Private Pilot Licence
Welcome to the exciting world of aviation! Your pilot's licence is your ticket to personal and business travel, as well as many exciting recreational opportunities. The Private Pilot Licence is also the first licence obtained on the road to the Commercial Pilot Licence. The Private Pilot Licence allows you to fly single engine aircraft on wheels by day in accordance with Visual Flight Rules, and to carry passengers, although not for profit. With further training, you licence may be endorsed so that you may fly on floats, at night, in multi-engine aircraft, or by Instrument Flight Rules. While you may not fly for hire with a Private Pilot Licence, you may split some of the costs of aircraft operation with your passengers, thereby lowering your own expenses considerably.
You may hold a Student Pilot Permit at age 14, and a Private Pilot Licence at age 17. You must obtain either a Category 3 or 1 Medical Certificate before you may hold the licence. It is best to have the medical exam done prior to the start of training. We can supply you with a list of approved medical examiners in the area. Also, before you can fly solo, you must supply us with a copy of your birth certificate or valid passport, in order to verify your citizenship and date of birth.
40 hours of groundschool are required on the Private Pilot Licence course, as well as two written exams. Prior to obtaining your Student Pilot Permit (required before solo), you must obtain a minimum of 90% on an exam on air regulations and air traffic control procedures. Before the issue of your licence, you must also obtain a minimum of 60% on the final written exam. Our groundschool course is approximately 60 hours.
A minimum flight time of 45 hours is required for the Private Pilot Licence, including a minimum of 17 hours of dual instruction, and a minimum of 12 hours of solo practice. Also included in the 45 hour total are 5 hours of instrument flight, and 8 hours of cross-country training, of which not less than 3 must be dual and not less than 5 must be solo. Before the issue of your licence, you must demonstrate your skill by passing a flight test.
Very few people receive their licence after only 45 hours of flight training; the national average for the Private Pilot Licence is approximately 80 hours. We recommend that you budget for a more realistic 55 hours, which is our company average.
Since March 2008, all students and licensed pilots are required to pass an Aviation Language Proficiency Test prior to completion of training. This exam is administered in the office, and there is a fee.
Our teaching schedule is flexible to fit your own personal schedule. You may fly as little or as often as you like, but it is to your advantage to fly as often as possible. Also, flight training is best done concurrently with groundschool. Completion times range from eight weeks and up. For a person flying four hours per week, expect to complete the Private Pilot Licence in about three months.
If you already have obtained your Recreational Pilot Permit and are upgrading, please call us for details and cost estimates.