Private pilot training - PPL

For Whom is this Training Intended?

A Private Pilot License entitles you to act without remuneration as pilot in command or co-pilot of an aircraft for private use. Just for fun or for the sake of business trips across the Czech Republic or abroad. Once in possession of your licence, you may carry your friends, family or business partners on board—provided that the flights will be carried out free of charge.

What are the pre-requisites?

Once you decide to obtain a private pilot license, the first step is to pass a medical examination with a specialized aviation physician. The exam usually takes one hour and almost everyone passes successfully. The Class 2 Medical Certificate (required for the PPL) has a validity of five years for persons less than 30 years of age, and two years for the pilots aged more than 30.

Before your first flight, you must also obtain a Radio Operator License which authorizes you to use the on-board radio equipment. The Radio Operator License is issued by the Czech Telecommunication Office after you have passed a practical exam. To all those who want to fly abroad we recommend to obtain the so-called “General Radio Operator License” the validity of which is not limited to the territory of the Czech Republic.

Theory courses on different subjects required by the civil aviation authority take place at the same time as your practical flight training. They might take the form of evening lectures, briefing and debriefing before and after each flight and, above all, an interactive educational program that is available to you at any time. You will learn the basics of aerodynamics and flight mechanics, meteorology, navigation, aviation regulations and other topics. You will need those basics not just for your theory tests, but mainly in order to master your practical flying.

The Practical Flight Training Itself

After a lesson spent inside the cockpit of an airplane on the ground, intended to gain awareness of the controls and the layout of the cabin, you and your instructor will set off for the first familiarization flight during which your instructor will teach you how to control the airplane in straight and level flight.

Your first ten or so hours of flight training will be with an instructor on-board (this is called “dual time”). Then comes the most significant moment in a pilot's career: your first solo flight. We will only send you up solo when we are fully satisfied that you can handle the flight safely, and you feel ready and confident to do so.

Once you've mastered basic handling of the airplane and gained competence in planning and managing flights, you will hone your navigation skills by flying cross-country, first with an instructor and then solo. This is one of the most rewarding parts of your training, during which you will explore the Czech countryside and immerse yourself in the unique atmosphere of many Bohemian and Moravian aeroclubs. At the same time, you will also be flying from large commercial airports such as Prague's, where you will learn to communicate with air traffic controllers and gain an insight into the world of professional flying.

Exams and Final Skills Test

After the completion of theory training you will be issued a certificate—with this you will undergo testing at the Civil Aviation Authority. In order to be eligible to book the practical skills test you must have passed all the theory tests.

To give an idea, the practical skills test that demonstrates your flying competence is comparable to a driving license exam. Completion of the flight training syllabus is required and the required minimum of 45 hours of flight training is sufficient for most students. The test takes place with our in-house examiner so you don't have to, as in other schools, wait until a CAA examiner becomes available. We will of course prepare you thoroughly for the test; passing it will be a piece of cake for you. During the test you will demonstrate your ability to safely control the aircraft during all phases of flight, navigate, interact and respond to a simulated emergency situation. Its duration is about one hour and a half.

If flying only on weekends, the whole course can be completed in about three months. Alternatively, we also offer an intensive training program which can be done in about a month, subject to weather and steady progression on the part of the student.. Should you have any questions concerning the training or its syllabus, do not hesitate to contact us via e-mail at the address info@aviatickyklub.cz.

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