The minimum qualification for a pilot, enabling him to carry passengers (although not for profit), is the private pilot’s licence. The syllabus for the private pilot’s licence lays down a minimum of 45 hours of combined dual and solo flying. The cost of obtaining a licence is therefore closely dependant upon the rate per hour. The average private pilot is sent solo after 10 to 15 hours dual instruction. The exact rate per hour is revised from time to time and also depends upon the aircraft used.

In calculating the cost of obtaining a private pilots licence, allow for a Club entrance fee of R100.00 and an annual subscription of R580.00 as a town member or R290.00 as a country member (Howick and beyond circumference). A security permit allowing access to the airport apron will have to be obtained from the Airport Mangers office before your first flight. The cost of the permit is R50.00, renewable annually. Please bring a certified copy of your ID along with your ID book to obtain your permit.

There is at present no prescribed time schedule within which the syllabus for the private pilots licence must be completed so that the student can fly as much or as little as he or she wishes or can afford.

What does it entail?

People of either sex who are medically fit are permitted to learn to fly although they can only go solo at the age of 16 and obtain their PPL licence at 17. There is no upper age limit.

Soon after joining the club you will be introduced to your flying instructor who will arrange a time for your first lesson – the start of your great adventure! There follows a series of lessons on the names, positions and manipulation of the various controls, each lesson being composed of a pre-flight briefing followed by the corresponding flight experience.

During this period you must arrange to have a medical examination, including a chest x-ray and an ECG as you are not permitted to fly solo until you have been passed as medically fit.

One day, after a lesson on take-off and landing techniques, your instructor will get out of the plane, give a word of encouragement and send you away on your first solo, just you, the sky and your beautiful aeroplane…a first glimpse of what its all about!

After the appropriate celebration, your mastery of the air is consolidated with a period of so-called upper air work, including steep turn, stalls and spins. Next comes cross country and navigation flying which in many ways, is the best part of flying and a part which certainly brings out practical advantages of the aeroplane as a means of transport. In preparation for cross-country flying you will be given a thorough grounding in emergency procedures such as forced landings and pre-cautionary landings. Ground school lectures are required and held in conjunction with Instructors on the airfield. 5 hours of instrument instruction is also required.

The syllabus for the private pilots licence is rounded off with a practical flight test on flying and a written examination covering the theoretical aspects of flight, navigation, engines and airframes, meteorology, human performance, flight performance & planning and aerial navigation law. These flying and written tests are conducted by the Club. The pupil pilot is also required to obtain a radio operator’s licence.

When you pass all of your examinations you will be awarded a private pilots licence and you will be allowed to carry passengers. In many ways, however, the process of learning, the challenge and the fun of flying will be only beginning and it is possible this fact which under lies the endless fascination of aviation.

Welcome to the Club, and to the greater fraternity of airmen.

Depending on your age, a pilot requires a medical examination every two years under the age of 40. A private pilot requires a medical every year over the age of 40. Chest X-rays lung function and E.C.G. are required only every four years or two years depending on your age.

It must be noted that the Institute of Aviation Medicine may require medicals at varying intervals depending on the individual and that the above requirements are the general requirements and may vary from individuals, depending on circumstance.

We suggest that the ab initio pilot obtain his or her medical before commencing flying training. This could save time and money.

- How long will it take ? That depends entirely upon yourself and your pocket. Your instructor will advise you as to how many bookings you should initially make and will advise you further regarding bookings as your training progresses. It must be remembered that all flying at the Aero Club is on a cash deposit basis only.

MINIMUM FLYING HOURS REQUIRED FOR FLYING LICENCES AND RATINGS

NOTE The below hours are the minimum required for flying licences and ratings. Most students require more than the minimum hours for a licence or rating. The costs of the extras and theory courses are not under our control. The cost of the flying hours and instructors fees also fluctuate. We recommend that at least a 10% contingency allowance be made.

Club membership: Entrance fee – R100.00 Subscriptions – R580.00 Town member or – R290.00 Country member

Also note that a minimum standard of flying skill and technical knowledge must be acquired, regardless of the number of flying hours flown, for each licence or rating to be issued.

THE MINIMUM FLYING HOURS REQUIRED ARE 30 HRS DUAL (5 hours of which will be Instrument instruction) AND 15 HRS SOLO = 45 HOURS.

Trial lessons available. Fly an aircraft yourself with an instructor:-
C150 - R636.50
C172 - R767.45
Jabiru - R564.50
NB: A security permit allowing access to the apron will have to be obtained from the Airport Managers office before your first flight. The cost of the permit is R50.00, renewable annually.