Pilots Licence Cost In The UK // CAA PPL // How Much To Become a Pilot

[@nigelwhitfield9845]

Hi Dale, Congratulations 🎉 on gaining your PPL. I really enjoyed following along. What made it more enjoyable for me was that I learnt to fly at the same school (Staverton Flying School) gaining my licence back in 1995! It was considerably cheaper back then. I also learnt in and used to fly in Zulu Oscar though, pleased to see it’s still going almost 30 years later! All the best 😊

[@SpectrumGeeks]

Awesome, thanks for watching and sharing your experience. Are you still flying now? If so what do you fly and where from?

[@spudwin]

Cheers for the great video! I’m currently studying/working as an aerospace engineer and have always wondered what acquiring this liscense would take. This was a perfect introduction👍🏼

[@SpectrumGeeks]

Glad it helped, all the best if you choose to follow the PPL adventure.

[@stedoesstuff]

This is a great video, thanks. That total is almost exactly what my motorbike cost, and for me, it’s probably a decision between flying lessons or motorbike!

[@SpectrumGeeks]

Thats a difficult decision, but I would give up my motorbike to fly :)

[@nigelledeux6869]

Very informative Dale. I have been away 2 weeks so now catching up with KZbin!!

[@SpectrumGeeks]

Thanks, welcome back and hope you had a good break.

[@kevinhughes9801]

Excellent breakdown thanks for sharing

[@SpectrumGeeks]

Thanks for watching!

[@johammond400]

I’ve really enjoyed this series Dale, congrats again on your PPL! I was due for my skills test today, but the UK weather had other ideas!

[@SpectrumGeeks]

The joys of the English weather. Both my recent flights I had to turn around and come back due to worsening weather conditions. All the best for your skills test, and enjoy.

[@paulg2923]

Great video Dale. Very interesting. Not something I will ever be doing, but if I'm honest it cost less than I suspected it may do.

[@SpectrumGeeks]

Thanks Paul, appreciate you taking the time to watch my content and to comment. Cheers

[@ceejaysatoshi2919]

Congratulations 🎉

[@SpectrumGeeks]

Many thanks

[@sagiainvestors]

Subscribed and congrats

[@SpectrumGeeks]

Thanks.

[@NEK1701]

Great Video Dale , congratulations mate . i cant imagine how excited you must feel with this accomplishment. What's the next plan Flying wise , are you going for the full commercial licence .... everywhere I've researched here in the UK is around £100k , mind you that does include the PPL...but alot of flights schools are going burst , so dont pay the lump sum in advance , just in case . PS . there is a school in Poland (Smart Aviation ) doing it for 50k Euros all inclusive . Keep the Pilot videos coming , very inspirational.

[@SpectrumGeeks]

My plans for now are purely to fly for pleasure and continue to build my skills. No real plans to go commercial (as you say its quite pricey). I will do my night and instrument ratings in the future, and I may do a CPL in the future if I want to consider becoming an instructor.

[@davidporter9131]

That's a lot of hours! Anyone wanting to learn must have the money and time to fly regularly. Twice a week minimum. It realy reduces the redo time of lessons.

[@SpectrumGeeks]

45 hours is the minimum here in the UK, so I wasn't that much over, but yes getting your pilots licence is not cheap, but if you are fortunate enough to be able to do it, its very rewarding.

[@ollie7777]

Subscribed! I've been toying with the idea since pre-covid. Is there much pressure to book the next lesson in straight away? Maybe a set time to get the minimum hours logged?

[@SpectrumGeeks]

The amount of pressure (in my opinion) will depend on the flight school, which is important to find a school and instructor that is compatible with your approach to learning. However, I will say that the longer you leave it between lessons, may increase the cost of learning, as you can forget stuff between lessons if you have big gaps, and then the lesson is spent refreshing previous lessons to remind you.

[@ollie7777]

@@SpectrumGeeks Makes sense, much appreciated!

[@MegatronRacing237]

What was the time scale? How often did you do your lessons with your instructor? Trying to plan ahead with costs etc

[@SpectrumGeeks]

I typically did 1 lesson a week, but many weeks got cancelled due to weather or instructor availability, so on the odd occasion I might try and get two lesson in a week to make up for the missed ones, but this was only a handful of times. I started my first lesson in November 2021 and passed my PPL mid May 2023 at around 55 hours flying.

[@20hair]

Thank you for the detailed video, its really helpful, can you please send me link from where you booked the medical?

[@SpectrumGeeks]

I used Gloster Medical as its close to me (www.glosteraviationmedicals.co.uk/), but if you look on the CAA website you can find the closest AME to your location.

[@20hair]

@@SpectrumGeeks Thank you so much :)

[@TechboyUK]

This is interesting! Are there any ongoing costs - e.g. do you have mandatory training or number of flight hours you have to record every 1/3/5 years, etc?

[@SpectrumGeeks]

The licence is "current" for 2 years from the date of issue. To maintain its currency and keep it going for life, you have to fly at least 12 hours in the second year of your licence, and I believe one of the hours should be with an instructor.

[@optiondrone5468]

Hi Dale, excellent video on the PPL cost breakdown, I know with PPL it is not possible to earn any of the money back through piloting work, however is there any way one can get any of the money back through teaching or training others to fly with a PPL?

[@SpectrumGeeks]

You are correct that a PPL can not be paid for acting as PIC, although some level of cost sharing is permitted if flying with others. In terms of ways to get "paid", you can do your flight instructor licence (FI) with a PPL, I think its around £10k, but its still not 100% clear to me if you can get paid or not though, as the CAA also state you need the CPL (Commercial Pilot Licence) in order to be paid. This is something I have also pondered, but for now I am just enjoying flying and building up hours, as this is needed for any next stage anyway.

[@optiondrone5468]

@@SpectrumGeeks thanks Dale, all really good information and points to think about. I agree flying in itself is a rewarding experience. Enjoy safe flight.

[@grzib]

Once I obtain my PPL is it possible to convert it to commercial licence ? If so , how much does it cost ? Thanks , great video

[@SpectrumGeeks]

Its not so much about conversion, but you add your CPL (Commercial Pilots Licence). In the UK if you are disciplined with it you can do it for about £70,000 (not cheap). You also need to go from a class 2 medical to a class 1 medical, and 150 hours flight time before you can begin CPL is my understanding.

[@grzib]

@@SpectrumGeeks Thanks for the info , 70K is too much , I’ll probably do this in Poland for 50k

[@yacubahmed4165]

Are you going to go commercial and how much would it be I’m from Birmingham looking for a good school want to slowly do it as I go with funds I have no rich parents but it’s something I always wanted to do but coming from an extremely poor crime filled area it’s always been just a dream

[@SpectrumGeeks]

From the research I did all schools seem some what similar on price, plane and instructor ability seem to be the variable. I can't afford to do commercial, so will just enjoy general aviation unless something changes in the future.

[@RobertLeighJames92]

That is a horrible drawing in your background sir... I respect what you say and I will continue to learn with you... But by god... Though you're into magic that is a horror show 😂

[@SpectrumGeeks]

Ha ha, not a fan of my Penn and Teller painting then? Its by the illusionist Derren Brown.

[@RobertLeighJames92]

@@SpectrumGeeks I like pen an teller and I love derren Brown far more but the combination is like the Titanic. On the surface majestic but up close deadly.