The Private Pilot Licence (PPL)

Achieving the PPL isn't such a daunting task as you may initially imagine. To give you a taste of what it is like to be at the controls of a light aircraft, and to help you with your decision, you can take a Trial Lesson. You'll be shown a bit about what the aircraft can do and what's in store if you go for your PPL.

What's involved in gaining the PPL?

The Flying Course

If you haven't flown before, the CAA requires you to spend a minimum 45 hours in the air training, some of which will be flying solo, before taking your Skills Test.

The PPL course comprises various exercises, starting off with the effects of the controls on the aircraft and progressing quickly to how to take-off and land whilst conforming to the so-called traffic circuit at an airfield. From early on you are also taught how to handle emergencies.

The first major milestone in the course comes once your instructor judges you can fly safely and consistently enough that you are allowed to fly your first solo circuit of the airfield. This is traditionally a cause for celebration!

After going solo, you will practise the circuit some more and then progress to navigation. This part of the course will teach you first of all how to plan cross-country flights, then has you actually fly them! You will find yourself flying to various aerodromes - ranging from sleepy grass strips similar to Little Gransden, all the way to busy airports such as Norwich - to ensure you can handle the different environments and procedures.

Once you are ready, your instructor will decide it is time for you to make your Qualifying Cross-Country flight. This is a requirement for issue of the PPL, comprising a flight of at least 150 nautical miles with two intermediate stops - all on your own!

After the QXC it is time to revise your circuits and the other manoeuvres that you will have to demonstrate as part of your Skills Test. While the Test may seem daunting, it is nothing more than flying as if you were solo, first navigating and then carrying out manoeuvres as required by the examiner. As long as you meet the required standards, then that's it - you're a qualified pilot! - and the CAA will send you your licence by post.

Ground school and exams

As well as the flight training there are several written exams, which require a certain amount of study but are accessible to all with school-level maths. These are currently Air Law, Flight Planning, Human Factors, Meteorology, Navigation, and Aircraft General. You will also be taught how to communicate properly with controllers by radio and a further ground exam and practical test are set.

Medical Fitness

Soon after starting your training, the time will come for you to take to the air on your own. However, before you can fly solo, you must have possess either a JAA Medical Certificate or an NPPL Medical Declaration. This is to ensure you are fit to fly and anyone in reasonable health should find no problems here.

We recommend that you ensure you meet the relevant medical standards before committing to a course of training. For more information about the required standard, please refer to the CAA's web pages about the JAA Class 2 medical standards and the NPPL medical standards.

Privileges of the PPL

The basic PPL enables you to fly all sorts of single engine aircraft when the weather is good enough to fly visually.

With a JAA PPL you can fly a British registered aircraft anywhere in the world. In addition to this, your licence is recognised throughout the JAA Member States - broadly, across Europe - to hire aircraft; other countries often have simple conversion or validation requirements.

The NPPL is ordinarily valid within the UK only.

Maintaining the PPL

The PPL itself is valid for five years at a time and may be renewed provided you maintain at least one licence class or type rating.

At Skyline we only offer the Single Engine Piston (Land) class rating, which is valid for two years at a time. Provided you log sufficient hours within the two-year period, the rating is renewed by a simple check flight with an instructor and a signature from an examiner.

NB. Whilst hiring our aircraft, you must also comply with the club's insurance requirements, which are detailed in the Flying Order Book, and the relevant restrictions laid down in the Air Navigation Order for carrying passengers. However, while all this may sound complex, it isn't really!

Further Qualifications

Once you have your PPL you don't have to stop learning. There are many opportunities for further training, including complex type conversions on our Piper Lance, the Night Qualification and the IMC rating. Please refer to our section on further training for details.