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How to Obtain Your Private Pilot’s Licence (PPL) In the UK – Part I
0603 days
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Become a Pilot
Learning to fly an aeroplane or helicopter can be one the most enjoyable and rewarding goals that a person can achieve in their adult life. The process from start to finish is full of new discoveries and exciting challenges. 'Finish' is perhaps the wrong word since the learning never ends. Even if, having qualified, the new pilot decides not to pursue any other form of licensing or certification there is always something new to learn and the wise pilot should never be complacent or over confident.
Learning to fly requires diligence, patience, courage, humility and a thirst for knowledge. As well as they practical aspects of handling the aircraft the student pilot must learn to navigate, interpret weather forecasts for local airfields, intended routes and destinations, plan flights taking into account passengers, baggage, and fuel, and ensure that they he/she is and the aircraft are operating with the Law.
If all this sounds like a steep climb then take heart. The path to obtaining a set of wings has been walked many times before and there is plenty of helpful material along the way. All the aspiring student needs to do is follow the steps and tackle each segment of the journey in a dedicated and methodical manner.
Overview
To obtain a JAR-FCL PPL (Private Pilot's Licence) in the UK the required steps are:
1. Obtain Class II medical certificate from a CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) licensed GP
2. Begin studying the various ground school subjects
3. Complete the PPL practical syllabus at an aero club or flying school
4. Pass the seven written ground school exams and one practical radiotelephony exam
5. Pass practical exam (the Skills Test)
6. Apply to the CAA for issue of a licence
Age Requirements
You can start your lessons at any age and there is no upper age limit as long as you still meet the medical requirements. However, only flight time logged at the age of fourteen or older can count towards your total time logged, and a student has to be at least sixteen years old to fly solo and at least seventeen in order to be eligible for a licence.
Medical Requirements
For the full JAR-FCL PPL licence a student will need a valid CAA Class II Medical Certificate. This is valid for five years for students up to the age of forty. Thereafter it has to be renewed every twelve months. If you fail the Class II medical test you can still opt for a National Private Pilot's Licence. There are less stringent medical requirements for this and it allows many people to fly who might otherwise be grounded. However, it has fewer privileges than the PPL and you cannot add additional ratings to this licence.
Groundschool Subjects
The groundschool or theory subjects are:
* Aircraft General Knowledge and Principles of Flight
* Aviation Law and Operational Procedures
* Flight Performance and Planning
* Human Performance and Limitations
* Meteorology
* Navigation and Radio Aids
* Radio Communications
There are plenty of books and courses that provide all the necessary information and exercises in order to become proficient in each of these subjects and to help you pass the exams. You should also receive ground school tuition at your chosen flying club or flight training center.
Flight Training
The CAA flight training syllabus for the issue of a PPL totals a minimum of 45 hours logged consisting of the following:
25 hours dual (with an instructor at your side)
10 hours solo (on your own!)
5 hours solo cross-country flying
5 additional hours flying either solo or dual
However, few people are ready for the final Skills Test with the minimum amount of time in their logbooks. How many hours it takes for you to become proficient will depend on many things e.g. the frequency of lessons, your ability to learn, your Flying Instructor's skills and abilities. When calculating the cost of your course you should factor in and a total flying time of 60-80 hours to be sure that you don't run out of money just before you complete the course.
Where do I begin?
One way to get started is to book a trial lesson or flight experience day. Find your nearest flying school and give them a call. They'll be only too pleased to welcome you in and show you around. If you've never been in a light aircraft before then it will be a very revealing experience. Ask the instructor as many questions as you like and don't be shy. Everyone was a novice once and if he/she is a good instructor he/she will explain everything in a way that you can understand and absorb.
A trial lesson might be enough to get you hooked on the idea of learning to fly or it might put you off for life! If it's not what you expected but you feel sure that you still want to learn then book another trial in a different type of aircraft and perhaps at another airfield. If your first lesson was at a grass field try the second on a hard runway or vice versa. If you were in a high wing aircraft, try a low wing aircraft.
If you've come this far the chances are that you will continue so it's just a matter of finding the right school, instructor, and aircraft for you. In Part II we'll go into more detail about the process of learning to fly from your first lessons to obtaining your wings.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ben_Lovegrove
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