Private Pilots License
Read on for information regarding getting your private pilots license through the Brandon Flying Club.
PRIVATE PILOT LICENSE (PPL)
GENERAL
This is the original Pilot License that most people will think about when personal flying is mentioned. It accounts for more than 28,000 of the 64,000+ flying documents (incl. all commercial and airline transport licenses) presently in force in Canada. The PPL allows for future growth as one can add a variety of ratings and endorsements such as night flying or instrument rating. It is the foundation of flying as a career because it is a prerequisite for obtaining a commercial pilot license.
The PPL is called a license because it is internationally recognized, and the holder can fly Canadian registered aircraft across borders, or even obtain foreign licenses, respectively visitor permits.
PRIVILEGES
A Private Pilot may fly…
* In Ultra-Light aeroplanes
* In single engine or multi engine aeroplanes (special rating required for multi engine)
* High performance aircraft* (with endorsement)
* Land or sea/float aeroplanes (endorsement is required to cross over)
* All light aircraft without passenger restriction
* With passengers at night (with endorsement)
* Under instrument flight rules with rating (IFR)
* Over a solid layer of cloud (with rating)
* Canadian registered aircraft internationally
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
* An applicant for a PPR must be a Canadian citizen or landed immigrant.
* If born in Canada, the document required at the time of enrolment is a birth certificate or a baptism certificate.
* If born outside of Canada, the document required at the time of enrolment is a Canadian citizen certificate or Passport.
* Foreign students must hold a valid and applicable student authorization issued by Immigration Canada.
STUDENT AGE
Flight training can commence at any age. In order to obtain a Student pilot permit – a necessary requirement to complete the mandatory solo-flight portion of the course – one has to be at least 14 years old.
To be issued and hold a PPL, one has to be at least 17 years old. There is no maximum age.
MEDICAL
You must hold a class 3-medical certificate. You may start your training without it, but the approved medical Certificate must be presented to us before we can send you on your first Solo-Flight!
The examination must be conducted by a Transport Canada approved Aviation Medical Examiner (AME).
At the present time you may contact the following AME’s in Brandon:
* Doctor K R. Loader, Station 2 at the Brandon Clinic, 620 Dennis Street, Tel: (204) 571-7131
* Doctor W. Lindsay, Western Medical Clinic, Tel: (204) 727-6451
* Doctor C. Norman, Norman Medical Services, Tel: (204) 727-2888
The validity period is 60 months if under 40 years of age and 24 months if over 40 years of age.
IMPORTANT POINTS TO CONSIDER
* Make sure that the name on your medical application is exactly the same as on your Birth certificate.
* The medical Certificate will become part of your Pilot License/Permit.
* The medical fee (approximately $80.00 to $120.00) is to be paid to the doctor.
* Further examination (tests such as ECG or Chest x-ray) depend on the applicant’s medical history.
Plan well ahead: It may take up to three weeks after your examination before Transport Canada mails the actual certificate to your permanent address. Delaying your training (i.e. first solo flight) while waiting for a piece of paper can be very discouraging and frustrating and will be particularly expensive!
FLIGHT TRAINING
Our Transport Canada approved course consists of a minimum of 45 hours of in-flight training. Of these 45 hours, at least 17 hours must be dual instruction (with a flight instructor on board), and at least 12 hours must be solo practice (the instructor stays on the ground, while you fly the aircraft alone). You will eventually have more than the minimum required either dual or solo, to accumulate the minimum of 45 hours total.
Please note that the average student requires slightly more than 45 hours to reach flight test standards. Your flight instructor will also give you a detailed briefing before and after every flight.
FLIGHT TEST
The flight training concludes with a flight test to the standards set by Transport Canada. The flight test will either be administered by an examiner employed by Transport Canada, or a civilian Designated Flight Test Examiner who acts on behalf of Transport Canada to the same standards.
GROUND SCHOOL (Ground School Schedule) AND WRITTEN EXAM
Ground school is aviation lingo for a classroom instruction on various subjects related to flying. The ground school requirement of the PPL course consists of 40 hours. The lectures include air regulations, general aeronautical knowledge, meteorology and navigation. Upon completion of 10 hours of flight training, you may attempt the written exam, which has a pass mark of 60%.
COST OF TRAINING
PRIVATE PILOT LICENSE:
TRANSPORT CANADA MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
| DUAL INSTRUCTION | 33 HOURS@ $186.00 | $6138.00 |
| SOLO FLIGHT TIME | 12 HOURS@ $131.00 | $1572.00 |
| GROUND BRIEFING | 10 HOURS @ $ 55.00 | $550.00 |
| TUITION FEES($300.00)BOOKS($300.00) | $ 600.00 | |
| EXAMINATION FEES (WRITTEN AND FLIGHT) | $ 450.00 | |
| B.F.C. MEMBERSHIP (MANDATORY) | $ 50.00 | |
| AVIATION LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY TEST | $ 50.00 | |
| TOTAL MINIMUM COST (TAXES NOT INCLUDED) | $9360.00 |
Prices are subject to change at any time
**A FUEL SURCHARGE MAY APPLY, DEPENDING ON CURRENT FUEL PRICES
Aircraft rental is based on the popular Cessna 172 4-seat aircraft.
Membership:
All persons using club facilities must hold a valid club membership. The fee is $50 per year for a Flying Membership. Fees are available upon request.
Clubhouse:
The Brandon Flying Club membership entitles each member to use the facilities of our clubhouse. The club operates seven days per week. There are also various social activities as well as seminars that are held throughout the year.
