Looking for quality professional flight training? Then Eshott Airfield is the place for you with two tarmac runways and a grass strip in uncontrolled airspace, with all the advantages of a flying club environment.
If you’re looking to fly an aircraft with a globally recognised licence, the PPL is the course for you. This course is the first step towards a professional aviation career and will give you the ability to pilot larger aircraft.
The course gives you the ability to fly nearly every single engine piston (SEP) aircraft. Aircraft that have a turbine engine require a differences rating which can easily be added to your licence.
The course requires a minimum of 45 hours flying time – 10 of which are solo. You’ll take a skills test which will examine your general handling and navigation skills.
There are also nine multiple choice exams to be completed covering important topics including:
Human Performance
Aviation Law
Meteorology
Communications
Principles of Flight
Operational Procedures
Flight Performance & Planning
Aircraft General Knowledge, and
Navigation
You’ll have to pass a class 2 medical with a CAA approved AME (Aviation Medical Examiner). Eshott Airfield can help you arrange this – but generally speaking if you’re fit and well enough to drive a car, you’re well enough to fly an aircraft!
When you’ve completed your course, the PPL(A) will allow you to fly aircraft in daylight hours in reasonable weather – this is known as VFR or Visual Flight Rules. Once you’ve completed your PPL(A) you can add a night rating to allow you to fly after sunset, or an instrument rating to allow you to fly in adverse weather conditions.
After completing your training, you can continue to rent aircraft from Eshott Airfield to build your hours or simply enjoy the beautiful scenery of Northumberland.
Eshott Airfield also offers the Light Aircraft Pilots Licence (LAPL). This licence is a more affordable version of the PPL(A) but with additional restrictions such as a maximum aircraft weight of 2000kg and a maximum of three passengers.
If you’re looking to fly commercially, the next step will be to build your hours to a level where you can gain your Commercial Pilots Licence. This phase is known as ‘hour building’. Once you’ve finished your PPL(A), Eshott Airfield continues to support students and provides a number of options to achieve the hour building in a cost effective and efficient way.
Whilst the PPL(A) is the bigger step initially, If you only want to fly your family or friends for fun, in European airspace, it might be worth considering the cheaper Light Aircraft Pilots Licence option which is also taught at Eshott Airfield.
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