PPL training consists of a minimum of 45 hours instruction combining dual and solo flight. It aims to take one with no previous flying experience into a position where they can operate a light aircraft effectively and safely to a level that they are awarded the freedom of the skies with their own private pilots licence.

Here we look in more detail at the PPL and the training course.

The first stage in obtaining a PPL is to choose a flying school, obtain a class two medical and meet your flight instructor. Your instructor is the most important person besides you and he/she will be keen to get you under way.

Each lesson will typically last two hours, consisting of a pre-flight briefing, one hours flying time and a de-brief. The pre and post flight briefings are as beneficial as the flying time as they enable you to converse and reflect with you instructor in a more relaxed environment. It is also an important time to ask questions about the flight (before or after).

After you have completed your pre flight briefing and before you jump into the cockpit your instructor will guide you through those essential pre flight checks on the aircraft. This will involve a walk around the aircraft checking the aircraft body for signs of TODO

Most people who commence a PPL have little to no flying experience, so the first flying lesson will typically consist of a familiarisation exercise. Your instructor will guide you around the cockpit explaining each of the dials and controls. He will soon hand you control of the aircraft where you will begin to get to grip with the flying controls and the general handling of the aircraft.

Your first lesson will soon come to an end and you will be full of enthusiasm to get back in the cockpit. Your next lessons will introduce you to more advanced manoeuvres and procedures such as taxiing, take offs, flying straight and level as well as the ability to turn and maintain a specified heading. This stage of the training typically lasts between 5 and 10 hours depending on the ability of the student.

Once you are confident at handling the aircraft your instructor will soon have you performing airfield circuits with lots of touch and goes. This stage of training will require more concentration as you will have to continuously circle the airfield, perform landings as well as handling the radios and minding other aircraft traffic.

After you have mastered aircraft handling, the radio and circuits then you will almost be ready to perform your first solo flight. Before this stage, your instructor will go through all of the possible emergency scenarios which you may encounter. The counteractive emergency procedures will be practised until mastered including forced landings (landings with no engine power applied).

The most important milestone of your flying life will now be upon you, your first solo flight. During your first solo you will only be expected to perform a short flight consisting of a take off, circuit and landing.

Once you are competent at flying solo then the focus will very much turn to cross country navigation. From now on your flying training is likely to take you much further away from your airfield on a regular basis.

Cross country navigation training is very enjoyable as you will be able to fly into new areas, locate and land at different airfields. The first flying test results from your cross country training, the Qualifying Cross Country Flight Test . This will be a solo flight test under which the student must complete at least a 150nm flight consisting of two full stop landings at other airfields. Successful completion of this flight awards the student the Qualifying Cross Country Flight Certificate and marks a significant step towards the final Skills Test.