TOP TIPS

The more prepared for your lessons the more you’ll get out of it. At the end of each lesson your instructor should give you a head’s up on what you will cover on your next lesson. Take time between your lessons to study. It’s suggested that you should do 4 hours of studying for every hour you fly. During your initial training you can read and re-read the chapter for your next lesson. During later lessons make sure you arrive with a good understanding of the conditions. Will there be a crosswind? Have you done all of your preparation before your lesson? Turn up before your lesson is booked to complete all the necessary pre-flight preparation and think about what might affect your flight.

A common trap for aspiring pilots is that they get so excited with the flying that they neglect studying for these exams. Start studying for these exams NOW to avoid having to cram towards the end of your course. Not only does it make the latter part of the course unpleasant having the burden of lots of exams to complete but the information you will learn will have practical benefits for your lessons.

You are not alone. If you are struggling with something during your training, chances are someone has been there and got the t-shirt. All of our staff have been through at least the PPL so will be able to give you advice on how to study. Our instructors are available to provide ground instruction for exams or if you would prefer we run ground school courses during the winter months for the more substantial exams. There are lots of other resources online as well which can offer help. Try posting something to our Facebook page or get chatting to a fellow trainee.

There is a famous quote in aviation:

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“A superior pilot uses his superior judgment to avoid situations which require the use of their superior skill.”

The basis of this is that there is more to flying than just steering the aircraft about the sky. It’s about making the decisions to make sure that the aircraft is in a safe state. During your first few lessons your instructor will make most of the decisions regarding the safety of the flight, allowing you to focus on operating the aircraft but as you progress you should try to be more involved in the decision making processes both before and during the flight.

Throughout your training there will be highs and lows. Every pilot does a bad landing or has a bad flight and it will feel like a step backwards. Don’t get down, remember that you are doing this for fun. Enjoy the journey and treat every flight, good or bad, as a learning experience!