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

Moderator: AndyR

#1817570
A LAPL-A allows you to act as pilot in command (PIC) on two classes of aircraft — a single-engine piston aeroplane (on land), or touring motor glider (TMG).

The privileges granted to the the licence holder are to:

Act as Pilot in command (PIC) on single engine piston aeroplane, carrying:
A maximum of 3 passengers.
A maximum certificated take-off mass of 2000 kg or less.
No more than 4 persons on board the aircraft.
Passengers — if the holder has completed 10 hours of flight time as PIC.

Unless you complete further training, you’ll only be licensed to act as PIC in the class and variant of aircraft that you passed your skill test in. Hence you can fly a 4-seat aircraft with fixed undercarriage and fixed-pitch prop with further conversion training. Difference training for VP prop and retractable undercarriage can then be added to your privileges.

As was alluded to on the other thread though, it would be unnecessarily restrictive if you are doing a LAPL for reasons other than medical.

Iceman 8)
JAFO liked this
#1817572
iantruckers wrote:I have so many questions to ask you marvellous people, When I pass my LAPL, can I learn and pass my test in a 2 seater aircraft and then fly a 4 seater after that (Like Cars where, if you pass in an Auto, you can only drive an Auto after your test)? Ian

Yes, but club/insurance/group rules may, and common sense will, require you to have some type training and a checkout before launching solo. Other differences that the new aircraft might have such as a variable pitched prop, retractable undercarriage, EFIS, or tailwheel would require formal 'differences training' and logbook sign-off by an instructor.

The LAPL privileges for an aircraft are:
- Single engine piston
- MAUW of 2000kg
- maximum of 4 persons on board (bit you need to have an additionall 10 hours of PIC post licence issue before taking passengers)

As mentioned in the other thread, if you want to fly outside of the UK and can pass a Class 2 medical, you need to strongly reconsider your position on the LAPL.

(Whoops, post crossed with Iceman)
JAFO liked this
#1817576
See https://www.caa.co.uk/General-aviation/ ... eroplanes/
Your privileges are likely to be for a single engine, piston aircraft, max take off weight 2000kg, 4 people (you and 3 passengers).
There are various things within that which you will need extra training for, such as propellor types, night, glass panel, tailwheel, and you need to get familiar with any new type of aircraft you fly, which can mean time with an instructor, checkout with an experienced pilot or getting engrossed in manuals and documentation depending on various factors.
#1817636
Thank you so much for all the information, I really do appreciate it, I`m going in for the LAPL because I will never want to fly outside the UK or use my dream as a source of income, just purely as a hobby and maybe take my family up or go on holiday like Edinburgh, Isle of white, Jersey or Northern Ireland etc. Ian
Bathman liked this
#1817643
iantruckers wrote:Thank you so much for all the information, I really do appreciate it, I`m going in for the LAPL because I will never want to fly outside the UK or use my dream as a source of income, just purely as a hobby and maybe take my family up or go on holiday like Edinburgh, Isle of white, Jersey or Northern Ireland etc. Ian



You will regret this. In a four seater tourer I have taken members of my family and friends to Scandinavia, Poland, Holland, Germany, France, Switzerland and Italy. It's as quick to get to France as it is to the Channel Islands.
#1817656
Why would anyone want to restrict themselves to the UK. That’s the whole point of flying, to use an aircraft to go places. COVID aside, the majority of my flights are to places outside of the UK. I’d get bored very quickly of visiting the same old places in the UK. There is just no sense in limiting yourself at the training stage to a licence that will curtail your subsequent flying activities. I can see no point in obtaining a LAPL, when for very little extra effort, you could get yourself a full PPL. Even if going to places like Jersey, it is quite conceivable that you’d cross a bit of French airspace or face the possibility of a diversion to an aerodrome in France.

Iceman 8)
Rob P, johnm, GrahamB liked this
#1817670
We are all different and if ruling out the entire rest of the world is the OP's choice who are we to argue.

The only thing I will add so he makes his choices on complete information is that, even without a word of French, it is far simpler to fly once you are across the English Channel than it is in the UK.

Rob P
johnm, T67M, JAFO liked this
#1817682
Iceman wrote:Why would anyone want to restrict themselves to the UK. That’s the whole point of flying, to use an aircraft to go places.


No, Iceman, that's the point of flying for you. We're all different.

However, if @iantruckers is going for the LAPL because he somehow believes it might be cheaper, then he should, perhaps, think again.
Iceman, flybymike liked this
#1817684
Don't just fixate on where you can fly to from your home airfield - I have also used my PPL to enable me to fly in other countries having arrived there by commercial aircraft. I've had some amazing (*) flying holidays in the USA, partly because of the weather, but mostly because of the "can do" attitude of pilots and controllers. Sadly flying in the USA on a LAPL isn't possible as it is a so-called "sub-ICAO" licence and this isn't recognised by the FAA.

(*) Two quick example calls from ATC:
1. "Cessna 174ME, your traffic is a Boeing 737, opposite direction, descending through your altitude, about half a mile off your right wing."

2. "Diamond 443MA, can you stop your decent at 3,500' please? I'd like to get a 737 underneath you."
#1817686
When I pass my LAPL, can I learn and pass my test in a 2 seater aircraft and then fly a 4 seater after that?


Yes, you just need to do some variant familiarisation or, depending on the aircraft, variant differences training. Familiarisation doesn't need to be with an instructor, whereas differences training does.
T6Harvard liked this
#1817770
Wow! You`ve really got me in a tizz, It looks like I need the PPL license as the LAPL will be quite restrictive for little less money, I really do fancy the idea of getting a thomson flight to America and then flying to other airfields. As I`ve said before, I really do appreciate and respect all your advise and information. I can now see how flying to the Channel islands could impinge on French Airspace which I never thought about before. Thank you, Ian
Rob P, Iceman liked this
#1817783
Ian

I am an aviation junkie, an addict, passionate about flying, as are most people on here. I know from 2200+ hours of flying how you’re never going to want to stop at the UK borders once that you’ve tasted the freedom of flying. As you say, for a little bit extra money, you will end up with a licence that is full ICAO compliant and thus recognised throughout the world. In particular, as you say, flying in the US is aviation heaven, and ought to be on every European pilot’s wish list (to see how it should be done). A full PPL will enable you to obtain an FAA 61.75 licence (a paperwork exercise) and fly in the US. In the long run, the little extra that you’d pay for the PPL you’re going to spend on flying anyway.

Iceman 8)
#1818966
Rob P wrote:even without a word of French, it is far simpler to fly once you are across the English Channel than it is in the UK.


Nah it isn't. Unless you restrict yourself to the larger controller airports, it can be a bit nerve wracking as the airfields are usually French only. After a week's touring France once, and feeling that I didn't really know what I was doing, I felt a real sense of relief to be talking to London Information once again.