Introduction
Now you have chosen your flight school and are ready to start flying. This week's post will go over the Private Pilot Licence course, both on the ground and in the air. We will cover the overview of the course and what to expect at each stage from start to finish. Every school will have their own way of doing things but the general process and key milestones are the same.
Please note, the information in this blog is directed for European EASA and UK CAA licences. The process for FAA and other licences around the world are different.
Preparation
Before you head to your lessons, you will need some equipment. You might be provided some of this by your school, or you may need to buy them separately. In any case, the basic equipment you will need for the first stages of your training include a kneeboard, flight computer, checklist, rulers, marker pens and aviation charts for your area. You may also need a high visibility vest, depending on the airfield's policy. Your school may also require you to have additional items. It may be worth investing in your own headset if you are planning to go all the way with your training through to the CPL. Schools usually provide their own but these can be uncomfortable and worn out. Many pilots go for the most expensive Bose A20 active noise cancellation headphones. While these are a good choice, you can often find much cheaper but still comfortable and effective models.
You should familiarise yourself with the aircraft you will be flying. You should be able to request a copy of the aircraft flight manual, which will include a lot of details about the plane. At the moment you should focus on remembering the various speeds and limitations of the aircraft and if possible the internal layout of the cockpit. The more prepared you are for the lesson, the more time you can save in the air which means you won't be spending more than you have to. Although you should talk to your instructor beforehand to see what they recommend you learn as going too far ahead without guidance may lead to bad habits down the line in terms of procedures and best practices.
Earlier Lessons
You should get to the school early to make sure you get the most out of your lesson. This makes sure you will have enough time for your preflight briefing during which your instructor should walk you through what you will be covering on your flights. Showing up prepared and having filled in paperwork such as weight and balance and having checked the weather and NOTAMs will also help save time.
Your first lessons will cover straight and level flight and the basic manoeuvring and control of the aircraft before going onto circuit training where you will practice take-off and landings. When your instructor believes you are ready, you will be sent to do your first solo flight which usually involves you doing a circuit on your own without your instructor in the plane. Every one takes a different amount of time to get to the first solo, some people use it as a way to brag, but in reality it doesn't matter and can be a result of a number of reasons such as instructor style, weather, airport and other factors.
Theory Exams
Before you can get your PPL, you will need to complete nine theory tests. These cover various topics such as air law, meteorology, principles of flight and more. These are multi-choice tests and the pass mark is 75%. You don't need to take them all at once, spacing them out is a good idea so you can study for a few subjects at a time. You should talk with your flight school about what structure they recommend taking the exams.
Resources such as books, lessons and practice question banks can help you prepare for your tests. These usually have practice questions that are sometimes word for word the same as the real questions or with some small changes.
It is a good idea not to leave these too late in your training. The knowledge you gain while studying is a good foundation for the rest of your training. Not only that, schools require that you complete certain exams before you can progress further into your training, for example, passing the navigation exam before you begin your cross-country navigation flights.
You will also need to pass a Radio Telephony practical test. This test will usually include the English Language Proficiency test. This involves going over the communications of a flight with an examiner on the ground but as if you were actually flying. You need to demonstrate that you can communicate with standard phraseology and that you can communicate in an emergency. At the end you will be awarded with a Radio telephony licence (goes on your PPL) and an ICAO English level. Native speakers should get a level 6 with most airlines requiring at least level 4 to apply.
Later Training
Later on in your training, you will begin navigation flights. The preparation for these can be time consuming as you need to plot out and calculate various headings, times and fuel consumption over a longer flight. This can seem old-fashioned but you will need these skills later on and into your CPL training too. You will also practice advanced manoeuvres such as steep turns, emergency decent and incipient spins. You may also do a practice skills test to cover what you have learned and to see if you are ready for the final test.
Skills Test
With a minimum of 45 hours and if your instructor thinks you are ready, you can be recommended for the PPL skills test. This flight will be with an examiner that will go over all that you have learned during your training. This will be a longer flight, usually around two hours and includes navigation, diversions, emergencies, manoeuvring and more.
You will want to be thoroughly prepared for this flight, making sure you do all the pre-flight paperwork correctly, as the test is just as much about the preparation as it is your flying skills. This means check the weather, fuel planning, route plan, NOTAMs and any other pre-flight material as your examiner will certainly ask a few questions about your preparation.
Common Issues
It's rare for everything to go exactly to plan. That is why I recommended you build in a bit of contingency, both for time and money. The most common problem for PPL students, depending on location, is weather cancellations and frequency of flying. It can happen that you might not fly for a month or more due to weather. The best way around this is to try to make more bookings if you know the weather doesn't look great for the week ahead. That way, you will have a better chance of flying at least some of them.
Next is instructor and availability. You may find that your instructor is fully booked a lot of the time, causing you delays. Try to book well in advance, so you can have a more reliable schedule for your flying. I would even suggest flying with another instructor than your usual one, now and then. This gives you a better understanding of what might just be one instructor's style or way of doing things, and what is good or standard practice.
Although, you don't want to fly too often or too far apart. One or two flights a week is a good amount for a part time PPL student. Flying too often means you will have less time to process and study what you did in the last flight and less time to prepare for the next. Flying too infrequently will mean you will spend a portion of your next flight remembering where you left off.
Conclusion
If you pass your skills test, congratulations! But now comes the paperwork... This part depends heavily on the country you are applying to get your licence. The forms have a similar format but different states have different requirements. Your flight school should help you with this.
You might be disappointed to find out that you won't be able to go and rent a plane right away, you need to wait for your licence to be issued. This again depends on the country. My UK PPL took around 8 weeks to arrive. Some schools may allow you to fly as a solo on an instructor's licence, but this usually includes charging the rent+instructor rate.
In the next blog, we will discuss hour building and what you need to know to get the most out of it.
About The Author
Humzah Sharif - "I am a qualified commercial pilot that finished my training just as the Covid-19 Pandemic hit Europe. I started my training at 18 alongside my university studies and have done my training around Europe, mostly in the UK and Poland, while navigating the issue of Brexit. Since then, I have been working on maintaining my ratings and skills while I try to find an opportunity to achieve my goal of finding employment as a pilot.
Currently, I am working at Flightpath Training as a Marketing and Communications Assistant, which has given me a chance to stay connected to the industry while it recovers."
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