Learning to Fly with the Waterford Aero Club
Learning to fly is not as daunting a task as it may first seem and most fliers agree that their days of being a student pilot were the most rewarding and enjoyable of all their time in an aircraft. Whether you dream of becoming an airline captain or a hobby pilot, the Private Pilot License (PPL) is the first step along the way. It enables the Private Pilot to continue training towards a career as a commercial pilot, train as an Instructor or gain experience on complex and more powerful aircraft. The PPL does not enable the pilot to fly for 'hire or reward' (i.e. you can not charge members of the public for pleasure flights or get paid to take aerial photographs and so on) but is essential for anybody who wants a career in flying.
To get a taster of what it's like to fly an aircraft, many people take a trial lesson first. The purpose of your trial lesson is to introduce you to the joy of flying. On the day, you will be given a pre-flight talk about how the airplane works and how you will be able to use the controls to fly it. Your instructor will then show you around the outside and inside of the aircraft, before starting up the airplane to taxy. Once airborne, your instructor will begin to teach you how to fly, and you will be able to see if learning to fly is what you would like to do. If after the trial lesson you catch the ‘flying bug’ then the training for your PPL will follow a structured course as outlined in the table below. The trial lesson will count towards the course requirements and it will be the very first entry in your PPL logbook.
The Private Pilot's License
The PPL(A), or Private Pilot License, Airplane, is obtained over 45 hours of flight training which is split into 19 different flight exercises as outlined in the table below. Of this minimum 45 hours of flight training, at least 25 hours will be under dual instruction, and at least 10 hours of solo flying must be carried out. The 10 hours of solo must include at least 5 hours solo 'cross country' time; this will include a qualifying 'cross country' flight of at least 270 km (150 nm), during which you will land at two aerodromes other than your home airfield. The remaining 10 hours can be a combination of dual and solo flying as the instructor and student prefers. Ground training is covered alongside the flight training and topics such as navigation, meteorology, aircraft technical knowledge and human performance are studied both in the classroom and at home. There are 4 written exams to be taken in these subject areas which must be passed before applying for the final flight test.
Before being sent solo, the student pilot must obtain a Medical Class 2 certificate issued by an Authorized Medical Examiner (see the Aeromedical section of the Irish Aviation Association website.) and demonstrate to their instructor that they can fly the aircraft safely and competently as Pilot in Command. The day you complete your first solo is the day you truly become a pilot!
| 1 | Familiarisation with the aeroplane |
| 1e | Emergency drills |
| 2 | Preparation for flight and action after flight |
| 3 | Air experience |
| 4 | Effects of controls |
| 5 | Taxiing |
| 5e | Taxiing emergencies |
| 6 | Straight and level flight |
| 7 | Climbing |
| 8 | Descending |
| 9 | Turning |
| 10a | Slow flight |
| 10b | Stalling |
| 11 | Spin avoidance |
| 12 | Take-off and climb to downwind position |
| 13 | Circuit, approach and landing |
| 12/13e | Emergencies (on take-off/landing) |
| 14 | First solo |
| 15 | Advanced turning |
| 16 | Forced landing without power |
| 17 | Precautionary landings |
| 18a | Navigation |
| 18b | Navigation at lower levels and reduced visibility |
| 18c | Radio navigation |
| 19 | Basic instrument flight |
The final flight test will be conducted by an designated IAA examiner and must take place within 6 months of completing flight instruction and within 2 years of passing the first written exam. You must have at least 5 hours dual or solo in the preceding 90 days.
Age Requirements: A student may begin training at any age - there is no upper age limit (subject to medical certificate), but there are some restrictions:
- A student must be at least 15 years old to count flight hours towards a licence.
- A student must be at least 16 years old before the first solo flight.
- A student must be at least 17 years old before a licence will be granted.
The PPL(A) can be obtained over the course of weeks or months depending on each student's ability, schedule and financial position. Most people will consider the cost as the most significant factor in obtaining their PPL. Although 45 hours is the minimum required before doing the PPL flight test, students with varying abilities and time schedules can expect to have completed differing amounts of training before obtaining their license. Statistically, students flying regularly (for example once or twice a week) will get their license quicker than those who fly irregularly and / or less frequently. A very general outline of the costs involved is given below:
- Instructor: €50 per Hobbs hour. (See the prices page for more information on instructor rates.)
- Aircraft: €125 per tach hour for the Tecnam, or €172 per tach hour for the Warrior. (See the prices page for more information on aircraft rates.)
- Ground School: €---.--
- Membership: €185 per year.
- Materials/Equipment: Initially you will only need yourself and a log book to start logging flight time. As you progress, you will need a Flight Computer (Whizz Wheel), Protractor, Ruler, Kneeboard, Sunglasses and Log Book. Many pilots will buy books for the groundschool, VFR aeronautical charts, a stopwatch, headset, and all sorts of extra gadgets.
- License, Medical & Exam Fees are regulated by the IAA. See here for current charges.
What do I do when I get my PPL(A)?
The newly-licensed Private Pilot has many options for further flying. Those who wish to enter a career in commercial aviation can begin hour building towards the Commercial Pilot's License (CPL). A CPL is also required to become a Flight Instructor. If you want to maintain flying as a hobby then there are even more options. You can get checked-out on more complex and powerful aircraft in order to fly further afield. A Touring Motor Glider (TMG) rating allows you to fly motor gliders and delve into the world of glider flying. Post-PPL aerobatics courses encourage pilots to increase their general handling skills.
How do I keep PPL(A) valid?
A JAA-PPL Licence is valid for 5 years renewable with a fee to the IAA. Flying revalidation is separate to license revalidation, and must occur every 24 months and requires you to have:
- Flown 12 hours in the preceding 12 months prior to revalidation, and ...
- ...Flown 6 of these hours Pilot in Command.
- Flown at least 1 continuous hour with an instructor within the previous 12 months.
- Undertaken 12 take-offs and landings within the previous 12 months.
A pilot may opt to undertake a flight test with an examiner instead of 1, 2, 3 and 4 above. To carry passengers you must have completed at least 3 take-offs and landings as Pilot in Command in the previous 90 days.
The Class 2 Medical Certificate must be renewed every 5 years up until the age of 40, and every 2 years thereafter. The renewal examination for the certificate may be carried out up to 45 days before the expiry date and a consecutive period of validity will be granted.