Your first step to flying any kind of aircraft has to be receiving the right kind of training. Before becoming a qualified pilot, you’ll need to brush up on your skills and clear some necessary exams to ensure you are ready to safely take to the skies.
Have you always dreamt of flying an aircraft? Chances are, you have most of the tools you need to make that dream a reality, the most important of which are time and dedication.
Your first step to flying any kind of aircraft has to be receiving the right kind of training. Before becoming a qualified pilot, you’ll need to brush up on your skills and clear some necessary exams to ensure you are ready to safely take to the skies. We at Sherburn Aero Club offer the necessary tools for before, during and after your training, including a flight training school, as well as a flying club for those who are ready to take off.
However, just like you’d need a licence to operate a motor vehicle on the road, you’ll need proper certification to fly any kind of aircraft.
The types of licences are many, and you’ll need to narrow down your exact interests and future goals in order to nail which one you should opt for. Once you have the right certification in hand, you can safely operate any aircraft your licence allows. A licence is necessary to ensure the safety of yourself as well as those around you, and while the process may seem strict, it’s for the best of all parties involved.
Different types of licences confer varying privileges on their holders. From being able to fly in return for compensation to being allowed to take to the airspace in countries outside of the UK, the licence you hold dictates where, how and when you can fly.
The first step to getting your flying licence is to make sure what kind of licence it is that you will need, for which you need to understand the various categories.
COMMERCIAL AND RECREATIONAL FLYING
Broadly speaking, there are two overarching categories of licences, and these are mainly differentiated on whether you can be remunerated for flying an aircraft or not. This is the biggest decision to make when opting for a licence. If you are someone who wishes to learn how to fly for the fun of it, simply treating it as a hobby or recreation, then the general aviation licences should do the trick for you.
These will allow you to fly any aircraft your licence allows to your heart’s content, but you will not be able to take up flying professionally. General aviation licences are great if you have just dipped your toes into the vast world of aviation and wish to test the waters before committing to flying on a professional level.
For those pilots that wish to make a living off of flying an aircraft, a professional licence is what you will need in your wallet. These are great for people who wish to pursue a career as an airline pilot or make a career out of aviation of any sort.
Different kinds of licences fall under each category, and these varying licences usually serve as stepping stones from one to the other, and one can often upgrade from one type of license to the next when need be.
ICAO AND NON-ICAO CERTIFIED LICENCES
If you wish to fly outside of the UK airspace, chances are you’ll need a licence certified by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). Whether you have an ICAO certified licence or not dictates the airspace you are allowed to occupy.
If you have a licence that complies with the rules set by the ICAO, then you will be allowed to fly globally. This is the preferred licence for those who wish to pursue a career as an airline pilot and wish to carry passengers from one country to the next.
If you wish to fly in the UK alone, a non-ICAO licence should suffice. Non-ICAO licences aren’t always recognised internationally, for example, the Light Aircraft Pilot Licence (LAPL) is valid in Europe besides the UK, but nowhere else.
It is necessary to keep in mind where you wish to fly and whether you wish to occupy airspace outside of the UK as well. Other forms of licences include those certified by the European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA), which allow pilots to fly in the EU airspace.
There are some licences that are issued particularly by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), such as those needed to operate vintage aircraft and those of a more experimental variety. To fly such aircraft, which usually fall in the domain of recreation, a national licence is necessary.
TYPES OF PILOT LICENCES
National Private Pilot Licence (NPPL)
When it comes to the recreational or general aviation category, this licence is your gateway into the world of flying for fun. The National Private Pilot Licence (NPPL) is a United Kingdom-specific certificate and it will allow you to fly within the UK airspace.
An NPPL is a great option for beginners or flyers that only wish to fly vintage and experimental aircraft as a hobby. The aircraft that you choose to fly with this certification must be UK-registered, and you cannot enter foreign airspace without a prior agreement with the country that you are planning on entering. This is a basic licence, with the option to add various classifications present for those who wish to fly specific types of aircraft.
This licence is great for beginners because of the fact that it has a relatively less strict medical requirement when compared to other licences on this list. When getting a licence, it is mandatory to show how many hours of experience you have from your training, something that Sherburn Aero Club can help you achieve with ease.
With the NPPL, the requirement of hours flown is relatively lower, starting from 25 logged hours and going up depending on the aircraft you choose. This restricted form of a Private Pilot Licence (PPL) was introduced in 2002 for pilots who wish to take up flying for recreational purposes.
The NPPL also requires the pilot to operate in accordance with the visual flight rules (VFR), which require pilots to fly only when it is above a certain level of visibility in the sky.
Private Pilot Licence (PPL)
The Private Pilot Licence (PPL) is the second step when it comes to general aviation, with this certification allowing for greater freedom when flying as compared to the more restrictive NPPL. This licence, as with any other in the general aviation category, does not allow for compensation, monetary or otherwise, in return for operating an aircraft.
The PPL is not UK-specific and allows the pilot to fly in airspace beyond that of the country. This is actually the most popular option for pilots who wish to obtain a general aviation licence.
If this licence is your first, you’ll need to show at least 45 hours of flight time, accompanied by an instructor. If you have some hours of training on a flight simulator, up to five of those can also be counted towards the total hours needed for the PPL.
From the total 45, 10 hours must be of solo flight time, including at least one cross-country flight, with 25 hours being those spent training via dual flight instruction. The distance of the cross-country flight must be at least 270 km. This licence requires applicants to be at least 17 years old, and in addition to the hours logged, the applicant must be proficient in nine subjects, including meteorology, navigation, air law and principles of flight.
The pilot must also be familiar with aircraft general knowledge. The applicant must also score at least 75% marks on theoretical multiple-choice exams corresponding with these subjects.
Light Aircraft Pilot Licence (LAPL)
The Light Aircraft Pilot Licence (LAPL) is another great option for people who enjoy the thrill of flying but aren’t interested in pursuing flying as a career. It also falls under the category of general aviation and is the licence of choice for most hobbyists.
This particular certification is divided into four different categories, depending on what kind of aircraft is being operated.
These include the:
- LAPL (A) for aeroplane operation,
- LAPL (B) for flying balloons,
- LAPL (H) for helicopters, and finally,
- LAPL (S) for sailplanes.
When it comes to this licence, it’s best for people who want to have some fun with flying. However, if the applicant wishes to broaden their horizons when it comes to recreational flying, the licence can always upgrade to a PPL when need be.
Only authorised aircraft can be operated under this license unless additional training is completed. The aircraft being operated must have a take-off mass of 2000 kgs or less and can carry no more than three passengers. The applicant must have a total flight time of 12 hours, as well as the experience of at least 12 take-offs and landings. This licence is non-ICAO.
Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL)
Have you always dreamt of flying an aircraft? Chances are, you have most of the tools you need to make that dream a reality, the most important of which are time and dedication.
Your first step to flying any kind of aircraft has to be receiving the right kind of training. Before becoming a qualified pilot, you’ll need to brush up on your skills and clear some necessary exams to ensure you are ready to safely take to the skies.
We at Sherburn Aero Club offer the necessary tools for before, during and after your training, including a flight training school, as well as a flying club for those who are ready to take off. However, just like you’d need a licence to operate a motor vehicle on the road, you’ll need proper certification to fly any kind of aircraft.
The types of licences are many, and you’ll need to narrow down your exact interests and future goals in order to nail which one you should opt for. Once you have the right certification in hand, you can safely operate any aircraft your licence allows.
A licence is necessary to ensure the safety of yourself as well as those around you, and while the process may seem strict, it’s for the best of all parties involved. Different types of licences confer varying privileges on their holders. From being able to fly in return for compensation to being allowed to take to the airspace in countries outside of the UK, the licence you hold dictates where, how and when you can fly.
The first step to getting your flying licence is to make sure what kind of licence it is that you will need, for which you need to understand the various categories.
Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL)
The Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) is an additional licence for those who wish to pursue a career in aviation. This licence is preferable for those who wish to get a more well-rounded aviation experience, with training focused on single and multi-engine operations. The last stages of training for this licence also include multi-crew experience.
The training for ATPL lasts somewhere around 18 months, and you must be of at least 21 years of age to apply for this certification. For the ATPL, you must have 1500 hours of flight time, 200 hours of which must be spent flying cross-country.
The applicant must also log in 100 hours of night-time flying either as pilot-in-command or as a co-pilot on a flight, as well as 500 hours in multi-pilot flight operations on aeroplanes. The take-off weight of the aeroplane must be at least 5700 kgs.
Applicants for the ATPL must also put in quite a few hours of rigorous studying, with the applicant expected to get at 75% marks in 14 subjects, which include air law, mass and balance, meteorology, general navigation, radio navigation, principles of flight, VFR communication, IFR communication and aircraft general knowledge, among others.
After passing the required exams, the applicant will begin Single Engine Piston (SEP) flight training, following which they will be taught how to fly with instruments. Eventually, they will begin operating in a multi-crew environment.
After all the training has been cleared, they will be free to apply to any airline for a job and be all set to hit the skies!
RATINGS
Ratings are basically the decoration on top of your cake. These are special sub-qualifications that afford the holder certain privileges on top of the basic ones that come with the licence. One kind of rating is an aircraft rating, which specifies what kind of aircraft a pilot can operate with a certain licence.
These can be according to a class of aircraft or the specific type. Class-based ratings have a wider range of aircraft included in them as opposed to the latter. While the kind of aircraft a pilot is allowed to operate is largely dependent on the rating, sometimes special permission can be granted by the CAA to operate an aircraft not covered by the licence.
Other types of ratings include those having to do with whether the pilot can fly the aircraft after dark or not. A Night Rating is granted after the pilot’s skills and experience are thoroughly examined so that they do not put themselves or others in harm’s way.
Why choose Sherburn Aero Club
Sherburn Aero Club, which has been operational since 1964, is the ideal place for most of your training and flying needs. We cater to brand new flyers who have just started their journey to the skies, as well as seasoned flyers who have been operating aircraft for decades.
We offer comprehensive PPL (A) training, as well as the required experience for operating aircraft at night. In addition to this, the club also offers simulators for various training needs and to help new pilots gain confidence before the real deal.
For those who wish to experience the thrill of a flight for fun or to help fuel their aviation dreams, Sherburn offers experience flights for the newbie, as well as the veteran. The flight experience option is also available for people who wish to take to the skies for special occasions, even if they aren’t into aviation for the long run.
If you wish to begin your career in aviation or wish to take to the skies as a hobby, Sherburn offers pilot medicals to ensure a smooth journey going forward. You are required to take medical exams to prove you are fit enough to take to the skies when applying for a licence, and the facility at Sherburn allows you to start off your aviation journey on the right foot.
Call us on 01977 682 674, email us at flightdesk@sherburnaeroclub.com, or message us via our online contact form for more information on the different types of pilot licences in the UK
