Accelerated PPL training

[laurentcarlisle]

Hi,

At Pilotage Évolution in Gatineau, they offer an intensive PPL program this summer.

I'm 28, always wanted to fly for pleasure or as a career and I have the opportunity to do my PPL training within 10 weeks .

Do you think it's doable or realistic

Thanks,

[ahramin]

Easily. Every year hundreds of Air Cadets complete their PPL in 7 weeks.

[niss]

With money, motivation, and a mountain of cocaine there isn't anything you can't do.

[photofly]

Easily. Every year hundreds of Air Cadets complete their PPL in 7 weeks.

Curious... What is the success rate? Are there hundreds more every year who don't complete it in 7 weeks?

[ahramin]

I don't have any actual statistics but in my year the pass rate was 24 out of 24. No one sent from any squadron I have volunteered with has ever failed. I've actually never heard of a fail though I'm sure it happens. I don't think they would be continuing with the program if half the candidates were failing though. I should explain that if you fall behind in your flight training, fail the written, or otherwise get to the point where you are unlikely to complete your licence in 45 hours you will probably get sent home and if you want to finish you will do so on your own dime and time so everyone is pretty motivated to keep to the 7 week schedule.

[Broken Slinky]

Easily. Every year hundreds of Air Cadets complete their PPL in 7 weeks.

Curious... What is the success rate? Are there hundreds more every year who don't complete it in 7 weeks?

I don't have the exact numbers but it is a very, very small percentage. These kids are pretty intelligent and motivated. Failure is usually because of attitude and personality issues and not piloting ability. By the time they reach the power pilot program the majority have already been exposed to flying in one form or another. Whether glider training and ground school, etc... They're put through a pretty aggressive program just to be selected for the power pilot training. The program also allows for some additional training hours if the student is a little weak in certain areas. The instructors also really want to see these kids succeed because they put so much effort into it. I've seen instructors helping out Cadets on their own time just to make sure they get their wings.

That being said, would I try to do my PPL in 7 weeks in the middle of summer? Hell no! I'll wait until the cooler months of Sept to Nov. Stretching it out to 10 weeks will allow you to deal with weather too.

[DSoup]

Like was already mentioned, the students who get the scholarship have about 80% of the FTGU memorized by that point through needing to write an entrance exam in order to compete for a spot. And because they're 17 year old kids it's the only thing they have going in their lives for that summer.

When I did that 10 years ago everyone except one person on my course had a glider license, and the one who didn't had worked out a deal at her local cadet gliding center to get 10 famil flights in before her power scholarship for basic control skills. We "lost" 3 out of about 20, 1 for the written exam (she was academically weak to begin with) another voluntarily (she'd get really stressed out by flying and flustered and wasn't going to make the "solo in 12 hours or go home" limit) and the last guy partially failed his flight test and finished with us but paid for another few hours of instruction. Other than that 17/20 finished in 6 week with time to spare no issues.

So yes it's entirely possible that 10 weeks is a realistic time frame but it's going to likely need to be your focus. When you're not in the plane you're thinking about the plane or studying the POH, or the Transport Canada flying guide and flight test guide or the from the ground up or practicing reading weather or navigation etc etc.

[PropToFeather]

10 weeks in the summer is realistic* and doable**

As others have said,
* - If the weather cooperates,
** - Provided that you can be at the airport 5-7 days a week, and make flying a full-time commitment.

Make sure you also budget an extra 15-25% of whatever price you're quoted, since it is likely that it only includes the bare minimum hours to get to your license. Which, depending on your ability and your instructor(s) ability, may be a mere "suggestion"

[piperdriver]

Hi,

At Pilotage Évolution in Gatineau, they offer an intensive PPL program this summer.

I'm 28, always wanted to fly for pleasure or as a career and I have the opportunity to do my PPL training within 10 weeks .

Do you think it's doable or realistic

Thanks,

This is a very realistic goal. I flew once in the morning and again in the afternoon every day the weather allowed and finished my PPL in 5.5 weeks and logged 63 hours of flight time in the process.

[lazyeight]

I did my PPL in 3 months-ish (maybe closer to 4 if I go tally the exact dates) and I was full time but on my own schedule. Many days I did not fly because of lack of plane availability etc... if it's an intensive program I assume they are making the planes priority for you yes I think it's completely doable. Maybe try to get your PPL written done first?