Course Objectives

The course shall be designed so that student pilots are given adequate theoretical knowledge and flight training in order to ensure they are capable of safely operating an aeroplane whilst flying in weather conditions appropriate to the visual flight rules.

Course Description

The course shall be undertaken at a Registered Training Facility or a Flying Training Organisation and the required theoretical knowledge and flying training for the course is as follows:

Theoretical Knowledge Subjects

The theoretical knowledge syllabus of the PPL (A) course shall cover the following:

Air Law – Rules and regulations relevant to the holder of a Private Pilot Licence (Aero-plane); rules of the       air; appropriate air traffic regulation and services; JAR-FCL and JAR-OPS requirements
Aeroplane General Knowledge – airframe; powerplant; systems; instruments; and air-worthiness.
Flight Performance and Planning – Mass and balance; performance.
Human Performance and Limitations – Basic physiology; basic psychology; and judgement and       decision making relevant to flight operations.
Meteorology
Navigation – including radio navigation.
Operational procedures – under visual flight rules (VFR); flight safety aspects.
Principles of Flight Communications – radiotelephony procedures and phraseology as applied to VRF operations including the action to be taken in case of radio communication failure.

These subjects shall be covered by the use of lectures, and by a course of directed study.

Flight Training

Flight instruction shall be given by qualified flight instructors and shall be sufficient to cover the following flight procedures and manoeuvres:

Pre-flight operations, including mass and balance determination, aeroplane inspection and servicing.
Aerodrome and traffic pattern operations, collision avoidance precautions and procedures.
Control of the aeroplane by external visual reference.
Flight at critically slow airspeeds; recognition of, and recovery from, incipient and full stalls.
Flight at critically high airspeeds; recognition of and recovery from spiral dives.
Normal and cross wind takeoffs and landings.
Maximum performance (short field and obstacle clearance) takeoffs; short field landings.
Flight by reference solely to instruments, including the completion of a level 180 degree turn.
Cross-country flying using visual reference, dead reckoning and, radio navigation aids.
Emergency operations, including simulated aeroplane equipment malfunctions.
Operations to, from and transitting controlled aerodromes, compliance with air traffic services procedures and phraseology.

An applicant for a PPL (A) must complete at least 45 hours flight time as pilot of aeroplanes of which up to five hours may be in a Flight Navigation Procedures Trainer (FNPT) or flight simulator approved by the authority.

Of the 45 hours, a minimum of 25 hours dual and 10 hours solo must be completed.

Of the minimum 10 hours solo, a student must complete at least five hours of cross country flight, including one cross country of at least 270 km (150 nm) in the course of which full stop landings at two aerodromes different from the aerodrome of departure shall be made.

If the privileges of a PPL are to be exercised at night, at least an additional five hours night flight time in aeroplanes must be completed. This night flying experience must consist of at least three hours dual instructions (including one hour of navigation's) and five solo takeoffs and five solo full stop landings.

Holders of pilot licences or equivalent privileges for helicopters, microlights having fixed wings and moveable aerodynamic control surfaces acting in all three dimensions, gliders, self-sustaining gliders or self-launching gliders may be credited with 10% of their total flight time as pilot-in-command (PIC) in such aircraft up to a maximum of 10 hours towards a PPL (Aeroplane). When the applicant has been credited for PIC flight time on other aircraft in accordance with JAR-FCL the requirements for dual instruction on aeroplanes may be reduced to not less than 20 hours.

Training Aeroplanes

An adequate fleet of training aeroplane(s) appropriate to the courses of training, equipped and maintained to the relevant JAR standards shall be provided. Training conducted on aeroplanes having a certificate of airwothiness issued or accepted by a JAA Member State will enable an applicant to obtain a single-engine piston class rating for licence issue.

Each aeroplane shall be fitted with duplicated primary flight controls for use by the flight instructor and the student - swing-over flight controls shall not be acceptable. The fleet should include, as appropriate to the courses of training, aeroplane(s) suitable for demonstrating stalling and spin avoidance and aeroplane(s) suitably equipped to simulate instrument meteorological conditions. Aeroplanes used for training shall be approved by the Authority purposes.

Theoretical Knowledge Examination

Applicants for a Private Pilot Licence will have to satisfactorily complete a written examination to demonstrate that they hold the level of aeronautical knowledge appropriate to the holder of a PPL (A).

Skill Test

Applicants for the PPL (A) will also have to demonstrate their ability to perform procedures and manoeuvres in an aeroplane for an examiner to assess their competency to hold a PPL (A). The navigation section of the test may, as agreed between the candidate and the Flight Examiner, be flown as a separate test.

Time Envelope

Time envelope for reference purposes for the validity periods of examinations for applicants for the Private Pilot Licence.

All the theoretical knowledge examinations must be passed within a period of 12 months and this pass will remain valid for licence issue for a period of 24 months from the date of successful completion of the examinations. All theoretical knowledge examinations must have bee completed before taking the skill test.

The skill test must be undertaken within 6 months of completing the flying training, and all sections of the skill test must be completed within a period of 6 months.