Private Pilot License (PPL)

Phase one

Here you learn the basics of flying, such as learning how to land and take off in an airplane. During this phase, you work towards your solo flight. Before you can leave your instructor behind and perform landings yourself, it is necessary to have at least a class 2 medical certificate. We recommend obtaining your medical certificate as early as possible during your training to prevent any delays during the flight training. Once you have passed the first progress test, it is time for the long-awaited first solo flight, after which you move on to the second phase. Don’t forget to bring dry clothes for your first solo flight, as it is tradition to end this unique flight with a cold shower, with your instructor ready with a bucket of water.

Phase two

Phase two focuses on advanced maneuvers and navigating through the air. What to do if the engine is not working properly or if the weather deteriorates? After these lessons, you will know what to do in such situations. During this phase, you will also fly with our acrobatic (“stunt”) plane. The goal here is to learn the limits of the airplane and how to recover it from difficult situations. You might even fly upside down or do a loop! Flying to another airfield for lunch is one of the many reasons to fly, and during this phase, we will teach you how to navigate to these restaurants using only a map, compass, clock, and the view from the cockpit. After completing this phase, you will be able to fly solo to other airfields. To make this easier, we will also teach you radiotelephony during this phase. There are two ways to learn radiotelephony: attending classroom sessions with your fellow students or one-on-one instruction with an instructor. The choice is yours. After completing the radiotelephony course, we will schedule an English language test.

Phase three

Here you will learn more advanced navigation techniques, including navigation using radio beacons and navigating in poor visibility. You will also visit a larger airport with air traffic control, such as Groningen Eelde Airport, and visit a foreign airport. At the end of this phase, you will fly a 150 nautical mile (280 km) flight to two airports by yourself. For example, from Teuge to Texel, Texel to Hoogeveen, and then back to Teuge.

Phase four

Phase four is the final phase before obtaining your license. By now, you have reached all the milestones needed to take the final practical exam: the skill test. During these last lessons, you will fine-tune your flying skills by following the same routine as the skill test or by practicing that one difficult exercise extra. When both you and the instructor feel you are ready, we will schedule an appointment with the examiner for the skill test.

What does a lesson look like?

Each lesson begins with a briefing about the exercises that will take place. After this, you go to the aircraft and start the pre-flight inspection. If necessary, you refuel the plane as well. If everything is in order, you taxi to the runway and perform the required checks, following the checklist before taking off. After landing, you park the plane and perform the final inspections of the aircraft. You then proceed to the classroom for the debriefing. During this debriefing, you discuss the exercises performed and the preparation for the next lesson.

If you cannot fly due to bad weather, this time is used to review theory (aircraft-specific information). Additionally, it is possible to prepare for future flights or use the simulator to practice the basics of instrument flying. The time you spend in the simulator does not count towards the hours needed to obtain your license, but it does help if you accidentally fly into a cloud.

The theory

In addition to learning how to fly, it is also important to understand how and why an airplane flies, how the weather affects flight performance, and what you can and cannot do. To learn this, you must take the following subjects during your theoretical training. The theory for the LAPL and PPL can be taken with multiple providers. Besides offering a theory course ourselves, we have selected two theory schools for students of Special Air Academy. All providers offer the same subjects with the same standards. The theory exams can be taken at the CBR or Austrocontrol (exams take place in Arnhem).

We recommend that you complete the communication course before starting the radiotelephony course in phase two. Additionally, we also advise you to begin the theoretical part of the training early during the practical section. This will help you understand why certain procedures exist and how they apply. The theoretical part is not difficult, but it simply covers a lot of material.

Keep the certificate

When you receive your license, you will also get an endorsement. In this case, it will be a single-engine piston (SEP) endorsement. This means you can fly any single-engine aircraft with a piston engine. Some aircraft require additional training with an instructor, for example, when transitioning to an aircraft with retractable landing gear. The license itself is valid for life, but it does not grant flight privileges.

In short: the license determines what kind of operation you can fly (private or commercial), and the endorsements determine the types of aircraft you are allowed to fly. The SEP endorsement is valid for 2 years. To renew this endorsement, you must have flown 12 hours in the past 12 months (including 1 hour with an instructor). If you do not meet this requirement, you must do a proficiency check with an examiner; this check is similar to the skill test you did at the end of your practical training. If you have not renewed your endorsement and it has expired, you will need to take flight lessons again at a flight school and then pass the proficiency check.

The PPL(A) training can only be provided by a government-registered and recognized flight school, such as Special Air Academy. The minimum age for applying for the license (license) is 17 years.

In a nutshell

Practical training hours requirements

For a PPL(A) license, the student pilot must have flown at least 45 training hours with and under the supervision of an instructor. These 45 flight hours consist of:

• Minimum of 25 hours with a flight instructor
• at least 10 hours solo
• minimum 5 hours of solo overland (min. 150 NM and two full-stop landings at two airports)

The theory exam

The theory exam consists of the following subjects:

• Air Law & ATC procedures
• Aircraft general knowledge
• Principles of Flight and Flight performance and planning
• Navigation
• Meteorology
• Human performance
• Communications

All theory subjects must be completed within 18 months. After passing the PPL(A) theory exam, you may take the practical exam. The practical exam must be passed within 24 months of the theory exam.

Radiotelephony

Additionally, a radiotelephony course must be successfully completed. Contact us for more information about the radiotelephony training.

LPE-test

LPE stands for Language Proficiency Endorsement. LPE is a test that takes approximately one hour. You need to undergo this test to determine if your level of (aviation) English is sufficient. The result will give the pilot a ‘score’ on a scale of 1 to 6. If the pilot scores 4 or higher, they have passed. If you want more information about the LPE, please contact us.