Private pilot : Private Pilot License (PPL)
PPL
Obtaining a PPL (Private Pilot License) is the first step to be doing a great hobby that is immensely rewarding. Learning how to fly is a challenging task. Flying lessons provide relaxation through hard work, guaranteed! There are heaps of interesting aspects to learning to fly and flight training: Geography, engineering, psychology, radio, meteorology, etc. This will ensure you will remain fascinated by this hobby long after obtaining your private pilot’s license. Flying alone for the first time or “going solo” is thrilling and satisfying and will ultimately lead to the coveted “Private Pilot License” or your PPL pilot license.
The PPL pilot license is, as it were, your passport to go into the air and later on you can add many licenses and ratings, eventually even up to the airline transport pilots license.
This in contrast to the LAPL (Light aircraft pilot license) or RPL (Recreational Pilot License) therefore we consider the added value of these LAPL and RPL pilot licenses to be insufficient for the student while the costs and efforts are almost identical so we strongly encourage you to go for the PPL course.
With a European EASA PPL license you can fly throughout Europe, America and in most other countries which renders this little bit of paper into a valuable asset. A PPL pilot license gives the holder the right to principally fly almost any type of aircraft (even large jets provided that the holder also has an HPA = high performance aircraft certificate) and a type rating on the particular jet or turboprop.
The only restriction being that you cannot fly commercial with paying passsengers, there can be no fee higher than cost-sharing.
For flying without visibility an Instrument Rating and / or a Night Qualification are also required. Of course all our flight training is EASA approved. You might be wondering what all these abbreviations mean. EASA is the European Aviation Safety Agency and this European agency regulates civil aviation in most European countries and even those outside Europe such as e.g. Turkey and Switzerland. This organisation has, among other things, equalised all the licenses and training across Europe. In the Netherlands, the Ministry of Environment and Transport IlenT ( InspectorateTransport and Water Management ) and the KIWA registry are responsible. They will be part of EASA in the future.
Teaching method
Our flight school places great emphasis on a pleasant way of teaching without arrogance or undue haste. With us you are not only a student but also a customer! Our qualified flight instructors have the expertise, patience and above all, the social skills to guide you through your flight training in a pleasant way and this through a structured training program consisting of ground school, briefings and flight lessons.
Becoming a pilot is not easy, but your flight instructor will guide you in a professional way through your PPL flight training at a pace that suits you. He will also give you valuable tips on the most effective way of studying so that you’ll get the PPL pilot license in the fastest and cheapest way possible. Check out our ‘Why Us’ page to find out out more good reasons for doing your pilot training at Executive Flight.
PPL Cost Breakdown
We continuously try our very best to keep the prices at a minimum.
PRIVATE PILOT (PPL)
PRIVATE PILOT (PPL) | |
|---|---|
| Classroom course PPL theory (100 hrs) | € 845 |
| Overhead & Administration | € 484 |
| 25 hrs Dual flight training with instructor Cessna 172 | € 7,901 |
| 20 hrs solo flight Cessna 172 | € 5,568 |
| Long briefings (optional) | |
| total | € 14,798 |
| Discount deal | -€ 1,750 |
| TOTAL PRIVATE PILOT (PPL) with 2024 discount deal!* | € 13,048 |
| *(all incl. except pilot supplies/books (775,77), government charges (LPE/Medical/Licensing), req. landings & exam fees) Rebate deal action for students starting their PPL from 1-1-2024 and finishing within 1 year. (Crash courses excluded) Rebate to be used to buy additional flight training or acft rental |
TOTAL
-€ 1,750 |
|---|
| € 13,048 |
*(all incl. except pilot supplies/books, government charges (LPE/Medical/Licensing), req. landings & exam fees) Rebate deal action for students finishing PPL within 1 year
Specific advantages when obtaining your PPL at Executive Flight
- Low landing fees: Only €10 instead of €20 or €40 in the Netherlands
- Theory examinations possible in English for expats. (Not possible in the Netherlands)
- Theory exams cost only 1/2 of the Dutch price
- No expensive radio training required as in the Netherlands, saves €600 and a lot of time.
- Hyper Flexible: Flying, briefing and theory lessons when it suits you! We are open 24/7. Including weekends. Executive Flight adapts to your schedule rather than vice versa. Ideal to quickly get through your training, full-time or part-time, alongside work and family.
- Real uncontrolled flying on a “green strip” without tower; so no security check, flight plan, parking fee, taxi time, “holding” in the air or first having to fly away from the airport area to start the lesson. No, in Hoevenen you go straight into the air. This saves 30% engine time per flying lesson and an hour on the ground. So a perfect combination of uncontrolled, free flying in Hoevenen and later on controlled flying in the areas of Antwerp and Rotterdam.
- Our PPL theory course is remotely possible via our “Distance Learning” system (Saves an enormous amount of travel time and costs) or conventional classical tuition. All depending on your desire and preliminary education.
- Executive Flight offers PPL training in different region’s. The restricted and complex areas of Antwerp, Rotterdam and Brussels, combined with the hills and mountains of the Ardennes and the French / German border area’s `offer an unprecedented international flying experience.
- The entire PPL course can be taken in English, which is ideal for expats and international students while at the same time you will be much better prepared for an international career as a pilot.
Theory location
Meer (nearby Breda) Londenstraat 7, 2321 Meer/Hoogstraten, Belgium
Flight training locations PPL
Rotterdam The Hague Airport
Hoevenen airfield
Breda Airport
Lelystad Airport
Duration
3-12 months depending on the student’s aptitude, availability and monthly budget
Private Pilot pilot license(EASA-PPL) training overview
- 45 flight hours (minimum), including 25 hours of dual instruction, min. 10 hours solo min.5 hour cross-country navigation
- 3 hours Instrument flying.
- A 0 h (distance learning option) to 100 hour (full classical tuition) PPL theoretical training on Tuesday in Meer in Breda from 19:00 – 22:00 or a customised theory course with individual Homework Support (HWS)
- 9 PPL theory exams on the same day
- An English Language Proficiency Endorsement certificate (LPE) examination
- EASA class 2 medical
- Radio licence
- A solo cross country flight with a landing at two airports 50 nautical miles apart of in total 150 nautical miles.
- Skilltest with an examiner.
The duration of the private pilot training is completely flexible and adjustable by our flight instructors to suit your availability, budget and starting level. You decide when you fly, attend briefings or attend theory classes. The total duration varies from one month (on campus crash course) to one year for people who want to take it slow and fly 1 time per week / two weeks. Remember that the maximum absorption capacity of most people is limited to 2 to 3 flying lessons per day plus the associated (de) briefings and PPL theory study. On the other hand you will need to ensure that you fly regularly and at least take flying lessons once every two weeks, otherwise you’ll almost need an entire hour to get back “up to speed”, causing your flight training to drag on and become longer and more expensive …
General
The difference between a license and a rating is as follows. A license gives the pilot the right to fly (PPL, CPL, ATPL), either commercial or otherwise. The rating determines in which conditions and at what type of plane he may do so. After obtaining the PPL one gets a SEP rating on the private pilot license (PPL). The SEP rating (single engine piston) gives him the right to fly a single-engine piston aircraft.
Initial Requirements
A private pilot (PPL) participant must be 16 years old to be allowed to do his first solo flight.
Practical training
The practical part of the training private pilot (PPL) consists of 45 flying hours, of which at least 25 hours in dual flight with an instructor and 10 hours solo. Furthermore, of those 10 hours at least 5 hours need to be cross-country flights including a navigation flight of at least 150 nautical miles with stops at two different airports. Finally, another 3 hours in simulated instrument flight conditions. To upgrade the LAPL to a PPL the candidate shall have flown 15 hours at LAPL. Of which at least 10 hours at a flight school with an instructor. LAPL training can count for PPL training if the LAPL training is done on a Single Engine Piston (SEP) aircraft such as e.g. Cessna or Piper rather than an ultra-light one or something similar. Theory training The theoretical training for private pilot (PPL) consists of 9 theoretical subjects: principles of flight, navigation, meteorology, general knowledge of the aircraft, aviation legislation, operating procedures, human limitations and performance, mass and balance and performance and planning. After having successfully completed the theoretical knowledge examinations, a candidate has 24 months to finish his practical training and do the practical exam. Afterwards A candidate for the practical private pilot exam (PPL license) must be at least 17 years old. Furthermore, he must be in possession of an aeromedical class 2 and at least level 4 score on the English language proficiency exam.
Transferring LAPL to PPL
LAPL stands for “light aircraft pilot license” and gives the holder the right to fly on light sport aircraft up to a maximum weight of 2.000kg. A LAPL cannot be extended with additional ratings such as a night qualification (NQ) or instrument rating (IR), and because the training leading to a LAPL is almost the same as the one for obtaining the PPL (private pilot) it is also not very recommendable. The candidate who wants to convert his Light Aircraft Pilot Licence (LAPL) to a Private Pilot License (PPL) must have a valid Light Aircraft Pilot Licence (LAPL). To upgrade the LAPL to a PPL the candidate must have flown 15 hours at LAPL. At least 10 hours of the minimum 15 hours of flight experience must have been gained in a flight school with an instructor. LAPL training without having obtained a pilot’s license, also counts for PPL training if one has flown on a SEP airplane.
Rehabilitation (rating has not yet expired)
The PPL license does not expire. The single engine piston (SEP) rating on the PPL expires every two years. When in the 12 months preceding the expiry date of the SEP rating one has made 12 take-offs and landings, together with 12 hours of flight time of which at least 6 as pilot in command and 1 hour with an instructor, he can apply for the SEP rating once again. Note, in the Netherlands an examiner must sign the application form with the FI! This is not required in Belgium. If you do not meet the above requirements you should schedule a practical exam with an examiner. Renewal (rating has not expired yet) The single engine piston (SEP) rating on the PPL license expires every two years. If it has expired flight school shall determine how much training the candidate to needs to achieve the requested level examination again, next an exam needs to find place with an examiner.
Other information
All skill tests can be put in the log book as pilot in command.
Legal requirements
LICENCE AS PRIVATE PILOT (PPL) SECTION 1 General requirements FCL.200 Minimum age a) An applicant for a PPL shall be at least 17 years old. b) An applicant for a BPL or an SPL shall be at least 16 years old. FCL.205 Conditions Applicants for the issue of a PPL shall meet the requirements for the class or type rating for the aircraft used in the skill test, as specified in Subpart H FCL.210 Training course An applicant for a BPL, SPL or PPL shall complete a training course at an ATO. The course shall include theoretical knowledge and flight instruction appropriate to the privileges granted. FCL.215 Theoretical exam An applicant for a BPL, SPL or PPL shall demonstrate a level of theoretical knowledge appropriate to the privileges granted through examinations on the following subjects. a) General subjects: — air law, — human performance, — meteorology, and — communication. b) Specific subjects concerning the different aircraft categories: — Principles of Flight, — operational procedures, — flight performance and planning, — general knowledge of the aircraft, and — navigation. FCL.235 Skills test a) On the basis of a skill test an applicant for a BPL, SPL or PPL demonstrates the ability to perform, as PIC on the appropriate aircraft category, the relevant procedures and manoeuvres with a degree of competency appropriate to the competencies granted . b) An applicant for the skill test shall have received flight instruction on the same class or type of aircraft, or a group of balloons that are to be used on the skill test. c) Criteria to succeed 1) The skill test consists of several sections that represent the different stages of a flight in accordance with the category of aircraft being used to fly. 2) When a candidate fails any item of a section, he falls for the entire section. If an applicant fails only 1 section, he must retake only that section. When one fails more than one section, one falls the entire test. 3) If the test should be retaken in accordance with point 2), failure in any section will lead to fail the entire test, including the parts which have been passed on a previous attempt,. 4) Candidates who did not pass all sections of the test after two attempts, will require further training. SECTION 2 Specific requirements for the PPL airplanes— PPL(A) FCL.205.A PPL(A) — Competencies a) The holder of a PPL (A) is authorised to act as PIC or co-pilot on aircrafts or TMGs engaged in non-commercial operations without remuneration. b) Notwithstanding the preceding paragraph, the holder of a PPL (A) with the competencies as an instructor or examiner may receive remuneration for: 1) the provision of flight instruction for the LAPL (A) or PPL (A); 2) the conduct of skill tests and proficiency checks for these licenses; 3) the training, testing and proficiency assessment on the ratings or certificates attached to these licenses. FCL.210.A PPL(A) — Experience requirements and exemptions a) Applicants for a PPL (A) shall have received at least 45 hours of flight instruction in airplanes or TMGs, 5 of which may have been completed in an FSTD, including at least: 1) 25 hours of dual control instruction, and 2) 10 hours of supervised solo flight time, including at least 5 hours of solo cross-country flight time with at least 1 cross-country flight of at least 270 km (150 nm) during which landings with full stop must be carried out at two aerodromes different from the aerodrome of departure. b) Specific requirements for applicants holding an LAPL (A). Applicants for a PPL (A) holding a LAPL (A) shall have completed at least 15 hours on airplanes after the issue of the LAPL (A), of which at least 10 hours of flight instruction in a training course at an ATO. This training course shall include at least 4 hours of supervised solo flight time, including at least 2 hours of solo cross-country flight time with at least 1 cross-country flight of at least 270 km (150 nm) during which landings to full stop need to be carried out at 2 aerodromes different from the aerodrome of departure. c) Specific requirements for applicants holding an LAPL (S) with a TMG extension. Applicants for a PPL (A) holding a LAPL (S) with a TMG extension shall have completed the following: 1) at least 24 hours flight time on TMG after the endorsement of the TMG extension; and 2) 15 hours of flight instruction in airplanes during a training course at an ATO, including at least the requirements under a), 2). d) Exemption. Candidates holding a competencies certificate for another category of aircraft, except for balloons, shall be exempted from 10% of their total flight time as PIC on such aircraft up to a maximum of 10 hours. Under no circumstances can the scope of the exemption serve the purpose of the requirements under a), 2).