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

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By FlightDek
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1650788
You can take legally someone with you on dual lessons (assuming a 4-seater) meaning you, your instructor and a friend in the back. Depends on the plane you're learning in and the schools policy.

I found it really useful to sit in the back of other students nav lessons. Gave me time to absorb the nav part of the lesson without worrying about the flying bit
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By riverrock
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1650867
You can't take a passenger until you have a licence.
An instructor can take a passenger at the same time as instructing you (hence you can have a passenger in the back during your lesson).
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By Miscellaneous
#1650893
riverrock wrote:You can't take a passenger until you have a licence.

It may be worth pointing out you can't actually fly (even on your own) post test, under your own licence until it is in one's greasy mits? :D
By PaulB
#1650918
I know that that is the case, but why is this so? Is it a CAA rule, an EASA one or an ICAO one?

What would be the risk to flight safety of allowing examiners (as road driving test examiners can) to issue a "temporary licence"?
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By Flyin'Dutch'
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1650933
PaulB wrote:I know that that is the case, but why is this so? Is it a CAA rule, an EASA one or an ICAO one?

What would be the risk to flight safety of allowing examiners (as road driving test examiners can) to issue a "temporary licence"?


The FAA allows it so unlikely to be an ICAO rule.
By johnm
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1650939
PaulB wrote:I know that that is the case, but why is this so? Is it a CAA rule, an EASA one or an ICAO one?

What would be the risk to flight safety of allowing examiners (as road driving test examiners can) to issue a "temporary licence"?



I think this is because historically the FAA trusted examiners, but the CAA wanted to verify all the paperwork, so they took the view that until they were happy to issue a valid licence you couldn't exercise your privileges.
By AlexJR
FLYER Club Member (reader)  FLYER Club Member (reader)
#1650943
Ah yes, the long wait...

My school was not particularly supportive of back seaters, save for the conversion to PA28 from 152 when you need to experience the additional weight. It is a distraction and more of a bimble than a lesson. That said, a student listening in on a student could be helpful.
By PaulB
#1650971
AlexJR wrote:Ah yes, the long wait...

My school was not particularly supportive of back seaters, save for the conversion to PA28 from 152 when you need to experience the additional weight. It is a distraction and more of a bimble than a lesson. That said, a student listening in on a student could be helpful.


I found being in the back seat and being able to see the instruments *and* the big picture was really useful when doing IMC.
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By David Wood
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1651383
Miscellaneous wrote:
riverrock wrote:You can't take a passenger until you have a licence.

It may be worth pointing out you can't actually fly (even on your own) post test, under your own licence until it is in one's greasy mits? :D

As the good Mr Trump would say, that is Fake News, I'm afraid! Since time immemorial students who have passed their test have been allowed to fly solo and as a student in the period between passing their test and receiving their licence.

There was a brief and unnecessary period of confusion earlier this year when the CAA suddenly issued contrary advice via AOPA, but they have since had a little lie-down and now agree that the previous status quo stands.
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By David Wood
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1651388
Just to be clear, as @riverrock says, a passenger may fly in an aeroplane whilst you are recieving instruction in it from an FI, but he (the FI) is taking the passenger, not you - because he is the captain of the aeroplane.

Generally I discourage the carriage of passengers during PPL training as it can often be a distraction to the student. But for more advanced training such as IR training it can be useful for a student to 'back-seat' another student whilst he is undergoing instruction from an FI.
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By Miscellaneous
#1651391
David Wood wrote:
Miscellaneous wrote:
riverrock wrote:You can't take a passenger until you have a licence.

It may be worth pointing out you can't actually fly (even on your own) post test, under your own licence until it is in one's greasy mits? :D

As the good Mr Trump would say, that is Fake News, I'm afraid! Since time immemorial students who have passed their test have been allowed to fly solo and as a student in the period between passing their test and receiving their licence.

Are you sure of that David? For the avoidance of doubt, are you saying one can fly on one's own licence post test, but prior to receiving the licence?
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By David Wood
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1651393
No, I need to be clearer.

During flight training a student may of course fly solo when authorised and whilst under the supervision of an appropriate FI. At that stage the student doesn't hold a license, of course.

Once he has passed his test then he enters an odd (and hopefully fairly short) period in which he still does not hold a license (because the CAA hasn't actually issued him one yet) but he may still fly as a student, solo only and when authorised and supervised by an FI. In other words, he can continue to fly in this period as if he were still a student (even though he has actually completed his training and passed his test and is on the brink of holding a license). During that time he cannot, of course, carry passengers.
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By Miscellaneous
#1651398
@David Wood so my post was accurate and not fake news. :D

Thank you. :thumleft:

It may be worth editing your post to prevent confusion on the Student Forum.
Last edited by Miscellaneous on Fri Nov 16, 2018 12:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.