LAPL or PPL or GPL/SPL?
 

Hello,


I live in Germany (although my german is basic) and I'd like to learn to flight but I'm not sure which license or course will be better for me.

I was thinking on going for PPL, but as it's an expensive course and I don't think I'll be flying that much after getting the license, then I thought about LAPL... but again, since flying (after getting the license) seems a bit expensive... I then started thinking about flying TMGs and getting a license for it.

Any recommendations?

thanks in advance!

Depends on what you want out of your flying, other alternatives are:-
Gliding - cheaper but time consuming
Microlights - cheaper, and some of the modern ones are VERY capable.
Homebuilt/share once yoou have your licence - keeps costs down but not sure of how this works in Germany.

I would say the Microlight route might be your best bet.

LAPL makes it cheaper to GET the licence (saving approx 10hrs of navigation - which you can get later and upgrade to PPL, I have done it that way)
If you train on or later get a type rating for a TMG, then USING your licence will be cheaper, too.

Having a LAPL (with/without TMG) will allow you to get a SPL in approx. 1 day at many schools in Germany.
You get almost no credit, when going from SPL to LAPL/PPL.
(+LAPL/PPL are European licences which you can use across EASA countries)

ULs are certainly cheaper, with a second partner AND fuel, they will be overloaded (that is before holiday bags!), unless the total weight of both people is below 125 KG (and you are fine with toothbrush and towel)

Mind you, UL flying does not keep you current for the LAPL.
SEP flying does keep you current for SPL (12 hours in the preceding 24 months)

All depends, what are your intenions (aka mission profile) and what is the budgetary constraint...
If you rent, check out availability in the regions you want to rent.

In my case, I wasn't sure how much/long I would like flying, but wanted a solid basis from which to add. Hence LAPL as starting point.
After doing +/- 50hrs of fun/self-flying with rentals post exam, I decided to go to PPL for radio nav fitness and later night VFR...
Anything else to be decided as I go along.

Good luck and success

Thanks for the advices!!!

I still haven't decided yet, but I'm considering back LAPL...

Just as an aside - formally you save 15 hrs of minimum training reserved for navigatio (45 hrs vs 30 hrs)
In practice, it appears to be more like 10 hrs, since the actual flying takes more and the navigation is apparently overrated in terms of time needed.

where in DE are you based ?

A rather similar question is discussed at Learning & Starting Out - Hello and help! (PPL or LAPL or UL)

Thank you both.

I'm currently in Berlin, had a trail flight and tried to apply some of the concepts I learned by reading and at the flight simulator... and wasn't that bad... so will factor if I could reduce some hours in case I consider PPL again...

As most threads I read (including the one from Jan), most people lean towards PPL...