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

Moderator: AndyR

By t1m80
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1682640
Definitely not too old, Wicksay started a thread a while ago now and there's a lot of 50+ Students on here [including me :-)].

And, as you are a farmer, I'm sure you a very used to the weather thwarting your plans, so I suspect you are also better mentally prepared than a lot of us :D

I'm towards the end of my PPL Training now, technically I would have done enough )apart from skills test) to have gained LAPL but the extra hours seem to be where a lot of the 'really good stuff' is to be had. I'm now very comfortable in the air and am enjoying the flying and working with my instructor from a basis of having reasonable basic skills (unconsciously competent).

I think, even if I had gone LAPL I probably would've spent the extra money and time on further training anyway; and I wouldn't have a licence that I could add additional rating to either, so I'm fully on board with others who have recommended PPL.

Go for it and good luck!
User avatar
By Dman
#1684256
Hi
Been looking into Microlight training
But a little confused regarding weights
I am 110kg
And from what I am reading, in a say Ikarus C42, i will need Jimmy Kranky as my instructor, if I want to put any fuel in??
By David Smeaton
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1684271
Firstly, regarding being too old, I hope not as I am 58 and I have my first lesson/trial lesson booked for Thursday!

As for which licence, I looked at the comparison on the Leicester flying school site and decided that, as this is for recreation only, the LAPL was sufficient. My friend, who is also going to be my instructor, agreed that it would be a good path to start on, but I could always change to PPL later if I wanted to. He said I would need a PPL if I wanted to hire a plane in the USA if I was on holiday there, but this is very unlikely, so LAPL it is.

This is an absolute novice opinion only.
t1m80 liked this
User avatar
By flybymike
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1684272
I could always change to PPL later if I wanted to.

It’s my (possibly mistaken) understanding that if you change your mind midway along an LAPL course and decide to go for PPL instead, then you have to commence all training for the new licence from scratch?
If so, sounds like another example of EASA ludicrosity
By SimFlyer
#1684777
Yeah, read that somewhere too.... about having to finish LAPL first then going for PPL.

To those how opt for NPPL or LAPL, care to share why? Some people have said that you don't actually "save" anything by going down these routes because although there is less minimum time required, most people take longer anyway so it's not like you're going to get your license sooner?