AVIATION UK

 

 

 

LEARNING TO FLY

 

This section will hopefully answer some of your questions and provide you with information on learning to fly in the UK.  The information is broken down into sections, so if there is a specific question about learning to fly that you have, you may look for the relevant header and section.

 

What Age Do You Have To Be To Learn To Fly?

As long as you are able to meet the relevant medical requirements, anyone over the age of 17 is able to hold a PPL in the UK. 

 

What Qualifications Do You Need?

To gain your PPL (Private Pilots Licence) there are no  formal qualifications required to commence training.  Basic skills such as being able to Read, Write and speak English are necessary (English is the universal language of the air).  Having an understanding of Mathematics will be of great beneficiary in order that a Private Pilot is able to carry out simple calculations.

 

What Is The Cost Of Learning To Fly?

Many people that fly who hold a PPL are just "hobby flyers", in that they have a job on the ground, but fly for recreation.  You do not need to earn a huge salary per year to attain your PPL, but as most UK flying schools charge around £80 - £120 per hour for PPL flight training, it may be an idea to have a little financial support from savings etc.

Flying and gaining your PPL abroad is becoming increasingly popular, but please ensure that if you are looking to do this, that your PPL licence will be CAA or JAA approved. 

 

What Type Of Aircraft Do I Learn In?

For the aid of the student pilot, Flying Schools will generally use aircraft that they know have easy and predictable handling characteristics.  By this we mean that they are "forgiving" and simple, making the tuition flights more fun and enjoyable as well as safe.  Such aircraft typically include:

 

Where Can I Learn To Fly?

Finding a suitable Flying School in the UK is  nothing short of easy.  There are several of them dotted throughout the entire country.  Most are advertised in aviation magazines such as; Flight International, Flyer Magazine, Pilot Magazine, and Pilot's World.  There are many others.  Flying Schools can also be found via web directories.  

Click Here For A Directory Of UK Flying Schools On The Net

It is always a good idea to "shop around" when looking for quotes on the cost of PPL courses, don't always just rely upon the cost given by your local airfield / school.

 

What Equipment Do I Need?

The equipment needed for successfully completing a PPL (or any flying course) is quite extensive.  For your first lesson you may be able to get away with no equipment of your own, however after the initial flight, you will need to start reading the relevant books etc.

You can purchase the equipment from a range of aviation shops.  Probably the best is the Transair Pilot Shop.  These allow internet and mail order shopping as well as regular walk-in purchasing.  Transair are based at Fairoaks airport.

Typical equipment required by a PPL student will include:

This list is ONLY A GUIDE, as extra equipment may be recommended by your instructor.

 

What Will My PPL Course Include?

Just as with a driving tuition course, a PPL course has to cover specific aspects, that following your course you will be assessed upon.  This course will vary in the number of lessons required according to the student pilots' skills.  Other affecting factors that may impact upon the length of your course include; weather conditions, air traffic, aircraft availability, and other commitments of the student pilot.  However, typically the PPL course will follow this pattern:

 

Before a student pilot can take the General Flight Test, there are a number of written exams that must be passed, otherwise a PPL can NOT be issued.  The written ground exams cover:

 

Once I Have My PPL, Do I Have Any Restrictions?

Once a Pilots has been issued with a basic PPL, then they are free to fly without an instructor.  However, there are a number of restrictions that a PPL holder has.  

A PPL holder can only:

For a Pilot to be allowed to fly outside of these restrictions, they can add to their PPL by undertaking and completing additional courses.  These courses include: