How to become a Private Pilot

What is a PPL? 

A PPL is a Private Pilots licence and will allow you to act as pilot in command (PIC) in non-commercial operations on aeroplanes PPL (A) or helicopters PPL (H)

For many people, it is the first step in their career as a pilot. Or you can obtain this license to fly just for fun! (Like me!) 

What do I have to do? 

The minimum age to get a PPL is 17 and you will need to hold a Part MED Class 2 Medical Certificate.You will need to complete 45 hours of flight instruction, including at least:

• 25 hours of dual flight instruction,
• 10 hours of supervised solo flight time, including at least 5 hours of solo cross-country flight time with at least 1 cross country flight of at least 270 km (150 NM) that includes full stop landings at 2 aerodromes different from the departure aerodrome.
• You will also need to pass 9 written, multiple choice style exams. 

At the end of your training, you will need to take a skill test with an examiner to demonstrate that you can competently carry out the procedures and manoeuvres that you have been taught.

What do I do next? 

First thing first, you will need a flight school! Finding the right flight school for you is a very important part of your aviation journey. I recommend Googling ‘flight schools in my area’ or even using your social media to ask pilots based near you where they learned to fly. 

Once you have a short list of some schools you are interested in, I thoroughly recommend going down to see them and having a chat! It is important that you like the vibe of the school and the instructors. 

Good questions to ask when you are at these schools are: 

• What is the aircraft availability? 
• What is the instructor availability? 
• Will you be able to have the same instructor throughout my training? 
• Can I do the PPL ground school exams with the same school? 
• What are the payment terms? (Can you pay for a block of lessons? Is it payment on invoice?) 
• Is the airport busy? 
• Is the airport open at weekends? 
• What aircraft type would you be learning in?

I would then recommend going for a trial lesson with your chosen school, or your top choices. You will be spending a lot of time at the school so its important to experience the teaching style and instructor first hand to make sure it is a good fit. 

Your instructor is so crucial to your flight training. They will be your friend and mentor as well as trainer! So you need to get on with them and feel comfortable. 

Consistency also is so important for flight training, so try and book some lessons quite close together. It will really help you retain the skills you have learnt. Furthermore, Consider the time of year you are learning to fly - for example, if you start your PPL in the Spring, you are much more likely to fly more than Winter, due to the better weather. 

Learning to fly is the best bit! take your time, and enjoy it! ✈️🚁