Private Flying License

Anyone considering, undertaking or completed their PPL or higher?
I'm thinking of going to Florida one summer for my PPL (Helicopter) if I raise enough money...


Chris

If you can't be bothered, perhaps flying is not for you.

I have somewhere between 15 and 20 hours clocked up at the moment. Think I'd covered most of the pratical stuff, just need to sit the exams and build my hours up to the required limit (plus do the solos and cross country flights).

getting a private pilot's licence cost thousands of £s doesn't it? why not attempt to join teh RAF, at least you are doing something for your country whist also fullfilling your pilkoting wishes

You have most certainly not covered most of the practical stuff with 15-20 hours under your belt, and if you don't even know how many hours you have then you certainly aren't that committed!

The airmanship levels come with experience; and you need to be willing to learn constantly. If you think aged 17 or so with a handful of hours that you're experienced enough to fly around the UK on your own without needing to learn anything else, then you're lacking in a little bit of maturity.

Flying's superb; by all means pursue it, learn, develop your handling skills and airmanship, but don't be complacent by the hours limit for a PPL; otherwise you'll find yourself rapidly in situations you can't cope with.

I did mention that I hadn't flown for a little under two years. I had to postpone it to concentrate on my A-Levels hence why I can't remember off the top of my head how many hours I'd clocked up.
Also I was talking about the things that needed to be covered before I could do my first solo and cross country flights. I was by no means expecting to get to 20 hours worth of flight time and just know everything - that would be stupid, and as you said immature.

Flying was a hobby for me, something that was most certainly very enjoyable. I hope to be able to continue with it at some point in the not too distant future, and once started to continue flying - there just wouldn't be any point in me getting a license and the minimum number of hours just to leave it at that

... as a professional pilot in the RAF for some time now, I think you'll find flying is probably the thing I love more than anything else.

I just refuse to spend hundreds of pounds to the CAA to "validate" my logbook, assess my flying experience and then charge me over £100 per hour to do a few relatively basic tests when I've got the level of experience I do.

It's not worth over £1000 to move from flying what I do during the week to fly a knackered 1970s Cessna at the weekend.

Ah, finally a thread based on private civilian flying!

I have a JAR PPL so I think I need to clear up some points here:

PLAN - RESEARCH - PLAN

Those that say they gave it up, haven't enough time, been moved around instructors etc. These are all excuses made up because you did not plan and research the best way to go about it.

I gained my PPL whilst doing 3 AVCE's at school and holding a job at 17. You need more dedication if you want to make it as a pilot.

wzz, I seem to remember having a few opinions that conflicted yours some time ago. All I will say is if you don't think civilian flying is rewarding that is your choice, but I can't think of anything better, (but I am not an RAF Pilot).

What is it that motivates people to learn to fly? Most people have reasons (e.g. such as their parents were pilots), I don't have any real knowledge of where my desire to fly came from.

I am also interested to talk to anyone else out there who is a Private Pilot, don't often get a chance to talk to them!

wzz, I seem to remember having a few opinions that conflicted yours some time ago. All I will say is if you don't think civilian flying is rewarding that is your choice, but I can't think of anything better, (but I am not an RAF Pilot).

Im actually quite interested in obtaining a PPL soon. I havent yet started training or anything and i have no experience whatsoever. I dont have the option of joining the RAF as I am not a British Citizen, however I do find the prospect of military flying much more interesting that private flying.

I was hoping to train for my licence while studying for University. Any advice on that? Do u think i'll have enough time? How long will it take to complete all the theory exams and the hours necessary. I am hoping to start sometime in October 2004 and finishing near June 2005 since that is when I'll be returning to my home country. Do u guys think thats a stretch? I'd be interested in hearing your opinions.

Thanks