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-   -   PPL hour breakdown (https://www.pprune.org/private-flying/482197-ppl-hour-breakdown.html)

EGKB 9th Apr 2012 18:23

PPL hour breakdown
 
Hour 1 - Intro to flight controls ect
Hour 2..?
Hour 3..?

Where can I find a hour breakdown of the PPL course. Or even a hours 1-5 breakdown or something?

I can't afford to do the PPL course in installments so I'm having to do it pay as you go, even though it's way more expensive, I need a second evening job and I'll be fine!

Only asking about the breakdown so I know my instructor is not just taking me for my money

Genghis the Engineer 9th Apr 2012 18:35

As long as it takes YOU to learn each exercise.

Sorry, that's just how it is. Any estimate of hours per exercise, can only possibly be just that - an estimate. It is difficult for you, as a student who hasn't flown before to guess how you're doing, and the only really sensible approach is to keep talking to your instructor and asking lots of questions.

That said, there are plenty of sources of the syllabus, and you can make a reasonable estimate yourself of how you're doing against the eventual 45 / 32 / 25 hour minimum, depending upon which version of the PPL you're shooting for.

But it isn't a case of learning stuff at a set rate, it's all about meeting the required standard then moving on.

G

Whopity 9th Apr 2012 18:43

When you enroll on a PPL Course you are normally given a book containing all the flight Exercises or You will need one of these to read up on the next lesson. The speed at which you progress will not be the same for all students so don't assume that all students will cover exactly the same amount in a lesson. The books list Exercises that do not necessarily equate to an equal number of flights.

It is very rare that an Instructor takes a student just for money. Most instructors would prefer a student who progresses quickly rather than one who takes for ever!

EGKB 9th Apr 2012 18:44

Sorry, I already have 4 un-logged hours, 3 in a C152, and 1 hour in a grob tutor.
I understand where you're coming from, until the set standard has been met one may not progress.

However for the sake of this thread and my question, lets assume I do EVERYTHING perfect, what can I expect on lesson 2

Whopity 9th Apr 2012 18:47

Effect of Controls Part 2, as you have only done the Intro, Part1

EGKB 9th Apr 2012 18:53

Whopity,

I haven't officially enrolled on the course, I can't afford the £2000 installment at the moment, but I'm taking one more lesson next week, then going to save for the £2000 which will mean not flying for a month.

I'm assuming I'll have to pay the £2000 to receive any books then, sucks :(

'Chuffer' Dandridge 9th Apr 2012 19:21


I can't afford the £2000 installment at the moment
How many times...? Never, ever, ever, ever, ever pay up front. Ever!:=

Genghis the Engineer 9th Apr 2012 19:24

Err, no.

You can buy the book, and most students also pay by the hour - don't pay up front, it's an unnecessary risk on numerous levels. The marginal saving is not worth the risk of losing that money: flying schools go bust with annoying regularity and you don't want them owing you money when you. I say again pay as you go!!!.

Ask the school for a copy of the syllabus they're using and pay for it - expect to pay about £15. If they don't use a specific document - there's the AOPA/Pooleys book, Jeremy Pratt's book, Trevor Thom's book, PPLme, .... All perfectly good books, and all saying roughly the same things, so pick one you like.

4 un-logged hours, as I'm sure you really know, is very little although it's hopefully helped you to feel comfortable in the air. With a proper instructor you will be starting at square 1 and following the syllabus in full, because they daren't risk missing anything out. But, you will find as you review your logbook you'll sometimes do an exercise in the syllabus over several hours, and other times do several exercises in one hour. It really ain't linear.

If you are doing the NPPL(SSEA), the syllabus here will give you a very good idea, or if the NPPL(M), the document here; for the PPL(SEP), here. But in all cases the books and DVDs that are available are likely to be much more informative than the basic lists in the published syllabi.

G

stickandrudderman 9th Apr 2012 19:25


I'm assuming I'll have to pay the £2000 to receive any books then, sucks
ABSOLUTELY NOT!
you can buy the books readily and cheaply on ebay (other internet auction sites are available) or ask on here or over on the Flyer forum and someone might be prepared to donate/sell theirs. You can then study them at home at your leisure.

Do a search on here and you'll find plenty of advice about paying for lessons up front, most of which advises against it, my own included.

Instead of taking the bar job, see if you can find a position at an airfield where your learning curve will be accellerated.

(I see that it took me 5 minutes to type my response......!)

'India-Mike 9th Apr 2012 19:27

Paying by installments sounds rather like paying "up front" or in advance for lessons. That normally starts alarm bells ringing around these forums and whilst it might seem like "thread creep" is probably an issue that is more important for you to resolve than your initial question.

Apart from that Genghis is quite right....it takes what it takes and that depends on you. And Whopity has given you source material for attempting to calculate the spend versus hours relationship that you're looking for. A very very very rough guide based on my limited experience as an FI is 15 trips for the first 10 hours for a good student to get towards solo standard.

Good luck.

The500man 9th Apr 2012 19:31

Flight schools don't usually include books and equipment in their PPL course prices. You will normally need to buy all that stuff yourself. Ask your school for a list of recommended equipment. They should be able to tell you the best stuff to get, and it will most likely include the Air Pilot's Manuals or the AFE equivalent (check Whopity's links).

Are you flying at EFG?


EDIT: It's always amazes me how people manage to reply so quickly on pprune!

Dan the weegie 9th Apr 2012 19:41

Sounds like you're trying to budget for finishing the course.

Each lesson takes as long as it takes Even if you do it perfectly there will be lots of reasons it takes longer or shorter than 1 hr. For instance, weather, traffic, type of aircraft. It's just not something any flying instructor can tell you.

Either way the course takes a minimum of 45 hours - this is easily achievable for motivated people in their early 20s. more if you're lazy and it often takes more once you get past 30. so even if you've finished the whole course by hour 30 (which you wont) you still have 15 hours of flying to do, so how longer each lesson takes is totally IRRELEVANT!
Reading the books on the other hand will save you money, if you don't read the books it will often take you past 45 hours.

Beyond that, paying £2000 in installments to get a big discount sounds like a pile of shate, there are discounts for paying for 10 hours at a time but only ever do so with a credit card, you never know when a school will go bust and it happens lots. All the more important if you're on a budget. Suggest finding another school to be honest, where are you training?

EGKB 9th Apr 2012 19:46

Yes I'm flying at EFG

Thanks for all the advice guys, it just sounded a bit like it was either pay up-front for 1/4 of the course or pay pay as you go and spend much more £££

And no worries guys, I'll ask them everything I need!!!! :)

Dan the weegie 9th Apr 2012 19:53

The more they push pay up front the more likely it is that things are not right financially. If they offer it and offer a discount it's normally because it's demanded by customers, it was in the case of my school.

It shouldn't be significantly cheaper.

If I was you I'd wait and save up :)

foxmoth 9th Apr 2012 20:24

Paying up front is fine if you do one thing - pay by credit card, then the credit card company is liable.
As said, any good instructor will start you at EoC (i) and take you through ALL the exercises, BUT if the hours you have unlogged have been done sensibly then you should work through the first few exercises pretty quickly, conversely, these could have taught you some things incorrectly and it might take longer.

A "standard" progress might be -
Trial lesson (30 mins) EoC(i);
Lesson 2 (this and all other lessons 1Hr) - EoC(ii), intro to S&L (i);
Lesson 3 S&L(i) intro to Climbing and descending,
Lesson 4 Climbing & Descending, S&L(ii);
Lesson 5 Medium Level turns.
But as pointed out, your progress could be faster or slower than this depending on ability and other factors, and elements might be introduced at differing phases for reasons of progress/airspace/weather so this is a VERY general guide, and of course you would probably not be doing the trial (30min) lesson so that straight away changes the dynamics.

Weirdfish 9th Apr 2012 20:38

Another thing to remember is that lessons do not always happen in the order of the book. I was supposed to be getting stuck into stall work two lessons ago but cloud put paid to that. Rather than just cancel, we did something we could do given the weather at the time.

Also, don't pay up front :)

thing 9th Apr 2012 22:12

Did anyone mention not paying up front? Also some good points about just saving up and thrashing it to death. If you can only afford a lesson now and again it will take you longer.

Whopity 10th Apr 2012 07:39


I already have 4 un-logged hours, 3 in a C152, and 1 hour in a grob tutor.
Why can't you log them? If they were flown with an instructor they can be logged, if not, they were probably passenger time.

If you pay up front, you are financing someone else's flying, who will finance yours? A discount is usually a sign of a cash flow problem, a bit like firms selling off stock cheap!

EGKB 10th Apr 2012 08:35

I didn't have a log book, and they're scattered over 2/3 years. I'm only 17. I'll purchase all needed equipment at biggin hill on the coming saturday for my next lesson.

How does the log book work, you do an hour and then I assume you get it signed off by the school/instructor?

bingofuel 10th Apr 2012 08:46

Can I suggest you visit the club you want to learn at, sit down with an instructor and ask him or her to explain the whole process to you.
If they are not prepared to spend some time with a potential new student, who is intending to spend a lot of money with them, then go to another club or school until you find one that will.
Remember you are the customer, and free to choose where you spend your money.

Oh and you do not need to buy all the books etc at the start, all you really
need for the first few hours is a logbook, checklist, the books covering the flying exercises and principles of flight.


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