PPL Course Content

To learn to fly an aircraft is a challenging but rewarding experience, going solo being the initial objective, subsequently leading to a Private Pilot Licence or PPL.

The PPL is your passport to the skies, and there are two types available:

JAR-PPL	The JAR-PPL allows  pilots to fly all over Europe, and is therefore the most flexible of the PPL options. It is also sometimes referred to as a JAA-PPL. Flying Time's courses are JAR-PPL unless otherwise requested, and the information contained herein is based on the JAR-PPL.
National NPPL	The National PPL allows pilots to fly within the borders of the UK on British registered aircraft only (excluding Isle of Man and Channel Islands) If you require an NPPL certification please Contact Us.

You may be wondering what JAR and JAA stand for.  JAR stands for the Joint Aviation Requirements for certificates issued by the JAA which is the European Joint Aviation Authorities, and represents the civil aviation authorities of several European member states, including the UK's own CAA (Civil Aviation Authority).

Whichever certificate you choose, our Shoreham Airport based instructors have the expertise and friendliness to help you achieve your ambition and a Private Pilot Licence (PPL) through a structured programme of ground school sessions and flying lessons in the south east of England, UK.

The JAA PPL Requirements The Flying Time PPL Course Lessons & Technicalities What will it cost? Next steps Reference

The JAA PPL Requirements

The requirements to achieve a PPL are as follows:

Private Pilot Licence (JAR-PPL) Requirements

	JAA class 2 medical certificate
	45 hours flight time (minimum), of which 25 hours will be dual and 10 solo, the remainder can be a mix of dual and solo.
	7 ground exams
	A solo qualifying cross country flight, landing at two airfields and covering 150 nautical miles
	Licence skill test.

Your flying instructor will take you through the course at a pace which is comfortable for you and will guide you in what study you will need to do in your own time.

The Flying Time PPL Course

The following table lists the phases within a Flying Time PPL course.  The duration of the course is completely flexible and can be tailored by our instructors to meet your individual time constraints.

Flying Time PPL Course Content

Phase	Description	Duration
Ground school	A series of classroom sessions and self-study with the aim of preparing the student for each of the 7 multiple-choice ground exams. Some students may prefer to study and pass all of the ground exams prior to embarking on the practical aspects of the flying. Alternatively, we can accommodate running both in parallel.	Variable
Going solo	A Flying Time instructor will ensure the student can safely manoeuvre and fly the aircraft within the vicinity of the airport, performing take-offs, climbs, turns, descents and landings, along with use of all essential flying controls, safety and radio procedures. Going solo is the pinnacle of this phase of the course.	15 to 20 hours
Cross country	Following on from going solo, the student will continue flying with the instructor as well as flying further afield on cross country and navigation exercises, culminating in solo cross country flights. When the instructor is confident with the student's flying capabilities, a check flight is arranged with an examiner.	20 to 30 hours
Licence Skill Test	Effectively, the final oral and practical examination, which upon successfully passing, awards the student with their JAR-PPL certificate.	1 day

Lessons & Technicalities

Our preference for training is the modern DA40 Diamond Star, but if required we can train you on the Piper Warrior, Cessna 152 or Cessna 172.

Some of our aircraft have the latest glass cockpits or EFIS (electronic flight information system) using Garmin 1000 displays, so your training with Flying Time can really prepare you for subsequent commercial flight training.

Your lesson will generally be booked for a two hour slot, this allows you time with your instructor to brief / debrief, as well as giving you approximately one hour in the air. Some lessons will be longer and some shorter than an hour.

We have the facility for online booking on our website. This is available once you are registered with us and will allow you to book both aircraft and instructor at your convenience.

We will endeavour to keep you with the same instructor throughout your course.

On the day of your flight you can phone us to check the weather. On bad weather days it is worth coming in to do some ground school or maybe an exam.

GENERAL HANDLING

This part of the course develops your basic handling of the aircraft and is the foundation on which to build your piloting skills.  Some of the exercises covered in this segment are straight & level flight, turning, climbing & descending and stalling.

CIRCUITS

Once you have completed the general handling you will then move on to the circuit. This is the procedure required for aircraft when landing, joining and departing from the airfield. It is during this exercise you will learn how to take off and land.  Your instructor will require you to  complete a number of circuits without a problem before you can do your first solo circuit.  Some of our circuits are completed at Lydd and therefore tie in with Navigation.

SOLO FLYING

Before going solo you will need to have taken and passed the air law exam and have a valid medical certificate.  When your instructor feels you are ready you will be sent for your first solo circuit where you can put all the skills learnt to date into use.  As the course progresses you will be required to do further solo flights to consolidate on new skills, this will involve flying to, and landing at, other airfields.

ADVANCED HANDLING

This is where the real fun starts.  This section will give you all the flying skills you require for your skill test, as well as improving your ability and confidence in the aeroplane. Exercises include steep turns, forced (and precautionary) landings, and basic instrument flying.

NAVIGATION

This is how to find your way around the skies and is nearly the end of your training. You will be shown how to plan your flight accurately, assess the weather and any other factors, how to divert should the need arise and how to reach your destination safely. This will be your chance to visit local airfields, and find places where you would like to visit in the future. Some of your navigation flights will be done solo. Near the end you will have to complete a qualifying cross country flight which you fly solo on a 150nm round trip, landing at two airports, generally Southend and Manston.

LICENCE SKILL TEST

This will comprise of Navigation and General Handling sections, and will encompass everything you have been taught.

GROUND EXAMS

During your training you will have to complete 7 ground exams and 1 practical test. These will be completed during your flight training, and your instructor will prompt you to start studying. The exams are all multiple choice questions.  All the exams will be linked in with your flight training. The subjects are:

• Aviation Law (must be completed before First Solo)
• Human Performance (recommended to be completed before First Solo)
• Meteorology (recommended to be completed before first Solo Navigation)
• Navigation (must be completed before first Solo Navigation)
• Aircraft Technical
• Performance & Planning
• Radio Telephony

All the exams are required to have been completed before your Licence Skill Test. You will also need to complete a Radio Practical test. Ground school can be provided if required for all subjects. Just ask your instructor.

MEDICAL

You will require a Class 2 medical for the Private Pilot Licence. This needs to be completed with an Authorised Medical Examiner (AME).   If you  require details of local AMEs, they are available on request from the Ops Desk.

FLYING EQUIPMENT

During your flight training you will need to purchase various books, navigation equipment and flying equipment. This will need to include a log book, in which to record flights, as well as aircraft checklists and maps. All flying equipment can be purchased from us.

What will it cost?

We have produced an itemised PPL price guide to show what you can expect to pay. This includes all hidden costs that many flight training organisations don't tell you about!

Next steps

Once you've gained your JAA PPL, your next target could be an IMC Instrument Rating or Night Qualification.

Reference

Useful links

Flying Time PPL Prices

JAA: http://www.jaa.nl/index.html

CAA: http://www.caa.co.uk/