Discussion
Brother has bought me a flying lesson, for my 40th. Would seem rude not to investigate the possibility of getting a PPL.
http://flighttraininglondon.co.uk/index.html
It looks like i need to fly >40hrs and pass some exams, would there be anyone on here who maybe able to advise please?
Thanks
http://flighttraininglondon.co.uk/index.html
It looks like i need to fly >40hrs and pass some exams, would there be anyone on here who maybe able to advise please?
Thanks
PPL is great fun - gets your brain ticking over and is modulated, so you have various stages to look forward to. One being the First Solo. . . you'll never forget it. I did mine in 1993 and I still remember it like it was yesterday. Now's a good time to learn, in terms of weather. If you were training between October to April be prepared for many delays. . . Enjoy the trial lesson - it's designed to give you a taster (and make you come back). Above all, enjoy it - it's a great fraternity.
Have a look here from one of our own:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Great blog!
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Great blog!
As TJS10 says, worth getting the Class 2 medical done, just to make sure you are actually fit enough to fly. I recommend getting Air Law exam passed first as usually it is a requirement for 1st solo. Look at passing the VT exam too so then you know what radio calls to make etc.
Never pay a lump sum of money up front as all too often these flight centres disappear. 40hrs is minimum but realistically budget at more like 45-50hrs. In the UK the weather can be unpredictable so be prepared for waiting at the flight centre for weather to get better or just for your lesson to be cancelled.
Never pay a lump sum of money up front as all too often these flight centres disappear. 40hrs is minimum but realistically budget at more like 45-50hrs. In the UK the weather can be unpredictable so be prepared for waiting at the flight centre for weather to get better or just for your lesson to be cancelled.
Unless it's changed, it's 45 hours minimum for the PPL with min of 10 hours solo. Most people will need more than the minimum hours to learn everything, and that's before you factor in things like repeating lessons you've already had because you've got a different instructor that week or it's been a few weeks since you had a lesson and you're rusty etc. Be prepared for the big bad British weather to cause you lots of frustration / missed lessons. Even in summer - a "nice" day can be unflyable because of the haze.
Echoing all the above comments:
- get the medical done asap to confirm you can actually hold a PPL licence, otherwise you need to look at alternative licences such as the NPPL.
- get Air Law exam done asap as most schools insist on it before being allowed to fly solo
- don't neglect getting the rest of the exams done - there's nothing worse than completing all of the flying syllabus and still having a mountain of revision/exams to do
Best of luck, enjoy it.
Echoing all the above comments:
- get the medical done asap to confirm you can actually hold a PPL licence, otherwise you need to look at alternative licences such as the NPPL.
- get Air Law exam done asap as most schools insist on it before being allowed to fly solo
- don't neglect getting the rest of the exams done - there's nothing worse than completing all of the flying syllabus and still having a mountain of revision/exams to do
Best of luck, enjoy it.
Nothing to add really further than what others have said already - invariably you will be asked by the instructor what your intentions are, whether this is a one off flight or likely to lead somewhere further. If you tell them the latter then he or she may start with the early stages of the syllabus and you can log the flight time towards your 45 hr minimum required for licence issue.
Will also re-echo what others have said about not putting off the ground exams... I didn't when passing my PPL, but have done more recently - passed my IR(restricted) flight test last weekend but still have the ground exam to pass! Oh well...
Enjoy the trial flight, and I hope you decide to take it further too.
Will also re-echo what others have said about not putting off the ground exams... I didn't when passing my PPL, but have done more recently - passed my IR(restricted) flight test last weekend but still have the ground exam to pass! Oh well...
Enjoy the trial flight, and I hope you decide to take it further too.
But don't do the ground exams too soon. I seem to remember that they all need to be completed within two years of licence application? However definitely read up on the theory as it helps with the overall understanding of flight, radio, procedures, weather effects etc and is very useful. Plus you'll be ready to do the exams at an appropriate time.
Also don't bank on the minimum hours required. Weather conditions, instructor attitude etc can all cause the hours to add up. Friend of mine was held back a lot by his instructor and ended up changing flight schools to avoid going over 80hours instruction!
Also don't bank on the minimum hours required. Weather conditions, instructor attitude etc can all cause the hours to add up. Friend of mine was held back a lot by his instructor and ended up changing flight schools to avoid going over 80hours instruction!
Edited by Wobbegong on Saturday 15th April 09:15
Better than doing a Masters 
But can be as frustrating
45 hours min these days I believe?
BUT don't rule out NPPL.
Don't fall behind the exams though.
Class 2 med a must before you hand over any cash.
Not all flying schools are equal. Like any learning, your tutor is the key. if you get swapped around a lot, it makes the course a lot harder as no two tutors will be the same.
But can be as frustrating45 hours min these days I believe?
BUT don't rule out NPPL.
Don't fall behind the exams though.
Class 2 med a must before you hand over any cash.
Not all flying schools are equal. Like any learning, your tutor is the key. if you get swapped around a lot, it makes the course a lot harder as no two tutors will be the same.
If serious about going for it (highly recommended), then think carefully about what you will do with it once you have it. If all you want to do is a bit of fair weather recreational flying, then you can save a load of cash and hassle but doing an LAPL. Allows you to fly the usual small plane stuff (e.g. Cessna pipers etc) anywhere in Europe. Some upgrade options too - like night flying, tail wheel, mountain etc. Much easier medical than class 2 and once you get to 50, it's renewal every 2 years (class 2 is every year). Having said all that, if you want to go on to do an instrument rating or fly bigger planes, then you will need a full PPL and class 2 medical.
You can also do an LAPL and upgrade it in future to a PPL if necessary.
So.... do your reserarch into the various licenses and make an informed decision before taking the plunge for one route or another.
Flying is so much fun- but much like cars it can gobble a ton of cash in double quick time. That's also a factor when choosing which license path to take. Do you want to own a plane, own a share in a plane, or rent a plane? Do you actually need a plane or will a microlight do... hint, look at the relative economics of various forms of plane ownership/ rental.
For reference, I got my license 2 years ago. I did the LAPL. It took me 45 hours to get the license. After getting that far, I got a share in a PA28. it's perfect for my needs and I can't see the point of upgrading to a full PPL.
Final word of advice - JUST DO IT!
You can also do an LAPL and upgrade it in future to a PPL if necessary.
So.... do your reserarch into the various licenses and make an informed decision before taking the plunge for one route or another.
Flying is so much fun- but much like cars it can gobble a ton of cash in double quick time. That's also a factor when choosing which license path to take. Do you want to own a plane, own a share in a plane, or rent a plane? Do you actually need a plane or will a microlight do... hint, look at the relative economics of various forms of plane ownership/ rental.
For reference, I got my license 2 years ago. I did the LAPL. It took me 45 hours to get the license. After getting that far, I got a share in a PA28. it's perfect for my needs and I can't see the point of upgrading to a full PPL.
Final word of advice - JUST DO IT!
Getting a PPL has, thus far, been one of the most brilliant things I have done.
I started training fully in April 2015 (trial flight in February of the same year) and passed my skills test in April 2017, including the skills test it took me 52 hours to get my PPL. I soloed after ~13.5 hrs. If you have the time and the spare cash to do it then go for it, it will be one of the best things you ever did.
Have a read of this thread:
My PistonHeads PPL Blog
It documents my PPL training from start to finish and includes some post PPL flying.
My full blog (which you can access via the link in my profile) contains all of my training, post PPL flying and night rating training.
Oh and as of yesterday I am the proud part owner of a Slingsby T67M Firefly, onwards and upwards
Edited to add picture
I started training fully in April 2015 (trial flight in February of the same year) and passed my skills test in April 2017, including the skills test it took me 52 hours to get my PPL. I soloed after ~13.5 hrs. If you have the time and the spare cash to do it then go for it, it will be one of the best things you ever did.
Have a read of this thread:
My PistonHeads PPL Blog
It documents my PPL training from start to finish and includes some post PPL flying.
My full blog (which you can access via the link in my profile) contains all of my training, post PPL flying and night rating training.
Oh and as of yesterday I am the proud part owner of a Slingsby T67M Firefly, onwards and upwards
Edited to add picture
Edited by SpamCan on Thursday 27th April 17:53
I started my PPL a couple of weeks ago; great fun so far! :-)
You need 45hrs minimum, including at least 10hrs solo, 25hrs dual (the remainder as either), the Medical, 9 written exams, a 150m solo cross country flight including landing at two other airfields, and your final skills test.
Budget about ~£250 for reading material, maps, aerodrome charts, checklists, knee board, pens, etc... I'm 2/3s of the way through my exams and I'm paying £28 a go, and I think the Medical was ~£150. There's a lot to read and learn, but it's (mostly!) interesting stuff that will help keep you alive when you're out on your own.
I did my first solo last week at ~10 hours and I've done two further sets of solo circuits too now... I'm now up to a whole two hours solo (don't lol too hard!) including 45 mins in a choppy 10kt cross wind at 80 degrees to the RW which was quite a learning experience for me! (Upwind wing down, opposite rudder, land all three wheels at a different time, starting with the upwind wheel...) I didn't break anything but bloody hell some of my early landings were pretty sketchy - getting better slowly but surely though :-)
My advice? Do it!
You need 45hrs minimum, including at least 10hrs solo, 25hrs dual (the remainder as either), the Medical, 9 written exams, a 150m solo cross country flight including landing at two other airfields, and your final skills test.
Budget about ~£250 for reading material, maps, aerodrome charts, checklists, knee board, pens, etc... I'm 2/3s of the way through my exams and I'm paying £28 a go, and I think the Medical was ~£150. There's a lot to read and learn, but it's (mostly!) interesting stuff that will help keep you alive when you're out on your own.
I did my first solo last week at ~10 hours and I've done two further sets of solo circuits too now... I'm now up to a whole two hours solo (don't lol too hard!) including 45 mins in a choppy 10kt cross wind at 80 degrees to the RW which was quite a learning experience for me! (Upwind wing down, opposite rudder, land all three wheels at a different time, starting with the upwind wheel...) I didn't break anything but bloody hell some of my early landings were pretty sketchy - getting better slowly but surely though :-)
My advice? Do it!
SpamCan said:
Getting a PPL has, thus far, been one of the most brilliant things I have done.
I started training fully in April 2015 (trial flight in February of the same year) and passed my skills test in April 2017, including the skills test it took me 52 hours to get my PPL. I soloed after ~13.5 hrs. If you have the time and the spare cash to do it then go for it, it will be one of the best things you ever did.
Have a read of this thread:
My PistonHeads PPL Blog
It documents my PPL training from start to finish and includes some post PPL flying.
My full blog (which you can access via the link in my profile) contains all of my training, post PPL flying and night rating training.
Oh and as of yesterday I am the proud part owner of a Slingsby T67M Firefly, onwards and upwards
Edited to add picture
Congrats on the purchase. Wife and I are just starting the PPL here in the USA. Did you keep a track of costs when you did this? While not particularly cheap here you can purchase an airworthy aircraft for the cost of running a second car (which we don't have). Fees are $125 + $50/60 for the instructor in a 172 ($135 for 172 with G1000). How does that compare to your learning costs? I started training fully in April 2015 (trial flight in February of the same year) and passed my skills test in April 2017, including the skills test it took me 52 hours to get my PPL. I soloed after ~13.5 hrs. If you have the time and the spare cash to do it then go for it, it will be one of the best things you ever did.
Have a read of this thread:
My PistonHeads PPL Blog
It documents my PPL training from start to finish and includes some post PPL flying.
My full blog (which you can access via the link in my profile) contains all of my training, post PPL flying and night rating training.
Oh and as of yesterday I am the proud part owner of a Slingsby T67M Firefly, onwards and upwards
Edited to add picture
Edited by SpamCan on Thursday 27th April 17:53
https://www.controller.com/listings/aircraft/for-s...
Brother D said:
Congrats on the purchase. Wife and I are just starting the PPL here in the USA. Did you keep a track of costs when you did this? While not particularly cheap here you can purchase an airworthy aircraft for the cost of running a second car (which we don't have). Fees are $125 + $50/60 for the instructor in a 172 ($135 for 172 with G1000). How does that compare to your learning costs?
https://www.controller.com/listings/aircraft/for-s...
I learned on a Cessna 150, that was £120 per hour (~$150) plus landing fees at £5.50 (~$6.88), that was instructor inclusive and brakes off to brakes on time. It can vary a lot in the UK typically the further south you go the more it costs, thankfully I live in the north of England. If I'd wanted to learn in the C172 it would have cost me £133 per hour (~$166.25) plus landing fees at £10 (~$12.50) as the aircraft goes just over the 1000kg weight bracket.https://www.controller.com/listings/aircraft/for-s...
There as well as the flight test there are nine theory exams too and a radio practical test.
It seems the prices in the US are pretty much on par with the UK at the current exchange rate, there was a time that you could save 20% learning to fly in the US. I think it is still the case for twins.
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