FAQ's about the JAA PPL curriculum

Here you will find the most common questions that people ask when starting out their PPL course. If you have a question about the PPL course and it is not listed here, then please feel free to contact us.

How long can I take to complete my Private Pilot's License?

Once you have taken your first written exam, you will need to complete the other six written exams within a 12 month period. However, you do have 24 months from the date of that first pass in which to complete your flight training.

How much does it cost to do my PPL (Aeroplane)?

You can expect to pay between £4500 to £6000 to do your PPL in the UK. Each flying school offers different services in their quoted PPL price. We do encourage you to find out exactly what you get for your money and to compare this to say 3 other flying schools within the area.

If you were looking to carry out your PPL abroad, say the United States, then you can expect to pay in the region of £3,000 to £4,000. Do remember that other costs can be incurred such as accommodation and the flights to travel to the States.

What are the rules for keeping my PPL licence current?

You will need to have completed a minimum of 12 hours flying within a 2 year period, with at least 12 hours being flown in the last 12 months of that period. You will also require a check out with an instructor every two years to ensure you haven't acquired any bad habits. Your medical must also remain valid in order to keep your PPL licence current.

How many hours must I do to obtain my PPL?

You will have to complete a minimum of 45 hours flying time. Of these 45 hours, a minimum of 25 hours must be carried out under dual instruction, and at least 10 hours of solo flying must be carried out (including at least 5 hours solo 'cross country' time); this will include a qualifying 'cross country' flight of at least 270 km (150 nm), during this cross country flight you will land at two aerodromes other than your home airfield.

The minimum dual and minimum solo hours equal 35 hours, which leaves 10 hours to be completed as either dual or solo flight, or partly of each.

Generally, the average person takes around 50-55 hours to obtain their licence.

What are the seven ground exams that I must study for?

The seven ground exams that you must pass are as follows:

• Air Law (must be passed before your first solo flight)
• Human Performance and Limitations
• Meteorology
• Navigation
• Flight Performance and Planning
• Aircraft General and Principles of Flight
• Radio Telephony

I have had a trial flight, does this count towards my hours?

Yes, indeed it does. Even if you did the one trial flight sometime ago keep the details of that flight. This time can be counted against your total time of your PPL.