Learning to fly, or thinking of learning? Post your questions, comments and experiences here

Moderator: AndyR

By BombDiver90
#1645567
Hi recently starting my PPL, a little background on myself,

Currently in the military (Navy) had 2 lessons so far but with the weather turning had a couple
Cancelled, currently paying £204.40PH to train in a C 172, I wanted to train in a DR400 as it’s £21 cheaper but it is away for maintenance until the new year.

At present I set aside £404.80, for 2 lessons per month, I can push this to £500 PCM in the new year.

Is it worth me saving up my money at present and getting my exams over and done with first? Then concentrating on the flying, I’ve been told of a few people doing this? I’m not in a rush to get my ppl, but would like to have my cert by my 30th birthday in May 2020, with the money set aside do you think this is possible, the £500pcm is the absolute maximum I can afford (I have a wife to keep on side aswell )

Cheers guys any help/advice is appreciated.


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By AlexJR
FLYER Club Member (reader)  FLYER Club Member (reader)
#1645648
No - the flying feeds the obsession and makes sense of much of the theory - just keep the two running side by side. You need Air Law first to go solo. Start with that and say Human Factors so you make good use of the 10 day exam theory session.

2 lessons per month if you are lucky in the winter - save the money when the weather is poor and go every weekend in the summer if you can. Looking at my log book over last 18 months, I had 4-6 week gaps some times but you need to be going every week when approaching QXE and skills test.
By FlightMoores
#1645717
Hi BombDiver,

I am also currently undertaking my PPL. I have 27 hours logged and have passed 6 out of the 9 exams. I would just like to give my opinion of the exams, how I feel looking back and what would I say to someone like yourself.

When I started my PPL I didn't really know when to start revising or when to go in for an exam. But looking back, I think you do need some flight time under your belt before you take some of these exams, some of them with a bit of revision you can pass very easily. However, I wouldn't recommend doing them all in a very short space of time (eg: one or two months) I really would spread them out, the exams really do complement the syllabus as you get through it. I will quickly summarize (in my opinion) when the best time to do them is:

Air Law - People say that this one can by quite nasty however this is a test of your memory. Repetition with this subject and you will pass with flying colors. You will need to pass this first before you fly solo. (I have passed)

Op Procedures - Very similar to Air Law, in fact, some questions almost identical. I would plan to take this at the same time as Air Law for the best results and efficiency, again repetition and you will be fine. (I have passed)

Human Performance - Arguably the easiest subject of the 9, after a few days of question banking you will be getting 100% every time. (I have passed)

Aircraft General Knowledge - I took this subject after I did my first solo and when I was hour building in the circuit and thought it was an ok time to have sat it. You could do this one before your solo and even before anything else if you like, I don't think that there is a more preferable time to sit it as the content of this subject wont affect your flying. I suppose it would be a good idea to know something about the machine you are flying before you even get in it, so, leave this one up to yourself of when you want to take it. Leave it till last if you like I don't think it really matters, but one that you will need to get out of the way. (I have passed)

Meteorology - This was the hardest exam in my opinion. I'm not quite sure what made it difficult for me, the questions are quite complex and you can't really use your common sense, it is a subject where you have to do a bit of revision for. Again, the same as AGK I don't think it really matters when you sit this one, because it is quite tough you could aim to get it out of the way after your solo. (I have passed)

Principles of Flight - I didn't find this exam difficult at all, another subject of nailing the questions and getting it out of the way. I don't think this is an exam where your flying experience will determine if you understand it more or less, so, you could just straight away if you like. (I have passed)

Communications - I am finding this content quite easy, but only because I feel I have learnt it through my flying in the last 5-10 hours. Once you get past circuit stage and start to do a bit of nav then I'd say that it is a pretty ideal time to take it. Everything in the exam is and has been happening around me as i've been flying recently. I've been getting 100% on the mock tests and I don't think it will oppose a challenge once you've got into flying short solo nav flights.

Flight Planning & Performance - I have not taken yet - However I would seriously recommend that you do this around the time of flying Nav. Will also be a good time to purchase your CRP1 / CRP5 (depending if you want to do your CPL or not).

Nav & Radio Aids - "" as above.

The best revision material in my opinion is an app you can get on your phone for hardly a premium called "PPL Tutor" (Blue background with a white plane). Spending hours going through the books is one way to do these exams and I think they are still a good purchase, but the revision material and mock exams that are available on this app will help you tremendously. (It has certainly worked for me!)

I hope this helps and good luck with your exams and PPL!

Andy
By Artschool
#1645795
10/10/2017 Exam 1 Air Law
17/10/2017 Exam 2 Operational Procedure
17/10/2017 Exam 3 Human Performance
24/10/2017 Exam 6 Communications
31/10/2017 Exam 8 Principles of Flight
02/11/2017 Exam 7 Aircraft General
07/11/2017 Exam 5 Flight Performance
21/11/2017 Exam 9 Meteorology
27/12/2017 Exam 4 Navigation

this is the order and timing that I sat my PPL exams in last year. I found the pace to be about right except sitting 2 exams in one go, which in hindsight was a bit much.

I would say get them done and out the way.
By CapnM
#1645812
There's two train of thoughts for me on this.

If you're certain you can pass your PPL skills test before the theory exams expire (is it 18 months for PPL? I forget), then I would consider taking them all early on in your training. Perhaps poor management on my part, but I started flying very regularly once I hit the navigation stage of training and next thing I know I had completed my solo QXC and still had 6 exams to sit. This put me under a lot of unnecessary pressure as the only thing left to do for training at that point was a mock test then the actual test! I sat Air Law/Human Perf/Comms (Theory/Practical) around the 10 hour mark, the rest around the 45 hour mark!

On the other hand, some exams come hand-in-hand with your training at particular stages. The navigation, meteorology and flight planning/performance exams spring to mind - chances are you will have never even seen a CRP1, a weight/balance graph or a 214/215 chart at the early stages of your training (I certainly didn't!).

Therefore, I would probably suggest sitting half of them whilst you're still in the circuit (say... Air Law / Ops / Human Perf / Comms / Aircraft Gen), then look to finish the other half (PoF / Met / Nav / Flight PP) when you're working through the navigation stages of training and you have more experience with those subjects.
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By LD1Racing
#1645825
I did all my exams early into my training, and then for various reasons had to take some breaks in training, which ultimately meant the clock ran out and they all expired.

At least second time around they were easier and I did eight of them in the same day.

You may have a plan to rattle through your training, but life sometimes gets in the way.
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By iaindings
#1645831
What everyone else is saying basically

On the money thing though, £500/month on average should do it, but you're going to need a buffer. When you're doing general handling, circuits and stuff - fortnightly is fine. But after that you're going to need some longer lessons, the nav stuff wont be 1.0 every time and you're going to want to cram in more hours when you get close to the test (plus the test fee itself!)

The good (?) news is you're going to have a few months where flying is difficult because of the weather - especially if, like me, you're limited to weekends mainly. What I would do is keep doing fortnightly for now and try and bash out a few written exams in the next month or 2. When the weather gets Carp, start cramming for the written ones (save Nav until you're actually navigating though, it helps!) and put the money you'd be spending into savings. If you can get into spring with a couple of grand as a buffer, you'll be able to dip into it when you really need it.

I started September 2017 with fortnightly lessons, didnt fly at all december or jan, finally solo'd in March (opted to do a couple of hours one week to really hone that stuff) and passed test in July - but during a few of those months I was spending £1000+ on flying, I'd worry if I couldn't do it at those points I'd have started to slip backwards a bit
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By Sir Morley Steven
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1646114
No because it is a bit more than passing the exams. It is about applying the knowledge so there is a logical sequence your flying school will have recommended.
Also, you have 18 months to take the exams and a further 2 years to have your licence issued. If you take your exams in one month you still only have the two years.
Treat the theory as an integral part of the phase of training you are in.
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