JAA (Joint Aviation Authority)
The JAA (Joint Aviation Authority) PPL is a European licence which is internationally recognised and allows you to fly single engine piston aircraft, in reasonable weather. To obtain this licence you must complete a minimum of 45 hours flying - including skill test, 10 hours of this must be solo and of that 5 hours must be navigation, during which you have to land at two other airports (we normally use Newcastle and Durham Tees-Valley). The course includes an appreciation of basic instrument flying and navigation using radio beacons. You will need a class 2 aviation medical, from a CAA authorised medical examiner. During the course you will need to pass 7 theory exams, all of which are multi-choice and require 75% or more to pass. You may take all these exams here at CFT with our resident CAA approved examiner. The exams are:
Air Law
Rules and Regulations needed for safe flying
Human Performance and Limitations (HPL)
Includes questions on perception, aircrew interaction and how flying affects your body
Meteorology
How weather works and the interpretation of forecasts.
Navigation
Charts, symbology, effects of wind.
Aircraft General
Technical about how engines, wings and aircraft systems work.
Aircraft Performance and Planning
Takeoff and landing distance performance calculations. Take off weights and centre of gravity
Radio Telephony
Phonetic alphabet, special phraseology
There is also an R/T oral test and a final skill test; these again are taken with one of our examiners.
NPPL
The NPPL is a UK licence which is valid in the UK, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man and allows you to fly any single engine piston aircraft, in reasonable weather. To obtain this licence you must complete a minimum of 32 hours flying - plus skill test, 10 hours of this must be solo and of that 5 hours must be navigation, during which you have to land at two other airports (we normally use Newcastle and Durham Tees-Valley). You will need a NPPL medical declaration, available from your GP (which requires that you meet at least DVLA Driving standards). During the course you will need to pass 7 theory exams, all of which are multi-choice and require 75% or more to pass. You may take all these exams here at CFT with our resident CAA approved examiner. The exams are:
Air Law
Rules and Regulations needed for safe flying
Human Performance and Limitations (HPL)
Includes questions on perception, aircrew interaction and how flying affects your body
Meteorology
How weather works and the interpretation of forecasts.
Navigation
Charts, symbology, effects of wind.
Aircraft General
Technical about how engines, wings and aircraft systems work.
Aircraft Performance and Planning
Takeoff and landing distances. Take off weights and centre of gravity
Radio Telephony
Phonetic alphabet, special phraseology
There is also an R/T oral test and a final skill test; these again are taken with one of our examiners.
IMC Rating
The IMC rating is an additional rating that can be added to your licence after completing the JAA PPL. The course covers flying in cloud using the instruments, instrument approaches, tracking radio aids and partial panel techniques.
If a lot of your flying further afield it can help open up days to you which would previously have been unavailable, it can be a good introduction to instrument flying before starting training for the instrument rating (which is required to fly commercially) or alternatively used as a 'get you out of trouble rating' if the weather suddenly deteriorates en-route while flying visually.
Night Qualification
The night qualification is a really nice little extra rating that can be either incorporated into the JAA PPL course or done as a standalone rating after passing.
It entails a minimum of 5 hours of flying of which at least 1 hour must be navigation and 1 hour must be solo (incorporating 5 full stop solo landings).
Even if you a one of those people that thinks "I'm never going to need to fly at night" it is worth doing, it provides a different perspective on the views below and can sharpen up your flying.
For the navigation we usually go across to Newcastle following features like main roads and built up areas.
If you are headed in a commercial direction and want to make a career out of flying the night qualification is one of the things that you must possess before commencing a commercial pilots licence.
AOPA Courses
Cross Country
Differences Training
Differences training is required to allow you to fly more complex aeroplanes which have:
Retractable Undercarriage
Variable Pitch Propeller
Turbo charger/Super charger
Glass Cockpit
Pressurisation
FADEC (Full Authority Digital Engine Control)
Nosewheel to Tailwheel
Tailwheel to Nosewheel
All our instructors are proficient in the mainstream differences usually encountered on most aircraft (Retractable/VP Prop/Turbochargers/Glass cockpit/Tailwheel) and can design a course around a persons requirements.
Safety Pilot
If a lot of your time is spent in the passenger seat you may come to find this advantageous. The safety pilot course is designed primarily to show you what to do should the worst happen - it covers climbing, descending, turning, straight and level, landings and the relevant radio.
As it is a very much tailor-made couse we can easily adjust it to include other things to help out such as navigation and more of the radio.
We can do anything from an extra hour or two with an instructor showing you a bit more about the aircraft controls to a full "the pilot is out of action I need to get this aeroplane down" course.
Lapsed Ratings
Expired SEP Ratings
By not more than 5 years past rating expiry date
Sufficient training to take and pass the skill test, examiner completes LST/LPC form and signs rating renewal form in licence.
More than 5 years past rating expiry date
Sufficient training to take and pass the skill test, examiner completes LST/LPC form and applicant sends form to CAA. (with money)
Expired Licences
Expired JAA Licence
JAA licences are valid for 5 years and the ratings that are added e.g. SEP are valid for 2 years. If the licence has expired then so long as it is expired by less than 5 years all that is needed is a valid medical (JAA class 2 or better) then reapply to the CAA to renew it.
UK Licences
Before the UK became a JAA signatory in 2001, the UK CAA issued non-expiring licences with only ratings which had to be kept current. If your licence is a UK CAA one then only the rating needs to be renewed not the licence itself.