JAA Private Pilot Licence Course - Summary

For the most up-to-date information, go to the CAA's Safety Regulation Group web site.

Theoretical Knowledge Subjects

• Air Law - Rules and regulations, rules of the air, ATC regulations, JAR-FCL and JAR-OPS requirements
• Aeroplane General Knowledge - Airframe, powerplant, systems, instruments, airworthiness
• Flight Performance and Planning - W & B, performance
• Human Performance and Limitations - Basic physiology, basic psychology, judgement and decision making
• Meteorology
• Navigation - including radio navigation
• Operational Procedures - under VFR, flight safety aspects
• Principles of Flight
• Communications - R/T procedures for VFR including failure

Flight Training

• Minimum of 45 hrs flight time of which up to 5 hrs may be in a Flight Navigation Procedures Trainer or approved simulator
• Minimum 25 hrs dual (to include 2 hrs stall awareness and spin avoidance training) and 10 hrs solo
• Of the 10 hrs solo, a minimum of 5 hrs cross-country including one cross-country of at least 150 nm with 2 intermediate full-stop landings
• For night flying an additional 5 hrs night flying with a minimum of 3 hrs dual (including 1 hr of navigation) and 5 solo take-offs and 5 solo full-stop landings

Theoretical Knowledge Examination (TKE)

• May be taken over 1 or 2 days
• 100 - 200 questions, mostly multiple choice
• 75% pass mark
• Air Law - 1 hr 30
• Aeroplanes General Knowledge, Principles of Flight - 2 hr
• Flight performance and planning, Navigation, Meteorology, Operational Procedures - 2 hr
• Human Performance and Limitations - 2 hr

Skill Test (ST)

• Failure of more than one section requires complete retest
• Failure of only one section requires retest of that section only
• Any manoeuvre or procedure may be repeated once
• Examiner may stop test if flying skills inadequate
• Navigation section must last at least 60 minutes and may be flown as a separate test

Time Limits

• TKEs must be passed within a period of 12 months with the pass remaining valid for 24 months
• All TKEs must be passed before taking ST
• ST must be undertaken within 6 months of completing flying training and all sections of the ST must be completed within 6 months

JAA PPL Lesson Plans

Some suggestions for lesson plans for the JAA PPL sylabus. Amend and use as required.

Microsoft Word: 20 kb zipped

Text: 12 kb zipped

FAA Certificates

Validated Certificates

Overseas visitors are entitled to be issued FAA certificates under FAR 61.75, that is on the basis of a foreign pilot licence. This privilege was withdrawn after the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 but has now been reinstated. A certificate issued under this FAR does not entitle you to fly for hire and reward. A visit to your local FAA Flight Standard District Office (FSDO) will result in you being issued (free) a temporary Private or Commercial certificate, rated for the types in the certificate you offer, but restricted to VFR. The permanent certificate will follow later, in the post, once their central computer has logged your details.

Remember that the FAA certificate remains valid only while everything on the licence that you show them remains valid. So, for example, if your home medical or licence validation expire, the FAA certificate automatically becomes invalid until you renew the home documents, then the FAA certificate comes back into validity automatically, provided there isn't an expiration date on the FAA stuff.

A Private or Commercial certificate restricted to VFR is adequate for recreational flying anywhere in the United States. Should you feel the need to acquire an Instrument Rating (perhaps because you are venturing further afield), you may sit the FAA Instrument Rating exam. The Freedom of Information Act means that all the questions that may be asked must be freely available - so you can buy a revision book containing all 300 questions and answers. Another visit to the FSDO to sit a short, fifty question exam, and the VFR restriction is removed. No flight check is required - they simply want to satisfy themselves that you know the rules. For more information on validated FAA certificates, go to the Western-Pacific Flight Standards Division web page.

Stand-Alone Certificates

In order to qualify for a stand-alone, or independent FAA certificate (Private, Commercial or Airline Transport Pilot) you'll need to comply with all the requirements for the issue of that certificate. Any type ratings you hold on an overseas licence will not be included on the new FAA certificate unless you take (and pass!) the type rating checkride under the FAA rules.

In general, the procedure for attaining a stand-alone FAA certificate is:

• Buy the revision book (ASA Guides are good) for the certificate you're aiming for, study it and learn the answers
• Find a US-qualified Aviation Medical Examiner and take the FAA First Class, Second Class or Third Class medical. A Third Class medical is adequate for the checkride.
• Present yourself to the local FAA FSDO with your passport (to prove identification), logbook (to prove hours requirements) and Medical Certificate
• The FSDO will then issue you with a certificate authorising you to sit the ground school exam and flight test
• Take the FAA ground school exam at a local FBO and receive your ground school pass certificate
• Train as required, take the certificate checkride and receive your flight test pass certificate
• The examiner should then issue you with a temporary certificate - the permanent one will follow a few weeks later when the paperwork catches up

Remember a stand-alone FAA certificate is completely independent of any overseas licences, so recency, validation and medical qualifications have to be maintained independently.

Thanks to John Deakin for proof-reading this page for me.

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