Is it possible to fly a Learjet on a PPL?
 

Hi all,
Was discussing my flying training with my (non aviation-minded) colleague at work earlier, and he asked me a question which I was unable to confidently answer.

What he asked effectively, was 'is it possible to fly something like a Learjet on a PPL and how much would it cost to rent one for an hour'.

Presumably you'd need a multi-engine rating - which I wasn't sure whether you need a CPL for?

Over to you....

You can fly *anything* on a PPL, provided that you have the appropriate type rating. And stay within the limits of your license, so you cannot get paid for the flight and have to pay at least an equal share of the direct costs of the flight.

However, the type rating exam for those kinds of aircraft are typically to ATPL standards. Which are kind of hard to achieve if you're just a fresh PPL without IR and ME experience.

Oh, and if the aircrafts POH or owners/operators AOC specifies that it's a multi-pilot aircraft, there may be other restrictions.

Yes, but you'll need

need a type rating
(Possibly Multi Cockpit Crew course).

To make any practical use, you'd also need an IR.

As for the rental rate, you can get it on a great new finance scheme. You just have to pay a small deposit of 100%, and then you've no payments to make each month. ;) Seriously....good luck finding anyone to rent it to you ;)

You will also need a HPA endorsement which is either achieved through the ATPL exams, holding an ICAO ATP exam pass or sitting the HPA exams.

Thanks - it was only a hypothetical question posed by a 'non-aviation' person. I'm not considering doing this!

Doesn't the Duke of Westminster fly his around on a PPL?

What is an HPA Endorsement?

'High Performance Aircraft'.

An FAA requirement to fly any aircraft with MORE than 200bhp. You can do it with an FAA instructor in ANYTHING with more than 200bhp.

Getting a Lear Jet type rating should cover that :rolleyes:

HPA = High Performance Aircraft?

I don't think any of the jet Type Rating training outfits will take on somebody who doesn't already have an IR - as a crude but probably appropriate measure to filter out those without an adequate understanding of the aircraft systems.

And even if they did, a Lear Jet low level (outside of controlled airspace) would burn a horrifying amount of fuel and below 10,000ft would be restricted to 250kts.

John Travolta has Lear Jet, HS125 and Boeing 707 types (amongst others) on HIS PPL. He does have an instrument rating though :ok:

Ah right, thanks...already have one of those....But one would need a high altitude endorsement ;)

Actually..... The HPA is a JAA requirement. It is a High Performance Aeroplane rating and requires a distance learning course and a written exam. It is required if you do not have an ATPL or equivalent exam pass.

Getting a Lear type rating under JAA would not cover it and in fact you would not be able to do the type rating without it or the ATPl pass........

Get an N reg one then.....

I am sure i read that a ppl can fly a jet provost with a bit of training on one of their web sites? Does a Lear require more training and paper to fly than a military jet trainer?

Ex-military jets are flown on a permit to fly and have an individual training course approved by type that each candidate undergoes. This then results in a type rating. The content of each course is judged on the operation complexity of the type. The JP as an example is a very simple VFR only permit aircraft.

A Lear as a complex IFR aircraft, pressurised etc. So the authorities have deemed that it requires HPA or ATPL/ATP level knowledge. The HPA elements really just look at human factors and performance and high altitude weather etc.

I've just seached faa.gov for John Travolta, and amazingly found him.

Type ratings:

P/B-707 P/B-720 P/CE-500 P/G-1159 P/HS-125 P/LR-JET

Limits:

ENGLISH PROFICIENT.AUTHORIZED EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT: SO-G2.B-707 SIC PRIVILEGES ONLY.CE-500 (VFR ONLY).

But yes, he is just a ME PPL/IR :)

His B707 SIC-only privilege is interesting. I wonder why?

I know about the concession whereby one could log SIC time in a multi crew aircraft, with just a ME PPL, no IR and no TR, but this is a sub-ICAO privilege limited to the USA only. It was used by some pilots outside the USA but this scheme was stopped a few years ago.

JT does have a 707 TR so why only SIC? Is it that one needs to be an ATP to sit in the LHS of a ME jet of that size? I wouldn't have thought so.

thought John had a CPL?

cant find any info on this on google