So you’ve passed all your aviation exams and got a Private Pilot License! – Now What? Have you thought about hiring an aircraft, joining a group, buying a share or what about adding some more ratings to your license – you can make your PPL flying as exciting as you want.

Having passed those several ground school aviation exams, advertisements for new aircraft in flying magazines show a fantastic lifestyle of new adventures that only having a pilots license can bring. Aircraft manufacturers hinge their whole message on the ‘work, play and relax’ ethic and why not, they’re absolutely right to do this because having a PPL gives an incredible, and some would say privileged, right to roam free.
What is a painful journey by road can be transformed into a thing of beauty and travelled in half the time, by going in the air. Weekends can be spent away from the hustle and bustle of modern living. You can even fly yourself, family and friends to places like the Lake District, Wales, Cornwall, Jersey, Guernsey and even to France.

And if you make use of airfields near major cities, you can access all the shopping, dining and cultural activities that are available.

But its not all about aviation exams

Air law or human performance and limitations; some pilots even turn their holidays into a flying adventure or book a custom made flying tour in exotic locations such as New Zealand, Australia, Africa and America.
You don’t have to go to such lengths to get thrills out of flying though. You’ll find that most pilots use their license to simply fly locally and enjoy being up in the air. Where you go and what you do is determined by the limits you set yourself.
After qualifying, some PPLs stay with the school they learnt with and hire a club aircraft. The listings at the back of this guide show the types of aircraft owned by each club and school along with hire prices.

As well as hiring aircraft some pilots join a group or buy a share in an aircraft. Joining a group puts you in touch with other pilot friends and is a great way to develop your post-PPL VFR flying. Buddy up and one of you can fly there and the other fly back. And if you have a fear of getting lost hours spent aloft will help you develop the skill for reading the landscape from different heights.
Some groups organise flying visits at weekends, which will push your navigation skills even further.

On these visits, make use of the free landing fee vouchers in Pilot magazine every month. The vouchers not only give you an idea of where to fly, but you’re also likely to meet other pilots who are also taking advantage of a free landing fee too. This way you’ll network with other pilots who all have stories to tell and can advise on places to fly over or visit.
What will really change the way you fly though is buying your own aircraft or a share in one. Without having to negotiate hiring a club aircraft, you can actually start flying to places without the worry of getting the aircraft back on time for somebody else.
If you can’t buy for yourself, a share in an aircraft will help you fly more often. This involves paying a ‘buy in’ figure (anything from, £2000 to £7000 depending on aircraft and share size) then a monthly contribution to maintenance and insurance. You then pay a low hourly rate to cover fuel costs.

Don’t get into the spiral of flying less frequently, because for a pilot with low flying hours this leads to anxiousness about flying and feeling ‘rusty’.
Of course, having a PPL doesn’t mean you stop learning and there are so many ways to expand your skills after qualifying. Some of these extra qualifications will let you roam free even further -things like an IMC rating which lets you cope in bad weather, or a Night Qualification which means you don’t have to worry about daylight running out before you get back to your home airfield. Then you can learn how to handle aircraft with two engines or a retractable undercarriage – these types will let you fly further and faster. Or perhaps you want to learn how to fly aerobatics or formation flying?

So now that you have pushed yourself and passed all your aviation exams, why not really consider pushing yourself to extend your qualifications, it can be scary but the rewards are well worth it.

Microlight flying offers probably the best and most affordable way to enjoy powered flight, without having to break the bank.

So what is a microlight flying about anyway? Well as you may guess from what the name implies, it is a type of powered aircraft that has certain limitations on weight and capacity. In the case of the UK, a single seat design must not have a MTOW(Maximum take off weight) of more than 300kG and for a twin seat aircraft the MTOW must be no more than 450Kg.

These weight restrictions are in fact a fairly significant improvement from the restrictions placed on microlight aircraft some years ago.
Today, modern microlight flying has far greater performance than those aircraft from the 80’s and 90’s. Flexwing or weight-shift types can now cruise happily at 100mph and some of the newer sleek fixed wing microlights can cruise up to 150mph, this being better than a good number of GA aircraft.

With a full load many microlights can climb at over 800ft per minute and with a single person on board and half a tank of gas, I have experienced climb rates well in excess of 1000ft per minute. With a rapid acceleration and low takeoff speeds, microlights have the benefit of being able to make use of the smallest airstrips. In fact farm or grass strips are the normal mode of operandi for most microlight flying pilots.
Perhaps one of the biggest benefits and attractions of microlight aircraft is that the plane itself is largely affordable. A second-hand, two seat flexwing aircraft can cost as little as £2500 and a fixed wing three-axis aircraft can be yours for around £5000. New aircraft start from around £20,000 to in excess of £60,000 for the super quick CTSW.

Running costs are equally micro compared to GA aircraft or helicopters. Expect to pay around £30 per hour, which allows for fuel and servicing. Insurance for a new aircraft costs around £900 per annum.
For the ‘Real’ flying enthusiast, (I say that because I’m a flexwing microlight flying owner and pilot), there are two principle types of aircraft available today. The flexwing or weight-shift type, developed from hang gliding with the added benefit of an engine eliminated the need to climb and jump off cliff tops. In their early days these powered hang gliders had a small 2-stroke engine attached to the wing and the pilot foot launched the aircraft, usually by running down a shallow slope, then used the engine to find thermals before switching the engine off and soaring just like a hang glider. It wasn’t too long before wheels were added and the three wheeled carriage, seat, engine and a fuel tank became the forerunner to today’s modern ‘trike’ unit. As with all things, development took over and more power, more comfort and more goodies drove design. Two-seat aircraft were developed for training and then became the norm as pilots wanted to take friends flying. The powered hang glider became a powered aircraft.

At the same time as flexwings were developing, fixed wing hang gliders were also being fitted with engines and wheels, developing into microlights that look almost identical to standard fixed wing aeroplanes. These fixed wing microlights have largely conventional controls, although some of the early craft such as the Eagle and Pterodactyl mixed weight-shift and aerodynamic controls within one machine.

A third type of microlight aircraft, using a steerable parachute wing mounted to a trike unit, also joined the ranks. These aircraft were fairly limited in performance and until recently almost had become extinct in the UK. Within the last year, however, a new two-seat design has entered the market and many foot launched paramotors have sprouted wheels, and the evolutionary cycle that started flexwing development has appeared again in the powered parachute world.

To qualify for a licence to fly a microlight, a student pilot must fly for a minimum of 25 hours under tuition with a qualified instructor; 10 of those hours must be flown solo. In practice, however, most students take a lot longer to reach the required standard — how much longer will generally depend on how often you fly and even the age of the student. There is a navigation training requirement to make sure that the newly licensed pilot is able to get around without getting lost and the course is completed with a General Skills Test (GST) conducted by an authorised examiner. While undertaking the flight training, the student pilot will also undergo ground school training for the ground syllabus teaching him or her the normal aviation knowledge requirements of Navigation, Meteorology, Technical theory, Air Law and Human Performance and Limitations (Link to PPL Exam Pro), each of which is accompanied by a multiple choice style test.

Microlight Flying – The Cost of Learning to Fly!

The cost of microlight flying is usually lower than other powered aircraft. Lessons are between £85 and £110 per hour using the school aircraft, and less in your own. Ground school and exams will add about £250 to the total bill, although the more homework the student puts in (and there are plenty of text books offering help) the better, and less time with the instructor in the classroom is usually reflected in lower bills.

Further details on training and a list of clubs and schools can be found on the BMAA website (www.bmaa.org).

Before you’ll be allowed to fly a microlight solo, you’ll need a form of medical known as a self declaration of fitness, which uses the DVLA driving medical standards as the bench mark and needs to be countersigned by your doctor. While a certain level of fitness is required for this self declaration to be valid, this type of medical has allowed people to become pilots who might otherwise not have been able to pass the more stringent requirements for flying other powered aircraft. So once you have your licence in your hand and your aircraft ready to fly, what next?

For pilots who are members of a club, trips out as a group are common but so is the solo flyer going out for an hour cruise on a summer evening. Alongside this there are fly-in events organised by clubs to encourage visitors to share a day and a barbecue — these are a great way to meet like-minded aviators and perhaps plan future flying adventures together. It is even becoming common for British microlighters to fly into Europe and beyond, while there have been several flights to Australia and two around the world by British flyers, although these longer trips take quite a bit more planning!

Meanwhile, competitions across the country offer beginners and experts the chance to test their piloting skills in flight accuracy tasks. The British microlight flying team do extremely well in International competition and in 2007 brought home three world gold medals. In fact, when it comes to microlight flying you can be as adventurous as you like, although ultimately it’s the sheer fun of flying these lightweight aircraft that is their greatest attraction.

Ab initio
Refers to a training course which takes students from being a complete beginner through to the advertised standard.
Ailerons
Found on the wings of an aircraft, these are movable sections of the trailing-edge of each wing that affect the roll of the aircraft. They are operated by the sideways movement of the control column or stick.
Airspace
The sky is divided into different areas – or airspace. Much airspace is uncontrolled, which means you can pretty much fly in it when you want and without prior permission. However, some airspace is controlled and you require permission from the controlling authority (usually obtained in flight over the radio) before you can enter it.
Airspeed Indicator (ASI)
Cockpit instrument telling the pilot how fast the aircraft is travelling through the air. The airspeed isn’t necessarily the same as the aircraft’s speed over the ground. For example, if an aircraft has an airspeed of 90 knots into a 20 knot headwind, its speed over the ground will only be 70 knots.
ATPL
Air Transport Pilot’s Licence. You’ll need one of these if you’re planning to work for the airlines – although some will also accept the MPL.
CAA
Civil Aviation Authority – regulator for aviation in the UK.
Charts
The more common name for aviation maps used for navigation and showing areas of restricted airspace.
CPL
Commercial Pilot’s Licence. Allows the holder to earn money from flying. This is also generally one of the steps on the way towards attaining an ATPL.
Drift
A deviation from the intended course caused by the wind.
EASA
European Aviation Safety Agency. The organisation which is taking over from the JAA.
Elevators
Surfaces at the rear of the tailplane,
controlled by the control column, to control the pitch of the aeroplane.
Flaps
Control surface on the rear of the wing used to change the area and shape of the wings to allow you fly more slowly.
Frozen
Term referring (usually) to an ATPL when the necessary ground exams have been passed but the required amount of flying time hasn’t been completed.
Fuselage
Main section of an aircraft including the engine housing, cockpit and controls, but not the wings and tail.
GA
General Aviation, commonly considered to refer to small aircraft, including PPL operations, but sometimes used in a wider context to denote anything that’s non-airline and non-military.
Ground Exams
A set of examinations, usually multiple-choice, which must be passed before a pilot can get his or her licence.
GFT
General Flight Test, the flying tests which are required for various licence qualifications. The culmination of a flying course.
IFR
Instrument Flight Rules: a set of rules which cover flight in controlled airspace, poor weather and/or night. Not commonly used by basic PPLs.
IMC
Instrument Meteorological Conditions, referring to weather below VMC standard. Also a rating allowing a pilot to fly in poor weather conditions, although only in the UK.
IR
Instrument Rating, allowing a pilot to fly under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) and in any airspace. The toughest flying exam of all.
JAA
Joint Aviation Authorities. A European organisation overseeing the formation
and implementation of Joint Airworthiness Requirements (JAR).
JAR
Joint Airworthiness Requirement, training and operational standards to which (European) JAA member States are signatories.
Knot
Standard aviation measurement of speed, equal to one nautical mile per hour or 1.15mph. Usually shortened to ‘kt’.
Log book
A notebook where a pilot or student pilot will record all of their flights.
Met
Short for meteorology.
MPL
Multi-crew Pilot Licence. A new licence which allows you to fly airliners, but will limit you to being the co-pilot.
NOTAM
Notice to Airmen, the method by which pilots are told of permanent or temporary changes to essential information such as airspace, radio facilities and meteorological services.
NPPL
National Private Pilot Licence, a licence allowing flight in UK airspace and in
daylight hours, following a shorter period of instruction than required for a full JAA PPL.
P1 /P2/PICUS/PIC
The status of a pilot as recorded in his or her logbook. P1 means commander, P2 is co-pilot and PICUS is pilot-in-command under supervision. PIC means Pilot in Command.
Pitch
The nose up and down movement of an aircraft, controlled by the elevator and caused by the forward and backward movement of the control column.
PPL
Private Pilot’s Licence – the first goal for many pilots. Also the first stepping stone to commercial or airline flying, as well as additional type and licence qualifications.
Radio Navigation or RadNav
The world is peppered with navigation beacons – radio installations that broadcast information which can be interpreted by an aircraft’s systems and displayed on instruments in the cockpit. Radio navigation is the art of getting from A to B using the information from these beacons.
Roll
As one wing tip goes up, the other goes down. Caused by the movement of the ailerons, effected by the sideways movement of the control column.
RT
Using the radio to talk to Air Traffic Control. An abbreviated form of ‘radiotelephony.
Rudder
Moving part of an aircraft vertical tail section that controls the yaw of an aircraft, controlled by the rudder pedals in the aircraft.
Taxying
An aircraft’s self-propelled movement on the ground or, in a helicopter, just above the ground – a ‘hover taxi’.
Track
The desired path of an aircraft over the ground. Unfortunately, due to the effect of the wind, this is rarely the same as the aircraft’s heading.
VFR
Visual Flight Rules. Refers to the conditions under which a PPL usually flies – staying clear of controlled airspace and flying in relatively good weather conditions.
VMC
Visual Meteorological Conditions, a set of weather criteria in which visual flight is deemed safe.
Yaw
Side to side movement of an aircraft’s nose, caused by the movement of the rudder and effected by the rudder pedals.

Phonetic alphabet
The phonetic alphabet is used by pilots over the radio to communicate their registration in a clear and unambiguous manner. For example, the registration G-MYAT would be ‘Golf Mike Yankee Alpha Tango.
The only letter not used any longer in the registration of UK aircraft is Q-Quebec as this can easily be mistaken as O-Oscar.
A – Alpha
B– Bravo
C – Charlie
D– Delta
E – Echo
F – Foxtrot
G– Golf
H– Hotel
I– India
J– Juliet
K– Kilo
L – Lima
M – Mike
N – November
O – Oscar
P – Papa
Q – Quebec
R – Romeo
S – Sierra
T – Tango
U – Uniform
V – Victor
W – Whisky
X – X Ray
Y – Yankee
Z – Zulu

If you decide to learn to fly a general aviation aircraft or opt to learn to fly in the light sports aviation or microlight category of aircraft either way I guarantee it may well be one of the most exciting, fulfilling and rewarding things you have ever done. I wanted to learn to fly way back in the early 1990′s but didn’t start until a decade later. Having obtained my wings several years ago I can honestly tell you that the buzz of taking to the air and going places, particularly with other aviator friends never wanes, so lets take a look at what is involved at what you need to know before you learn to fly.

Barton Aerodrome (or City Airport Manchester) where many in the North West of England learn to fly is one of the oldest airfields in the UK. It is a very busy and bustling airfield just on the edge of Manchester Airports controlled airspace, with no less than 4 grass strip runways, a friendly flying club and some of the best bacon and sausage butties on offer at any airfield cafe in the UK. It was also the location from which I decided to learn to fly and where I took one of my first flying experiences, a 30-minute trial flight in a 3 axis Thruster microlight which, as is recorded in my logbook, covered exercise four in the PPL syllabus – the effects of controls. I shortly thereafter had a trial flight in a flexwing microlight at the same flying school and was hooked. I decided that I wanted to learn to fly the flexwing due to it’s unrivalled freedom in the air, this is real flying; just ask any commercial pilot that has been in a flexwing and they will tell you the same. It is definitely the closest a human can get to being a bird, in my humble opinion.

Learn to Fly

To learn to fly and gain a PPL (Private Pilot Licence) you are going to have a genuinely fascinating, exciting and fulfilling pastime, with many flights starting at airfields just like Barton or even much smaller strips or airfields. And yet there are some amazing places to fly into that have enormous concrete runways. And the good news is, if you really want to learn to fly, getting involved is a lot more achievable than you might have originally thought.

So What do You Learn to Fly in?

Thanks to an increasing number and range of easy-to-fly and relatively affordable aircraft that have recently started to appear at airfields around the world, and an increase in the various types of licences available, there has rarely been a better time to learn to fly than there is today.

And no matter what type of aircraft you learn to fly in – be it a flexwing microlight like the one I fly, a four-seat tourer, a vintage biplane, a super-fast helicopter or even a super-powerful Airbus 380 – the chances are that you started at the controls of a single engined standard training aeroplane.

The question I often get asked is “So do you need to be super-clever and super-fit to learn to fly an aeroplane?” The simple answer thankfully is – no. If you can work out the recording facilities on Sky+ or any other satellite TV system, there’s a very good chance of covering the technical aspects you’ll need to learn to fly an aeroplane. As for fitness, anybody who can ride a bike safely will stand a good chance of measuring up to the aviation medical requirements and depending on age and licence type you may only need a self declaration of medical fitness.

So you want to learn to fly but what’s the first step? Well, it’s a good idea to find your local airfield (a quick google search using your local town or city should do the trick) and pay it a visit. Better still, book a trial lesson in one of the flying school’s training aircraft. This is an ideal way to discover if the practical side of flying really is for you, before spending a small fortune on lessons, text books and a pair of trendy Ray Ban aviator shades. Trial lessons usually last from around 20 minutes to an hour (go for the longer one – you really can’t tell anything in 20 minutes) and will cost up to £200-£250. If you want to learn to fly today (2011) it is getting more expensive and the way that fuel prices are increasing almost on a daily basis at the moment don’t be surprised to see prices being higher than what I have stated here. Trial lessons in microlight aircraft be it 3 axis or flexwing are somewhat cheaper.

And best of all, once you decide that yes, I definitely want to learn to fly, you can record the time from your trial lesson in your logbook.

Your trial lesson will probably start in exactly the same way as every other flight you’ll ever do – with a pre-flight check/walk around. This is a routine safety exercise where the pilot checks the aircraft for general good condition and airworthiness – that the controls which determine the direction of the aircraft work perfectly well; that air intakes/pitot tubes connected to speed and pressure instruments are clear; that there’s enough oil and fuel for the engine; that the lights work and everything else is just as it should be to make sure your flight is as enjoyable as possible.

Once the checks are complete, you’ll be invited to sit in the all-important left-hand seat – the place where the pilot-in-command(PIC) usually sits and where you will spend your time as you learn to fly. The interior of most training aircraft is often quite a cramped affair and you’ll be surprised that some microlight aircraft are actually more comfortable than a lot of GA aircraft. You’ll immediately notice a whole range of initially confusing displays and two identical sets of controls – one on each side of the cockpit. In all honesty, it really won’t take you long at all to learn what each of those knobs, dials and switches does, with your instructor introducing you to them as the lessons progress.

As for the controls, at this early stage, the main ones to bear in mind are the control column (this might either be a simple stick or a steering-wheel-like assembly) and the rudder pedals. With your instructor starting the engine and making all the necessary engine checks and radio calls (again, the responsibility for these will gradually be passed over to you as your training progresses), it will be time to taxi out towards the runway.

Steering an aeroplane on the ground is actually controlled by the rudder pedals; press the right one to go right, and the left one to go left – simple really. However if you decided to learn to fly a flexwing microlight these controls are different. In a flexwing trike the ground controls work like a kids go-kart or bogie; if you want to turn right you push your left foot forward and your right foot forward if you want to turn left. This is where many that learn to fly can get confused as to some it seems counter intuitive.

Before too long, you’ll find yourself at the end of the runway and ready for take-off. Every aeroplane has an optimum speed for take-off – for example, in a Cessna 152 it’s 55kt (aeroplane speeds are still in measured in knots) – so your instructor will gently open the throttle to full power for take-off and as the aeroplane moves down the runway and reaches that speed, will carefully pull back on the control column and you’ll gently lift into the air. In a flexwing aircraft again it is different in that the bar is pushed forward and full power is applied using the foot throttle. As you achieve the required flying speed the aircraft unsticks from the ground and you become air-born.

That first departure is a truly memorable experience. You encounter a unique form of three-dimensional freedom where you can control whatever direction you want to go with a simple movement of the controls. For the truly fortunate individuals that learn to fly and become seasoned pilots, the thrill that accompanies this feeling of freedom never leaves you and it’s at the core of all that’s so great about flying. It is nothing like flying in a big jet. It’s hard to describe the feeling, you just have to experience it.

Once you’re in the air and safely away from other airfield traffic, the instructor will let you take over the controls. As you learn to fly, you will soon discover that aeroplanes move in three ways – roll, pitch and yaw. Roll refers to the banking movement which takes place along an imaginary line running from the front of the aeroplane to the rear, where as one wingtip goes up, the other goes down. This is controlled by moving the control column from side to side. Pitch is where the nose of the aircraft goes up and down as the tail does the opposite – this is controlled by moving the control column forwards and backwards. Finally, yaw is the movement which takes place along an imaginary vertical line down through the centre of the aircraft, with the wingtips moving along a horizontal plane in opposite directions to each other. This is controlled by the two rudder pedals.

Again if you learn to fly in a flexwing microlight aircraft you will discover the controls are totally the opposite. You will also discover that there is no rudder to control. Pitch is controlled by moving the control bar forwards to pitch up and is pulled towards you to pitch the nose down. To go left, the control bar is moved to the right and in the opposite direction to turn right. It may all seem strange and confusing, however these controls in both aircraft soon become second nature. The difficulties only manifest if you ultimately fly both types of aircraft. You don’t want to get the controls of one aircraft type mixed up with the other, particularly when close to the ground.

These basic controls are at the core of learning to fly, and soon you’ll be using them, alongside the throttle, flaps and trim – to control your altitude, speed and direction in a smooth and relaxed manner. Then it’s just a matter of figuring out where you’re going, who to talk to along the way and how to land the aircraft, and you’re pretty much on the way to earning your PPL.

Of course, there are a few other requirements before you can call yourself a qualified pilot. In the case of a JAA PPL(A) licence, you’ll need to pass a Class 2 Medical, along with seven aviation exams. In truth, the medical really isn’t as demanding as you might think, while the ground school exams do demand a fair amount of study, there are plenty of study aids and courses available to help you, PPL Exam Pro being just one of them.

As you progress through your lessons, there are certain milestones along the way that you’ll remember as long as you continue to fly. Your first solo flight is an incredible thrill, often described as the best piece of flying that you’ll ever experience, thanks to how prepared and focused you’ll inevitably be for the event. Then your first successful cross-country flight and your first approach carried out purely on instruments, with no reference to landmarks outside the plane – all quite unforgettable and worthy reminders of the very exciting and fulfilling nature you get when you decided to learn to fly.

The “Learn to Fly” Experience Concludes

Then comes the day when you’re ready to take that final exam – the general flight test (GFT). While licence requirements may demand a minimum of 45 hours tuition (32 hours in the case of an NPPL), in reality this is more likely to have taken typically in excess of 50 hours over a period of up to 18 months, by which time you’ll have completed a thorough and demanding syllabus of exercises, scenarios and legal requirements that will leave you capable of flying a single-engined aircraft on your own in UK airspace.

You decided 18 months ago to learn to fly and then it happens – six or so weeks after you send off your paperwork to the CAA and that PPL with your name on arrives through your letterbox – Oh Joy! Now you need to out and truly learn to fly.

There is an inevitability about learning to fly in the UK that means on a good proportion of the days you put aside to train, the weather will refuse to play ball. It’s just an unfortunate fact of living in the UK. Often times when I was learning to fly, would I get up in the morning, get prepared and be putting one foot in the car only to receive the dreaded phone call from my flying instructor to be told that the cloud level, wind strength or some other climatic hindrance meant that flying lesson had to be cancelled!

And then you see them – those adverts in the back of every flying magazine offering private pilot training at a fraction of the cost of the UK, in sunnier climates such as Spain and America, even South Africa and Australia.

And the allure is easy to see – the chance to earn your private pilot training done and attain your PPL License in a short period of time for much lower costs than in the UK and, what do you know, you could even have a holiday at the same time.

Of course, the truth isn’t quite that straightforward, and while learning to fly overseas certainly has some very attractive positive points, there are also a number of negatives that you should also keep in mind or at least consider. Let’s look at the positives first.

Top of the list is generally money. Or it used to be at the time of writing (June 2010), the pound has taken a bit of a bashing against both the US Dollar and he Euro, which is not far form being on parity with the pound. However if we get back to a stronger pound on top of the lower cost of private pilot training and fuel overseas, you can often learn to fly in America for something like half the price of learning in the UK. To make the most of this, many PPL students will book a three, or even four week intensive course, which includes an accommodation option – often a hotel near the airfield. If you really want to make the most of this type of intensive private pilot training, it’s a good idea to complete your aviation exams in the UK before you go.

Private Pilot Training Intensive!

Cramming 45 plus hours of flying tuition and all the requisite bookwork into three or four weeks can be really heavy going, particularly if the last time you did any revision was 20 odd years ago for your GCE’s or GSE’s. Once you get to the school, don’t be surprised if most of your fellow students, and even a good few of the instructors, are fellow Brits. For the instructors, this type of work is often a great way of building up the hours needed towards a CPL and ATPL. By instructing overseas, their traditionally low wages will go further and the good weather means that they’ll get more flying time. This subject of weather is generally the second major reason that PPL students decide to learn overseas.

Clear blue skies and little in the way of crosswinds is certainly a great way to rack up those hours, allowing you the great benefit of day after day of uninterrupted private pilot training. On the downside, these types of conditions can rarely be found in the UK, meaning your private pilot training may well be completed in an environment quite unlike any you’ll find yourself in once you get back home. One common result of this is that when you turn up for the first time at your local flying club, crisp new PPL License in hand, the CFI may well demand that you carry out some additional training to ensure that you can cope with the far from perfect weather conditions that characterise flying in the UK. It’s also worth bearing in mind that while good weather is likely when flying with some overseas schools, not even the most influential instructor can guarantee the sun.

There are few things more frustrating than taking a month’s holiday and paying for all that private pilot training, only to spend the time sheltering from an unseasonable downpour. You can help the situation by checking before you book that your lessons aren’t taking place in the middle of the rainy season. One of the benefits of flying in such good weather is that you can see for miles. Combine that with the huge amount of uncontrolled airspace that you’ll discover in America, and you really can feel that you have the sky to yourself. It’s a lovely feeling, to be pottering around the cloudless skies of Florida enjoying a very pure, unflustered and uncontrolled form of aviation. But when you combine this with an uncanny lack of ground features for miles in each direction — often a feature of vast parts of Florida — this can make traditional navigation, the type you need to understand to pass your aviation exams, a very tricky proposition.

On the upside, if you can deal with it there, once you return to the UK with all its roads, railway lines and other ground features, you’ll feel spoilt for choice by the number of aids to finding your way to your chosen destination. If you do decide to train overseas, don’t fall into the trap of thinking that you can combine it with a holiday. Taking an intensive course for the PPL exams is just that – intense. Mixing in days-out to Disney World and air-boat rides over the Everglades is going to sap up time and energy. If you want to give yourself the best chance of success, leave the family at home. However you could keep the family happy by letting them go around Disney, whilst you go flying. Although on second thoughts, having done Disney and worn the T-Shirt, your better half may not thank you for that – leaving them with the kids and being hounded by two semi-grown-ups in ‘Chip n Dale’ costumes! One option that is becoming more popular is combining private pilot training in the UK with training overseas, giving you the advantage of getting used to British conditions, then enjoying a week or so of excellent weather and spreading the costs over a longer period.

This option also knocks off one of the downsides of private pilot training purely overseas – the response you get when you come home. Along with UK flying clubs often showing a reticence to hiring aircraft to PPLs who have only trained in fair-weather conditions, clubs may wonder whether you can deal with the UK’s Air Traffic Control, the often much shorter runways (compared to the USA’s massive tarmac strips) and the much busier circuits and approaches that are often a characteristic of UK airfields.

If you can show that a fair percentage of your raining has already dealt with such demands, the chances are you’ll be received by the club with a far higher degree of confidence than if all your training had been completed overseas. It really does depend on so many factors – the nature of the airfield and area where you trained overseas, the extent to which you studied and prepared before you left, and the chemistry between you and clubs and instructors on your return to the UK.

Two quick notes of caution when deciding which school to choose. First, if you are after a JAA licence, make sure that school is JAA-approved, and that means double-checking their claims with the JAA. It might be extremely rare, but it’s not unknown for schools to advertise that they’re JAA approved when in fact they’re not. Secondly, when booking an intensive private pilot training course you might be asked to pay everything up front.

Not only does this mean that you could find yourself committed to a school that doesn’t match your standards, but should that school go out of business before you’ve finished your private pilot training, you could lose your cash.

As a result, it’s a much better idea to perhaps only pay for one week of private pilot training at a time. While so far we’ve focused mainly on private pilot training in America, it is worth mentioning one increasingly challenging aspect of following your PPL ambitions in this country: security. Since the horrific events of 9/11, the USA has instigated more and more security measures, and perhaps quite understandably – citing a desire to go flight training in Florida can send a nervous shiver along the backbone of many a visa-issuing officer.

When you do eventually get a visa, this will inevitably put a number of tight restrictions on your visit, most notably that you can only train at a single, specified flight school. This means, should you decide that your private pilot training isn’t going as well it could be at school A, unfortunately you can’t simply swap to school B.

On the positive side, most schools in America have been incredibly adept at dealing with this challenge and will be able to offer all the assistance you need.

The alternatives are training in Spain, France, Jersey or even South Africa, Australia and Thailand. Each can offer low-cost flight training in generally better weather conditions than the UK and, with the European destinations, it doesn’t costs that much to get there.

Then finally you need to give consideration to your private pilot training and study material. You cannot go wrong with either the Oxford Aviation Training material available form the likes of Transair (www.transair.co.uk) and AFE (www.afeonline.com), or equally as good is AFE’s own brand of private pilot training material. As you start to prepare yourself for the actual exams you will want to get yourself a copy of PPL Exam Pro.

You’ve done all the studying for your Private Pilot’s Licence, passed all the aviation exams and finally gained that PPL Licence! But now what? Well worry not because there’s a whole world of aviation fun to be had.

If you have passed your driving test, chances are what I say next may sound familiar. If you haven’t already heard it, then it will only be a matter of time before you do. An instructor, PPL licence holder or PPL student will tell you that your PPL Licence should be considered as a licence to learn. I’m not sure I absolutely agree with that – but it’s true that we never stop learning, I however prefer to think of the aviation licence as a key that opens the skies to a whole new and fantastic world of opportunities. Once you pass the final stages of your PPL training, usually the GFT of general skills test (you are still considered a student pilot until you have the PPL licence in your hands) and it is likely that you’ll be ‘chomping at the bit’ to take friends and family for a short local flight. It is most likely that your next few flights following receipt of your PPL Licence will be to familiar airfields, almost certainly those you visited during your training, or destinations in your qualifying cross-country. Many new pilots find the next set of destinations more challenging as you tend to venture further away from your base airfield.

They’ll be unfamiliar and may well involve some transits of controlled airspace. It is therefore very important to find a way through any confidence barrier you might have. Going on a trip with a fellow PPL holder is good from an experience point of view, and it also halves the cost of fuel etc. Once you are confident with destinations that are further away, you really can start to stretch your aerial legs. If you live for example in the southern half of the UK, then France, Belgium or the Channel Islands aren’t much more than an hour away, and although they involve extra steps (crossing large bits of water, filing flight plans and sorting out Customs), the rewards more than make up for the minor hassle. Through a system called drawback, you can even reclaim the duty on the fuel in your tanks.

If you live in the northern half of the UK then obviously the Continent will take a little longer to get to, but Scotland, Ireland and the Isle of Man all offer some fantastic flying and touring. If long-distance touring sounds like your ‘cup of tea’, then there are lots of organised and semi-organised fly-outs. Checking your local airfield or many of the monthly flying magazines or forums will reveal trips that are planned for France, Belgium and lots of UK locations too. For the adventurous, there are companies that organise flying trips to Africa and the Middle East, while from time to time there are even some that involve flying from Europe to the United States!

There’s pretty much something for everyone’s tastes and most budgets, whether it’s a luxury outing somewhere, or a camp-under-the-wing session – great fun on a summer’s evening. You may find that your club, or club members will organise events, and in the early days sharing the flight planning, flying and expense is a great way to build experience.

Varying Types of Airfields Whilst Training for Your PPL Licence

You will only land at ‘licensed’ airfields – those that have been approved by the CAA and that meet the required standards. Now that you have that coveted PPL licence, you can also land at unlicensed airfields, or even farm strips (assuming that if renting your aircraft – the aircraft rental agreement and insurance covers that). You will find that this opens a whole new set of flying opportunities for you, and if you intend to use your aeroplane for practical travel, you’ll often find an unlicensed airfield or strip to be the closest airfield to your destination.

Go To Part 2

Unlicensed airfields come in all shapes and sizes: some will be massive, ex-military airfields with huge tarmac runways and little else; others will be small grass airfields with a friendly clubhouse and refuelling capacity. Just to confuse matters, some licensed airfields become ‘unlicensed’ when they close (perhaps the fire crew has gone home, meaning that the requirements to be licensed are no longer in place), but the operator may still allow landings and departures after-hours. Farm strips are usually little more than a runway cut into a field. Sometimes the field will be long, smooth and dry, and sometimes it will have a significant slope, be surrounded by trees and will have sheep grazing on it. There’s no doubt that landing at a farm strip can be much more challenging than landing at a licensed airfield. Microlight pilots live and breath these types of airstrips and landing you aircraft at some strips can be a whole heap of fun.

There will rarely be anyone to pass you the wind direction or the local pressure setting, and you’ll only know of other aircraft in the local area or circuit if they are broadcasting their position on ‘Safetycom’ – a radio frequency (135.475MHz) that allows pilots to transmit to other aircraft in the vicinity of the unattended strip. Most private farm strips and/or unlicensed airfields are designated PPR (Prior Permission Required) so it is essential to call the strip owner or operator before you fly into one; some strips are very, very private and you won’t get permission to land there in any circumstances, while others are more than happy to get visitors.

Some of the nicest aviation people I’ve met have been farm-strip owners, and it’s not at all uncommon to find yourself sitting down and chatting about aviation over a cup of tea and biscuits brought out to you by someone at the strip. Details of many UK farm strips can be found in a guide called Lockyears Farm Strips and Private Airfields Flight Guide that is available from pilot shops. As you continue to build up your experience, you will find that you can use some of the more marginal strips, although it is essential to have an appropriate aircraft and to properly calculate performance. It’s a good idea here to seek advice from your flying instructor and possibly even take on a little more tuition in the basic techniques and practices of strip flying.

And Now For Something Completely Different? Aerobatics If you’re looking for a challenge and want to massively improve your flying skills, then you ought to seriously consider aerobatics. Now, don’t stop reading just because you think you may feel ill, apprehensive or both. Aerobatics, taught in the correct manner, will teach you more about aircraft handling than any other discipline. It’ll greatly increase your confidence, and if you are at all competitive, you’ll find a world of like-minded individuals who gather regularly to compete. Most aerobatic flyers will tell you that they do it for the adrenalin-rush, the skill-set they hone, but most of all for the sheer unadulterated grin factor… putting the ‘F’ into Fun!” There’s a beginner’s level that is tailored to novices, and you can even fly with a safety pilot if you like.

More information from www.aerobatics.org.uk. Precision Flying Precision flying is a gentle alternative to aerobatics, precision flying is another great way to improve your skills. There’s a small group of people who compete nationally and internationally, testing their skills with spot landing, navigation and timed-arrival trials, among other things. For more, see www.rallyflyingclub.org. Mountain flying If you’re looking to combine stunning natural beauty with spectacular flying that will require a good understanding of the weather, precision handling and excellent decision-making skills, then mountain flying is perhaps for you. The vast majority of European mountain flying takes place in the French Alps where it is taught by specially qualified instructors.

The landing sites are divided into two categories: altiports such as Courchevel, Meribel and Megeve; and altisurfaces such as Valoire. They’re pretty much all one-way runways, which means that there’s only one landing direction (uphill) and one take off direction (downhill). There’s no such thing as a go-around, as there’s usually a very big mountain somewhere near the end of the runway and, unless you’re flying something like a Typhoon or an F-16, there’s no way that you’re going to out-climb it. All of the altiports are regulated by the DGAC (the French version of the CAA), but the altisurfaces carry no guarantees at all! Flying other types of Aircraft Not all of your post PPL flying adventures have to be exotic or particularly expensive.

You can gain a huge sense of achievement by simply learning to fly other types of aircraft from the one you learnt in. By searching through the many flying clubs across the UK, you’ll discover the chance to learn to fly exciting and exotic aircraft such as open-cockpit biplanes like the Stearman, classic warbirds like the Harvard and aerobatic aircraft like the Extra 300. Build up your hours a little more and you can work towards extra ratings and qualifications that will allow you to fly twin engined aircraft, taildraggers and even jets, some of which are also crucial steps towards a commercial licence.

A Greater World of Opportunities And then, there are the simple pleasures of attending fly-ins and socials, when groups of like-minded pilots will gather at an airfield to talk, fly and generally enjoy each other’s company. The great thing about getting your PPL is that it really does open up a world of opportunities. Enjoy yourself…

I read the following article in the June 2010 edition of Pilot Magazine titled “New Pilot Psychology” the other day and it struck such a chord with me. Having passed my PPL Exams and got my licence back in 2006, my flying hours have not increased anywhere near as much as they should have, or could have. I have my own aircraft and could easily fly whenever I want to (weather permitting of course), but choose not to – WHY? You may well ask!

Read the article below as I think it says so much about what can happen to new PPL qualified pilots.

Article from Pilot Magazine – by Jesse Crosse

Taking to the air as a freshly qualified pilot is almost as daunting as becoming qualified in the first place. Apparently, ‘losing’ new pilots is through apathy, other distractions and in truth, probably just plain old fear, is a big problem for clubs trying to keep their schools profitable. I’ve held my shiny new licence for just over a year now and just 69 hours and 49 minutes into my flying career, I’ve already become aware how easy it would be to slide off my local flying club’s booking list never to be seen again.

It strikes me that when it comes to getting airborne the new pilot is his own worst enemy. Being too busy is not a good reason not to go flying. Neither is being short of cash (make a budget) and neither is the weather. I reckon the main psychological barrier is that flying isn’t as accessible as driving a car or riding a motorcycle because the aeroplane isn’t in the drive (unless you’re damn lucky). Making that booking at a busy club or bothering to check the weather are usually the first things that fall off the priorities list and the ball gets dropped.

I tackled the problem by buying an aeroplane and as I couldn’t eat a whole one, I settled for a slice of one. G¬-BAXZ is a 1970 Cherokee with a youthful engine, are-upholstered interior and is about to get a fresh coat of paint. It’s well maintained and at £2,500 for a share, £40 per month and £65 an hour wet, it was too good to miss. Ignoring the equity cost, the first hour I fly each month is still cheaper than hiring a club aircraft and the more I fly, the cheaper it gets. You see where this is going? It only works if I fly at least an hour a month. So that’s part one of the New Pilot Psychology taken care of, next task is to make new destinations a regular fixture rather than occasional adventure and for that I’ll add a satnav to the kit bag. But which one? -end-

The truth is its very easy to get put off flying due to some bad conditions. Your confidence is bashed somewhat and you are reminded of your own mortality, This happened to me recently. Not having the pleasure and back-up of your flying instructor with you, it is easy to let your mind get the better of you. Some tough thermals or strong crosswind landing can put you off somewhat.

So very recently I took an hour with my flying instructor, just to get back in the air as I had not flown for about 5-6 months. Being reassured that the thermals are not going to turn you over, or the wind throw you out of the sky is an immense help in regaining your confidence. It was fantastic, a lovely calm day although a bit misty, which we were blaming on the Icelandic ash cloud. But nonetheless it was superb and reminded me instantly of what I was missing. Don’t let it be too long before you fly again and don’t make excuses, you’re only kidding yourself! Book an hour or so with your instructor it can make all the difference.

I first decided that I wanted to learn to fly and get a private pilot’s licence way back in 1997. However I did no planning whatsoever to make it happen and in fact it didn’t really happen until several years later. I had every opportunity to have a fly in a friend of a friend’s microlight, but for whatever reason, it just didn’t happen!

It wasn’t until the Christmas of 2003, when my darling wife purchased one of those experiences like the Red Letter Days types of gifts. Well if the truth be told, she actually got the card, but hadn’t purchased the gift token as she was unsure as to whether or not I would go for it. To some degree she was right; she had purchased or the intention was there to gift me a flight in a GA aircraft, which was not what I initially wanted to do. You see my pragmatism was getting the better of me and I knew I would get the bug, after all I had been into aviation since being a kid and if I didn’t like it initially, I would make myself like it for sure!

So I decided that I wanted to go for a flight in a microlight, knowing that if/when I got the bug I could more readily afford a share in a plane or even get my own when the time was right.

I recall doing a good bit of homework before choosing the flying school to go and interview and take a trial flight. It just so happened the one I chose was the nearest to me. You see at first, I reasoned, it wasn’t going to make that much difference where I did my private pilot’s licence (PPL) course. I believed one flying school would be pretty much the same as any other.

I was wrong. It does make a difference where you learn, as flying schools and airfields vary – some organisations are better than others. The type of aircraft you learn on can be important, especially if you are particularly small or large. For some student pilots it might be preferable to learn over a longer period due to either funds, weather or the time you can afford, or maybe even a bit of all of that; while others are better opting for an intensive full time course. For these reasons, as well as others, it is sensible to do some research before embarking on a private pilot’s licence course. After all, the licence will cost several thousand pounds.

Although you can fly solo at the age of 16, you need to be at least 17 before receiving the actual licence. There is no upper age limit, as long as you are in good health. Legally you will need to fly – a minimum of 45 hours before you can obtain your PPL(A).

Of these, a number will have to be solo hours, when you will fly the aircraft by yourself but under the supervision of an instructor. Depending upon which licence you are going for will also determine the number of solo hours required. Unlike learning to drive a car, you will ‘go solo’ long before you actually gain your licence, after which ‘ lessons with your instructor will interspersed with practising to fly on you own. As well as the practical training that takes place in the air you will need to pass several aviation exams, commonly referred to as the ground school exams. The exams are not that difficult although there is a lot to learn and they require a substantial amount of studying, which can be undertaken as a self study course or in a classroom environment with other fellow students.

Be aware that the requirement for 45 flying hours (based on doing the JAR PPL(A) licence is precisely what it says it is – a legal minimum. The majority of flying students take longer than this, sometimes much longer. Varying figures are quoted by flying schools, but the UK national average is believed – to be between 60 and 70 hours. Some people only budget for 45 hours, strongly convinced that they will learn to fly quickly. Many people are also convinced that they will be ‘naturals’ when it comes to learning to fly and are really shocked to find out that flying is difficult and that they do not pick it up quickly. I think this probably applies to male pilots more than female pilots, simply because we have bigger egos? Flying training also involves other topics such as navigation and radio use, and few people take naturally and quickly to all aspects of the course.

Even if you do not struggle with the training, there are other reasons why the course may take longer than you expect. Probably the most import factor is the weather, for flying is totally dependant upon the weather conditions. I know from my experiences that leaning to fly a microlight aircraft took me the best part of 2 years to complete all my flying hours required. Unfortunately the UK in particular has a real mix of weather conditions that if you are learning to fly in the British Isles you will need to prepare yourself for this uncertainty.

Many flying students feel as though their whole course consists of ‘two steps forward, then one step back’ as rain and wind stop play for several weeks. With this in mind, it is sensible to budget for more hours and a longer length of study than you might expect.

A couple of ways of getting round this are the short intensive course or going abroad to get your PPL. Learning full time over a few weeks has advantages: you are less likely to forget things between lessons and can hopefully schedule all your flying in the summer, a safer bet for good weather. However, many people cannot take enough time off work to learn in this way, and while flying schools may quote a three-week course, it often takes longer. Finally, learning at this fast pace does not suit everyone and can be stressful. Alternatively you could consider doing a block of intensive flying during a week or fortnight off and then continue with a few lessons per week thereafter. This gives you the benefit of some constant flying over a short period and a lot of flying schools do these kind of bookings, particularly abroad and advertise them as ‘Hours Building’ courses.

Courses overseas can usually be completed in a few weeks, perhaps in combination with a family holiday. It is a way of avoiding the vagaries of the British weather and may be cheaper, as courses abroad are often less expensive than in the UK. The USA used to be a very popular destination, but the large amount of additional regulations introduced by the US authorities since September 11, 2001, has put many people off.
If you decide to learn to fly overseas, do your research carefully and allow plenty of time to complete the training, as it could possibly take several months, depending on your progress, weather conditions and numerous other factors.

Try to get a personal recommendation for a flying school in whatever country you choose, rather than just selecting one out of the magazines. Remember also that cheapest is not necessarily the best. You will also need to factor in the costs of travel and accommodation, plus some extra training on your return to the UK in order to get used to different weather conditions and radio procedures. Most importantly, be certain that the school you pick awards JAR-FCL (i.e. European) qualifications, because if you get foreign ones, the time and money required to convert them will negate all the savings of learning abroad.

If you decide to learn in the UK, it is a good idea to be close to your home and/or work, as you are likely to have at least a few lessons cancelled due to poor weather conditions, sometimes after you have already arrived at the airfield. Flying training can also be very tiring, especially in the early stages, and you will not learn much if you are exhausted after a long drive to the airfield before every lesson.

As well as location, cost is obviously a big consideration in the choice of training. The hourly rate for flying does not give you the whole picture, so check what else is likely to be added. Some airfields charge landing fees for home-based students and these can add up to a substantial amount, particularly during some parts of the syllabus, such as when doing circuits and learning to land. Try to find out if the hourly rate is calculated from when the engine is started, from when you begin taxiing the aircraft or by some other means. It can make quite a difference, particularly at large airports where you may spend a long time taxiing and waiting for take-off clearance.

The size and type of airfield is also worth considering. Learning at a large airport has certain advantages, such as becoming accustomed to operating alongside large aircraft from the outset and dealing with instructions from Air Traffic Control (ATC). However, it can involve a great deal of wasted time, waiting on the ground or taxiing for example. After getting your PPL you may also find yourself flummoxed visiting a small airfield, where you have to decide where to go and what to do rather than being told by ATC.

Conversely, those who learn at airfields with only Air to Ground (A/G) radio become accustomed to decision-making, and at some airfields they may become proficient at short field procedures (landing and taking off from short runways). However, these pilots tend to be less confident when they fly in to a large airport with full ATC and possibly in controlled airspace.

Getting started is perhaps the most important aspect of the journey towards a PPL. The best thing is to choose a flying school that fulfils most of the criteria that are important to you and then book a ‘trial lesson’. All flying schools offer these air experience flights or taster sessions, which usually last half an hour.

When you phone the school, let them know that you are considering getting a licence, as you may be treated slightly differently from someone who is going for a trial lesson as a ‘one-off’ experience. Allow plenty of time, look around the school, ask questions and talk to some students if you can. Do this at all the schools you are considering. Flying schools have different atmospheres and it is important to find one where you will feel comfortable.

Next, it is important to have an instructor you get on with. If you like flying with the instructor you have for your trial lesson, it’s worth asking if this individual can teach you throughout the course. At some flying schools students can have the same instructor for all or most of the course, while at others they have to take ‘pot¬luck’ for every lesson. Continuity is important so choose a school where you can pick your own instructor and stick to him or her, if possible. Unfortunately, you are unlikely to have the same instructor for the whole of your course, as flying instructors are not well paid and few of them do it as a career – they are usually gaining experience before moving on to a position with the airlines.

Many flying schools offer a substantial discount if you pay for the whole course in advance. This may seem attractive, but schools frequently go out of business, sometimes taking the students’ money with them. It is safer to pay for only a few hours with a smaller discount, pay as you go or use a credit card, as the card’s insurance will cover you if the school fails. So you’ve chosen the school and paid for the lessons. The next thing to do – and it is worth doing this before you pay anything up front – is to get your medical. Before you fly solo you will need a ‘Class 2′ aviation medical, which involves an examination by an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME). The flying school is likely to have a list of the AMEs in their area, or you can look on the CAA website. So long as you are reasonably fit, you are likely to pass.

You will need various text books for the exams, aviation charts, a personal log book, plus rulers and other paraphernalia for navigation. While prices vary, Transair’s complete private pilot’s licence study pack can currently be bought for just under £200 and contains Trevor Thom’s Air Pilot Manuals on Flying Training; Aviation Law & Meteorology; Navigation; The Aeroplane Technical; Human Factors & Pilot Performance; and Radio Telephony, Transair’s own Pilot’s Flying Logbook, TPS-1 Flight Computer, TR-5 Student Kneeboard, Flying Gear Flight Bag, 16″ Navigation Ruler and Navigation Round Protractor.

AFE also offer a wide range of student pilot packages at similar prices. There isn’t a great deal to honestly put between them. However I would recommend seeing if you can have a ‘thumb’ through copies of the various training publications to see which you prefer, before you buy. These are a fairly significant investment and its worth having a look.

It is recommended that you purchase one of the books on each of the ground school subjects: Air Law, Human Performance & Limitations, Aircraft Technical, Meteorology, Navigation and Communications/Radio Telephony. You will need copies of up to date aeronautical maps, navigation protractor, ruler, fine tip marker pens, and finally a copy of PPL Exam Pro to help you practice and pass those several ground school exams.

While some flying schools and various aviation catalogues sell everything as a complete private pilot’s licence pack, at a less expensive price than buying the items individually. If you intend to do the course quickly, perhaps over a few weeks or months, it is worth getting one of these. However, if you are learning at a slower pace, you may find that the charts become out of date before you use them, and some of the books may need updating. Certain areas of aviation, such as air law, change frequently. So it might be worth hanging on and buying things as and when you actually need them. The same applies to buying aviation items second-hand. While it may save you money, you will need to make sure that the items are up to date.

Up to this point I have been discussing the private pilot’s licence, a Europe-wide qualification that allows you to fly in the UK and overseas. You can also add extra ratings to it, such as instrument and night ratings, or go on to get a Commercial Pilot’s Licence. However, there is another private pilot’s qualification, the National Private Pilot’s Licence (NPPL). This is the particular licence I obtained after completing my training on a flexwing microlight. This licence only allows you to fly in the UK, and you cannot add ratings to it, but it theoretically can be obtained in 32 flying hours, an attractive proposition to those struggling to afford the full private pilot’s licence. However, most people take far longer than the minimum hours, so in the end there may be little difference in the time it takes to obtain the two licences.

The main advantage of the NPPL for some people is that the medical requirements are less stringent, so if you have any kind of medical condition, it may be worth looking at the NPPL in more detail. Upgrading from the NPPL to a full PPL is possible, should you start the former and then decide to change to the latter. The NPPL may not be awarded for much longer however. There are plans for the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to take over all pilot licensing within Europe, with changes expected by 2012 that probably include aspects of the NPPL, although the exact details have yet to be finalised.

When you are finally awarded your private pilot’s licence you will be qualified to fly in Visual Meteorological Conditions (i.e. reasonable weather) at home or abroad. You can fly to other airports, take passengers, buy your own aircraft or a share in one, and undertake further training if you wish. It will be tremendous fun, and could totally change your life.

So Which Private Pilot’s License Will it Be?

Do You Know What Kind Of Pilot You Want To Be?

Do You Fully Understand The Private Pilot License Requirements?

Fear Not We’re Here To Help You Work it All Out!

At the time of writing, there are two types of private pilot license. You have a choice between the JAR-FCL PPL or the NPPL (National Private Pilots Licence).

As you may expect there are a few subtle differences between these two, but both will let you fly SEP (Single Engine Piston), SSEA (Simple Single Engine Aircraft), microlights, TMGs (Touring Motor Glider) and SLMGs (Self Launching Motor Gliders). But if you are wanting to fly helicopters then you’ll need a PPL(H).

In the future (date still yet to be decided) under EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) if you want to fly aeroplanes or touring motor gliders then you will need either a PPL(A) or LPL(A).
If you are looking to fly sailplanes, powered sailplanes you will need either a SPL and finally a PPL(H) or LPL(H) for if you want to fly helicopters.

Elsewhere on this website you will find all the information you will need to help you decide on what kind of pilot you want to be. I suggest you spend some time reading through this as it will possibly save you a lot of time and money in the long run.
Some of the questions you seriously need to start asking yourself should include: Do I want to fly recreationally at low cost? Do I want to use my private pilot license to get from A to B or for business? holidays or trips to new places?

It is important that you really try to answer these simple questions as learning to fly is a huge commitment and you will need to work long and hard to get your PPL licence. Don’t think of getting your private pilot license as being the end goal though, you should think of it as a stepping stone to the flying you really want to do. Too often students will end up asking the question “What now?” at the end of all their training. Its sad to say that, an amazing 70% of pilots do not revalidate their ratings after two years – don’t let that be you!

Commercial and military pilots continue their training after the private pilot license on a very structured path, however if you are only flying for recreational purposes, your future training and development as a pilot is very much dictated by you! You may even want to consider going after a different rating after the private pilot license and these will help you to get more out of your flying.

Gaining a private pilot license suggests you can fly safely by day, but it’s going to take some extra time and work beyond qualifying to become a fully competent private pilot. I always recall my driving instructor saying to me after I passed my driving test “Now go out and learn how to drive”. It is similar with flying, getting your PPL is merely a measure that you have reached a level of competency and your piloting skills will become honed the more you fly and the more you continue to read.

If you have ever encountered CPD (Continuing Professional Development) in your job, you may appreciate the benefits and need to continually develop your knowledge and experience to become the best you possibly can be. This in my humble opinion has never been more true a statement than when applied to flying. Your commitment to fly is also a commitment to continue your learning and development, in order to remain safe and more importantly to be able to enjoy the experience, which is why most become a pilot in the first place.

To help you in your decision, here’s a look at the hours and costs involved with getting a private pilot license.