the exams should be easy if your handling Uni course exams.
20.15 on 27/7/64 to 19.45 on 21/8/64.
I was 23, teacher. You have longer holidays.

[crablab]

Originally Posted by Maoraigh1

...I did the whole PPL course...It was full-time, living on the airfield.

The RAF still do something similar for Cadet's (and up in Scotland). Link

If you joined a RAF Cadet organisation (which I believe you can do at uni age), you would be eligible to apply for that scholarship and complete your course in Dundee (they only get you up to first solo level) should you wish.

[tmmorris]

True Crablab but

a. If he's at uni, he's too old to join the ATC I believe (existing cadets can stay to their 20th birthday but they'd not let you join after 18)
b. Even if I'm wrong about a., with a small number of scholarships available they will prioritise those with long service (and you can now join at 12)

[Capn Bug Smasher]

It is possible to complete your entire PPL(A) in a summer with a flying scholarship. Try applying to the Air League or GAPAN.

[Maoraigh1]

The OP asked about possibility. He did not ask about finance, so presumably he has the money. It is possible, probably easy.