Have you decided to learn to fly? Unsure how to get started? Don't worry we are here to point you in the right direction.

The first thing you will need to do is to determine how you are going to finance your flying training. Some of you may already have more than enough coppers in the bank, if that's the case then great, jump to the next section. For the rest of us, read on.

It is important to ensure that you have sufficient finance to fund your training from beginning to end. There is nothing worse than having to postpone half way through training, as this will inevitably cost you more in the long run.

In order to successfully complete a PPL it is recommended to have at least one hours flying training per week. This regularity is key to key to success and is a more affordable way of obtaining your wings.

A PPL requires a minimum of 45 hours training, a typical hours training can cost in the region of £150. Thus, if one follows the one lesson per week model, then one must be able to afford this weekly outgoing for at least 45 weeks.

For some their salary will be able to accommodate this, whereas others may require to save in advance, others may choose to obtain a loan. Whichever method you choose it is essential to ensure you have the funding in place before commencing training.

There are some flying scholarships out there to help with the costs, but these are small in number and difficult to obtain. You may also wish to see our article on how to save on your flying training.

The next step is to find a suitable flying school, we are lucky here in the UK in that we have numerous flying schools across the whole country. For the majority of us we will not have to travel far to find our nearest school.

Once you have obtained a list of schools within a suitable distance of your location then you will need to decide which school is best for you. For an in depth guide on this please see our article on choosing a flying school, although we will outline the key points here.

Ensure your chosen school does the licence you wish such as the NPPL, PPL. Also look what other ratings they do such as the Night Rating and the IMC for example. If you are wishing to progress your skills after an initial licence issue then you may want to choose a school which can accommodate this also.

Look at the size of flying school, whilst small schools may provide a more personal feel to learning they are also more susceptible to delays and cancellations which can be due to technical issues with training aircraft or staff shortages. A larger and more established school will be less prone to these. It is therefore important to find a balance which is right for you.

Look at the training aircraft which each school offers, some trainees prefer a certain aircraft type, for example one might have a preference for a low wing aircraft over a high wing aircraft. If the aircraft is important for you then this is something to consider.

Most importantly go and visit each flying school which you have short listed. Speak to the staff, instructors and other students and get a feel for the place. One school might look great on paper but may not provide a relaxed atmosphere which is ideal for learning.

Once you have chosen a flying school then take trial flight before committing to that particular school. It will give you the chance to experience the one to one teaching provided by one of the instructors as well as the overall service of the school.

If for whatever reason you do not feel as happy with your chosen after your trial flight then you can reconsider and take another trial flight at a different school, remember each trial flight will contribute to you licence so do not feel that your first one was a waste of time.

A trial flight can also be used to ensure that training for a private pilots licence is really what you want. There are some of us who love the idea but when they actually get airbourne they feel less comfortable and decide it is not for them.

Remember, always take a trial flight before committing financially to any flying school!

Once you have chosen a flying school, taken a trial flight then perhaps this is the time when you should consider obtaining that class two medical certificate.

This certificate must be obtained before one can go solo, but it is highly recommended to obtain it as soon as possible as there is you would not want to hold up your first solo flight having to await a medical.

Class two medicals can be performed by any Authorised Medical Examiner (AME). A list of appropriate AMEs in your area can be found on the CAA website.

That's it, now lets just go flying!

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