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Flying After Getting the Private Pilot's LicenceHow To Keep Current and Practise After Becoming a Qualified Pilot
The Private Pilot's Licence is often called a 'licence to learn'. New pilots know enough to fly competently and safely, but there is much more to discover about flying.
The newly qualified PPL really knows very little about aviation. So what is the best way to go about flying after the student has passed his test and obtained that coveted licence? A flying instructor gives advice. Legal Amounts of Flying RequiredMost countries will have a legal minimum number of hours of flying that a pilot needs to do. In the UK, if the pilot has a JAA PPL, this is 12 hours every two years, and they all need to be done in the second year. This means that if the student obtained a licence on January 1st 2008, he or she does not legally have to do any flying until after January 1st 2009, and must then do 12 hours before January 1st 2010. They must also fly an hour with an instructor, and do a number of other things within that 12 hours. If the pilot has a National PPL (NPPL), the requirements are slightly different. The problem is that many people feel that the legal minimum means they are safe. This is not the case. A new pilot in particular needs to fly regularly in order to keep up his or her skills, and hopefully improve on them. So how much flying is a good idea? How Many Hours Should Be Flown for Safety?Of course, the more the new pilot flies the better, since practice makes perfect. However, most people do not have the time or money for this. Flying once a week is good, if this can be achieved. Perhaps once a month is a sensible minimum, and if this cannot be done, it is a good idea to go up with an instructor for as short while. Many flying schools demand that this be done after a month’s lay-off, for anyone hiring from them, and it is a good rule of thumb. What Sort of Flying Should the Novice Pilot Do?Just flying in the same local area will not teach the new pilot much, and his hard-won skills may begin to degrade. It is good to practice different types of landings, and try things such as visiting new airports. However, it is counter-productive to try to do too many new things during one flight, and it may even be dangerous if the pilot hits mental overload. So it is sensible to either go to a new airfield, or fly in slightly challenging weather, or take up a passenger…but perhaps not all of those at once. Flying with more experienced pilots is also a good way to learn, and great fun. It is best to continue in the way the pilot was doing during his PPL course – gradually taking on more and more. In the beginning, a trip from the UK to Europe, for instance, may seem to be impossible, but within a year or two it will be well within the pilot’s capabilities. Pilots are always learning, whether they have 50 flying hours or 50,000. That hard-won Private Pilot's Licence is definitely a licence to learn…and will be forever. Related ArticlesShould a New Pilot Hire Aircraft or Buy his Own? Flying a Light Aircraft from the UK to France See also the author’s blog
The copyright of the article Flying After Getting the Private Pilot's Licence in Aviation is owned by Helen Krasner. Permission to republish Flying After Getting the Private Pilot's Licence in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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