Questions and Answers

Is PPL appropriate for me if I want to be a professional pilot?

PPL is always the first step to obtain the qualification of a business or an airline pilot. In the event that you decide to undertake basic training in the US and want to be a professional pilot, we will plan to achieve other qualifications (CPL, MEP, IR, ATPL) so that you can get there in a short time, high quality and as cheap as possible. However, even within the PPL you have the option to get additional qualifications – to get acrobatic training, to become able to tow airplanes or banners (TOW qualifications), or, for example, to fly multi-engine aircrafts.

How can I recognize a high-quality flying school?

Maintenance and safety techniques are comparable thanks to strict regulations today. All decent commercial schools employ full-time instructors, fly every day and allow you to pay for training during real flight hours. Create a list of your favorites. Visit them and ask how many aircraft in the hangar they actually have, how many pupils they have trained and whether you will actually meet the instructors with thousands of hours, which are referred to on the Web, during your training. And try to guess if they still enjoy flying training with their students. Because if they enjoy the training you will as well.

How about my health in order to pass the medical examination?

Medical examination needed to obtain the private pilot license is not difficult and the vast majority of common health issues (glasses, higher blood pressure, etc.) do not matter. Almost every middle aged person can pass the test.

I'm a ULL pilot. Can I get some relief when training for a private pilot license?

This is defined by the JAR-FCL 1 regulation. The ULL licence allows its holder to deduce up to ten percent - up to a maximum of 10 hours - of the hours from the minimum required for PPL training (45 h).

After getting the private pilot license will I be able to carry my friends and acquaintances on board?

Yes, after obtaining the private pilot aircraft license, you have the right to take on board other people. Some operators lease their planes to pilots with a higher number of flight hours (e. g. 10 on the given type) but this is not a general rule however.

Where can I fly after obtaining a PPL?

Anywhere in the world. Private pilot license (PPL) is an internationally acclaimed certificate you can hire an aircraft and fly with around the world.

How far can I fly during one flight?

With the usual types of aircraft (Cessna, Piper, Zlin) you can get from Prague for example to Croatia.  Fuel carried on board usually allows a non-stop flight time around four hours and travel speed ranges between 180-200 km/h.

How many flight hours do I need to keep a private pilot license?

Basically 12 hours per year. However we recommend that you fly more - this requirement is a minimum in aviation regulations from the perspective of maintaining necessary habits and safety.

Some people say that for basic training it is better to use a complicated Czech aircraft than a simple American Cessna. Who learns to fly on a “Zlin” is supposedly a better pilot ...?

Such opinions are not supported by any proof and manifest merely a personal preference (and a certain mind-narrowness) of the pilot. We are of the opinion that in any training it is appropriate to proceed from simple to complex. Hundreds of thousands of public and private transport pilots learn to fly on Cessna aircrafts. In addition, most US aircrafts are better equipped, for example for the radio navigation purposes. If, after obtaining a PPL on a Cessna you retrain in Zlin aircrafts, you will not have any problems.

Training from scratch for a professional pilot costs almost a million CZK. How do I pay for it?

Each partial qualification you will acquire gradually, usually over three years. Gradually, it is therefore you will pay. Try at least to do a smooth PPL training for the beginning. You can train even at a very slow pace performing another job. In Czech and in the rest of the world flying is usually only the second profession you take up – commonly in your thirties. You can get a loan from a bank at the end of the PPL training; but carefully - consider if it should be a large amount. It might happen that you will be looking for a job in aviation for a number of months.

Is flying safe?

Comparing the number of motor-powered aircraft accidents with accidents on the road we can only recommend flying. The vast majority of aircraft accidents is caused by some sort of violation of aviation rules. If you fly in accordance to regulations the probability that something happens is very small.