[kingbing]

Do remind yourself that you should be enjoying it. Reflect on things of you are not. There will be scary moments and times when it doesn't seem to go right, or you just do seem to be getting any better or getting the hang of it. But we all have those times. But looking back, it was very enjoyable and rewarding.

[I only passed my PPL at the end of September]

[Charles Hunt]

A proper lesson consists of (typically) 20-30 minutes before hand going over what you will be doing. The flight itself, and a 10 or 15 minute de-brief afterwards.

If you end up with a rush into the aircraft, and the instructor dashing off at the end for the next trial lesson, get your log book signed for the hours to date, and move on to a different school.

Good luck.

(And I know it's been said before, but really, do not pay large sums up front. There are too many tales of schools going bust and the student losing everything.)

[johnm]

All the advice that has gone before is sound IMHO.

One other point that's worth considering.

Some folk see the course as a hurdle to be jumped before getting a licence and going flying. I think that's a mistake. The PPL course is actually very interesting and a lot of it is spent in the air. Try to engage with the flying and the bookwork and understand it thoroughly rather than use it just to get through the exams.

I started my PPL in my 50's and took nearly two years to get my licence flying only some weekends and studying the books on the train. I enjoyed it all and went on to do night, IR(R) and later IR in my 60s.