PPL Training

Within this section I would like to introduce you to Conington airfield and Flying Club Conington where I train, the Piper PA-28 161 Warrior Aircraft I train in, the Kit and learning material I use, general ramblings about training and of course how my lessons and exams are progressing. Below you will see a selection of the latest entries into the blog categories associated with this section. To see all the entries for a particular category please use the the category menu on the right.

Are you looking to start learning to fly ? Have you landed here whilst searching the internet for answers on how to get started or how much it may cost etc ?

If so, bear with me and I will run through a number of typical questions you are most likely trying to get answers to…

Typical questions

Pretty much anyone can learn to fly just as long as you are fit well and even then you may still be able to fly certain types should that not be the case. There are 5 types of Private Pilots Licence's available in the UK, and 2 types of medical exam requirements. The PPL licence requires a class 2 medical exam whilst the lower classes require nothing more than a fit to drive clearance from your GP. The following is taken from the CAA website regards the types of licence available and is correct at time of print...

Private Pilot’s Licence (PPL)

Available for aeroplanes and helicopters, the Private Pilot’s Licence is recognised worldwide and can be ‘built on’ with extra ratings and privileges. This is the type I am training for and what the majority of this blog will be referencing to.

Light Aircraft Pilot’s Licence (LAPL)

Available for aeroplanes, helicopters, balloons and gliders, the concept behind the LAPL was to create a simplified licence with a shorter training course and less onerous medical standards. In the case of aeroplanes and helicopters it is limited to a maximum take-off weight of two tonnes and no more than three passengers. With some extra training it can be upgraded to the PPL.

Sailplane Pilot’s Licence (SPL)

The primary licence for glider flying (this licence can be extended to include Touring Motorgliders).

Balloon Pilot’s Licence (BPL)

For flight in hot air balloons.

National Private Pilots Licence (Microlights) NPPL(M)

The licence for microlight aircraft. Microlights generally come in two types, ‘flex wing’ and three-axis. ‘Flex wing’ are generally open cockpit and have a single wing which moves around a pivot to control the direction of travel. ‘Three-axis’ are much closer to traditional light aeroplanes but fall below the weight category to be considered one.

This answer has many permutations and factors such as which licence you are aiming for, where you are learning to fly and how long it takes you to qualify. As I am training for the PPL licence the following will be in reference to it.

First of all you must have at least 45 hours flying time logged before you can pass, more often than not it will take more, especially if you are advancing in years, the old grey matter is just not what it used to be and you could realistically be looking at 60+ hours. Lets take 60 hours for this example.

Depending on your location in the UK, the price per hour can vary by a very large amount, If you are looking to use an airfield in and around London, you will be paying premium rates, maybe as much as £220+ per hour, where as somebody a little further north may only be paying £160 per hour, so it pays to shop around for a price that fits your budget. Do not be fooled by the notion that a more expensive school must be better than one charging less and especially do not be taken in by any 'pay up front' special offers, these should be avoided at all costs. One last thing regards the cost per hour and what consists of a lesson. It's often thought that the price advertised is for an hour lesson and you turn up as the appointed time, say 12:00 and that at 13:00 it ends. My lessons so far have averaged around 1 1/2 to 2 hours in length.

So what constitutes an average lesson ?
Well first of all, that advertised price per hour (or lesson) works like so;

You are charged (most schools operate this policy) for how long the engine on the plane runs for. So lets take a 12:00 midday lesson, you turn up say 10-15 minutes early and if your flight instructor is ready he will take you into one of the briefing rooms for a chat on what the days lesson will entail. This may take anywhere from 10-30 minutes.
12:20 You are then be taken to the aircraft where a pre-flight inspection of the aircraft is done and you finally get in the cockpit.
Pre-flight checks done and engine started (12:30 - your paying time has started), you taxi out for take off and depart for your lesson. unless in the latter stages of your training, these will last approx. 45 minutes actual flight training with approx. 10-15 being apportioned to taxi, take off, landing and taxi back, engine off at 13:25.
Your instructor may then decide to have a post flight briefing with you for 10 minutes.
Its now 13:45 and you go to settle the bill for the lesson. Are you charged for 1 hour 45 minutes of the instructors time ? no you are not, you are charged for 55 minutes of engine time. Lets say £200 PH, so your bill for the day is approx. £193.30.
Your budget determines how long it will take. So as you can see, you cannot just say, oh I need 45 hours flight time so that's 45 lessons, it does not work like that. So for our example lets go with 60 hours, and use a rate of £160, so straight off the bat we are looking at £9,600, you then have your headset should you chose to buy your own, exams and course materials could add another £500-1000, so lets go with a total of £10,600. Some people have the £11k available and will fly every day and so achieve the licence in a matter of 2-3 months, the majority however have a set figure available per month. I am not rich and most certainly do not have £11k lying around. I have calculated I can afford the equivalent of 3 hours per month, note: that is not 3 necessarily 3 lessons. A quick calculation tells you that should I only ever take 1 hour lessons, I am looking at 20 months or more. That is not factoring in winter and missed lessons due to weather, although some lessons can last as long as 2 hours or more in the latter stages when cross country training. As you can see, budget determines how long it will take you, yet how quick you manage to learn also determines your budget overall budget. I did say there were many factors and permutations !
First of all it helps if you know which type of licence you intend to go for. I will not go into too much info on this as the school can advise further. But, aircraft have a maximum useable weight limit, so it you are of slim build and don't like your takeaways too much you have quite a good choice and could go down the lower weight limit licence route, or if like me you absolutely love your takeaways, are 6ft tall and weight in at 250lbs the lighter route really is not an option. Especially if I intend taking along a few mates for a flight once i have qualified ! So pop along to your local airfield(s) and have a good look around. If you have time to spare just drop in unannounced and speak to the school(s) that use the airfield and enquire about pricing and what aircraft they have available, they should be more than happy to have a chat and explain things to you. Do not feel pressurised to sign up to anything, especially 'deals' and pay up front promotions... go away and think about what you have seen and heard.
I touched on this in the section above and it really does depend on your circumstances and what you intend to do once you have the licence. One thing I will say it that you can upgrade your licence, so should you start off down the light route, you can always step up. The aircraft you could fly range from single seat microlights to single engined aircraft that will cruise at 130 knots and have 4 people on board. As if you have hadn't already noticed, flying can be a pretty expensive hobby and you need to look ahead at how you are going to afford it. For me, the dream is being able to jump in the plane and 2 hours later be having a spot lunch in France or Belgium, or being able to fly across the country to visit family or goto the football instead of enduring 3 hours sat in a car on our beloved motorways. Now, I want to be able to share these delights with others, that means I need spare seats and so therefore an aircraft able to accommodate a pilot and 2 or 3 guests. This forward looking tells you the type of licence you need to obtain.