New to PPL

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Discussion

eharding

13,600 posts

283 months

Saturday 3rd August 2019
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If the OP is considering a career as a commercial pilot, then yes a CAA (or more correctly an EASA EU Part-MED) Class 1 medical is a prerequisite. If not, then the full expense of a Class 1 is unnecessary (although I know a number of PPL holders who have no commercial ambitions but maintain as Class 1 as a means of getting a thorough medical at regular intervals).

Cheaper and less onerous options for a PPL are a CAA Class 2 medical (performed by an Aeromedical Examiner or AME - often these are also practising GPs as well), an LAPL medical performed by your own GP, or an NPPL medical self-declaration. The types of aircraft and weather conditions you can fly in are generally constrained by the class of medical, the self-declaration being the most limiting (but still allowing you to fly some very interesting and potent kit).

I'd advise the OP to look at getting a CAA Class 2 medical in the first instance - if it turns out there are issues getting one of these, then look at the LAPL or NPPL. Knowing which class of license you're aiming to attain is also important for your flying school, as I think there are still slight differences in the syllabus, relating to qualifying cross-country requirements.

Another reason to go for a CAA Class 2, although it is more expensive, is that the whole LAPL and particularly NPPL situation is a bit of a bugger's muddle at the moment, and you *may* not be able to fly an EASA registered aircraft on an NPPL after April 2020, but whether that will actually be the case remains to be seen. The whole Brexit thing hasn't helped the situation, but it was a mess even before that, and the situation may change - check with your school as they should have the latest chapter and verse.

Edited by eharding on Saturday 3rd August 19:36

sc0tt

Original Poster:

18,032 posts

200 months

Sunday 4th August 2019
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I think at 32 my days as a commercial pilot are already numbered so I’d just like to do the PPL so will stick with a class 2 medical. Are the pooleys books any good?

DavieBNL

292 posts

62 months

Sunday 4th August 2019
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Don't be so dismissive of what you could achieve; I can think of several guys who trained and eventually gained an ATPL in their 30s and even a couple in their 40s.

Dr Jekyll

23,820 posts

260 months

Sunday 4th August 2019
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A lot of professional pilots qualified in their thirties. Many PPLs in their 40s and 50s look into doing a CPL as a sort of IAM or Pass Plus for flying and decide they may as well do the ATPL. I've heard of someone who got CPL in her 60s just for the satisfaction, and another who qualified as an ATPL in her fifties and is now a first officer at BA.

LimaDelta

6,507 posts

217 months

Sunday 4th August 2019
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The Pooleys/Trevor Thom books are essentially the standard PPL texts. Good explanations and very relevant to the current syllabus.

Worth a read if you want to understand how an aircraft flies is av8n.

Air law is the first exam to pass and is often a pre-requisite to going solo. It is also the most dry and seemingly irrelevant topic to most PPL students. A real test of commitment early on.

That said, none of them are particularly difficult, they are multiple choice and only require 75% to pass.

ben_h100

1,546 posts

178 months

Sunday 4th August 2019
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I’m a PPL student. Currently on a break as I am out of the country with work but I am aiming to get it finished by the end of the year, weather permitting.

As others have mentioned, currency is key, especially when learning. I’m on about 60 hours due to a couple of work caused breaks, and have found that you spend an hour or so relearning things that you wouldn’t have had to, had the break not taken place. It can also be a bit of a confidence knocker when returning after a break so bear that in mind. My most recent training days were consisting of 3+ hours a day flying (dual navs) and I was doing a couple of these a week, which shows during the latter stages of training it will help to have a nice pot of money to dip into. I’d consider taking out a loan if your circumstances allow.

So far I have found it challenging, enjoyable and exhilarating in equal measure. Flying on your own to another airfield (part of the syllabus) is awesome and has really given me ‘the bug’. So much so that I’m considering it as a career, even at the ripe old age of 33.

sc0tt

Original Poster:

18,032 posts

200 months

Sunday 4th August 2019
quotequote all
ben_h100 said:
I’m a PPL student. Currently on a break as I am out of the country with work but I am aiming to get it finished by the end of the year, weather permitting.

As others have mentioned, currency is key, especially when learning. I’m on about 60 hours due to a couple of work caused breaks, and have found that you spend an hour or so relearning things that you wouldn’t have had to, had the break not taken place. It can also be a bit of a confidence knocker when returning after a break so bear that in mind. My most recent training days were consisting of 3+ hours a day flying (dual navs) and I was doing a couple of these a week, which shows during the latter stages of training it will help to have a nice pot of money to dip into. I’d consider taking out a loan if your circumstances allow.

So far I have found it challenging, enjoyable and exhilarating in equal measure. Flying on your own to another airfield (part of the syllabus) is awesome and has really given me ‘the bug’. So much so that I’m considering it as a career, even at the ripe old age of 33.
Great to hear Ben. Thank you.

Chuck328

1,580 posts

166 months

Sunday 4th August 2019
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ben_h100 said:
the ripe old age of 33.
laugh

Assuming you did go for it and worked even part time in your latter years till 65, that's potentially 30+ years in the sky. I'm almost at the 30 yr mark with a longggg way still to go.

Crack on. Not a bad way to earn a penny.

sc0tt

Original Poster:

18,032 posts

200 months

Monday 5th August 2019
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Aviation law book enroute and a trevor thom pilot manual because that was only £3

magpie215

4,370 posts

188 months

Monday 5th August 2019
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If you want the PPL experience try this.


Jump in your car and drive to an airport about 150.....200 miles away.

Find a decent eatery nearby and when you order the £3.20 meal deal give them £320 instead.


LimaDelta

6,507 posts

217 months

Monday 5th August 2019
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magpie215 said:
If you want the PPL experience try this.

Jump in your car and drive to an airport about 150.....200 miles away.

Find a decent eatery nearby and when you order the £3.20 meal deal give them £320 instead.
I know your comment is tongue-in-cheek but...

Instead, fly an hour and a half to a Scottish island. Have lunch, buy a bottle of whiskey and fly back in time to pick up the kids from school. The equivalent car journey would have taken 12 hours of driving, plus a ferry. Simply not possible as a day trip any other way.

Like anything, it is what you make of it. You could do the £200 bacon buttie runs, or you could push yourself a little further and actually make good use of the rapid cross-country speeds even the most average spam-can allows.

zombeh

693 posts

186 months

Monday 5th August 2019
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If you want flying to be the sensible way of getting somewhere then live on an island, drive a TVR and fly a microlight.

A couple of weeks ago a work party I wasn't allowed to not go to clashed with my aunt's 70th birthday. What would have been a nearly 5 hour trip each way using 35l of fuel (not in the TVR, it's in its natural state of a pile of bits) with a £90 or so ferry ticket in the car was 90 minutes each way, £11 landing fee and 38l of fuel. Flying is absolutely the right way to get places smile

anonymous-user

53 months

Monday 5th August 2019
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magpie215 said:
If you want the PPL experience try this.


Jump in your car and drive to an airport about 150.....200 miles away.

Find a decent eatery nearby and when you order the £3.20 meal deal give them £320 instead.
hehe

It’s about the journey not the dodgy cafe by the airport or under the tower. The take off and the landing and being up in the sky, like the birds and other sky gods.

Flying is awesome.

magpie215

4,370 posts

188 months

Monday 5th August 2019
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El stovey said:
Flying is awesome.
Agreed......but unfortunately im now lapsed and see no real way of getting back into it barring a lottery win......it was good whilst it lasted lol

anonymous-user

53 months

Monday 5th August 2019
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magpie215 said:
El stovey said:
Flying is awesome.
Agreed......but unfortunately im now lapsed and see no real way of getting back into it barring a lottery win......it was good whilst it lasted lol
What about gliding or microlights or even paragliding?

I really enjoyed gliding, obviously there’s a lot of faffing around at the club compared to flying but it’s a very pure and cheap form of flight.

Petrus1983

8,521 posts

161 months

Monday 5th August 2019
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My PPL lapsed and I decided to go back to gliders which is where I’d started - great flying and was solo again very quickly. I’ve been watching some of the flights on https://www.gliderradar.com/center/51.83578,-1.430... and some people are getting some great distances this summer.

Neptune188

276 posts

176 months

Monday 5th August 2019
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Regarding money - whilst you might be just about OK doing 1-2hrs a month as you learn to fly, once you get to Navigation this won't be enough (Your qualifying XC is around 2.5hrs and you need to do it twice - once dual, once solo).

If you can afford GBP350 per month (IE, 2hrs at 175/hr) it's worth looking into a small loan so you can deal with the peaks and troughs better.

Learning to fly is the expensive bit. Once you've got your license life gets a lot easier/cheaper - motorgliding, Permit aircraft, 3 Axis microlight...

ben_h100

1,546 posts

178 months

Monday 5th August 2019
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Chuck328 said:
ben_h100 said:
the ripe old age of 33.
laugh

Assuming you did go for it and worked even part time in your latter years till 65, that's potentially 30+ years in the sky. I'm almost at the 30 yr mark with a longggg way still to go.

Crack on. Not a bad way to earn a penny.
Nice to hear some positivity, so thank you thumbup some parts of the internet would have you think that unless you are 19 with £120k in the bank for an integrated course, don’t bother.

The ‘boss’ approves and I have the money to get the PPL, hour building and ATPL theory done. After that I’ll probably take out a loan to finish it off - still a large amount, but the rewards are definitely there to be had.

Sounds as though you are doing well out of it - do you mind telling us what you fly?


sc0tt

Original Poster:

18,032 posts

200 months

Monday 5th August 2019
quotequote all
ben_h100 said:
Chuck328 said:
ben_h100 said:
the ripe old age of 33.
laugh

Assuming you did go for it and worked even part time in your latter years till 65, that's potentially 30+ years in the sky. I'm almost at the 30 yr mark with a longggg way still to go.

Crack on. Not a bad way to earn a penny.
Nice to hear some positivity, so thank you thumbup some parts of the internet would have you think that unless you are 19 with £120k in the bank for an integrated course, don’t bother.

The ‘boss’ approves and I have the money to get the PPL, hour building and ATPL theory done. After that I’ll probably take out a loan to finish it off - still a large amount, but the rewards are definitely there to be had.

Sounds as though you are doing well out of it - do you mind telling us what you fly?
Really good to hear Ben. The “boss” is fully supportive of me too so would be keen to hear your experiences as you progress. Aviation law should arrive tomorrow. Hoping to get stuck in as soon as possible.

Chuck328

1,580 posts

166 months

Monday 5th August 2019
quotequote all
ben_h100 said:
Nice to hear some positivity, so thank you thumbup some parts of the internet would have you think that unless you are 19 with £120k in the bank for an integrated course, don’t bother.

The ‘boss’ approves and I have the money to get the PPL, hour building and ATPL theory done. After that I’ll probably take out a loan to finish it off - still a large amount, but the rewards are definitely there to be had.

Sounds as though you are doing well out of it - do you mind telling us what you fly?
Ignore the ste about being 19/120K. Yes there are those who get help from a silver spoon and it is expensive ( I looked at it as an investment - in my long term earnings and long term fking love aviation), but I (and many of my friends and peers) did it the hard way.

Sacrificed the nice cars back then but reap the rewards now. Yes I did start young, (16 yrs old on trial lesson that lead to staring ppl not long after but that's semantics).

To answer your question, Captain on the A320 family. Happy as pig in....

Edited by Chuck328 on Monday 5th August 23:49