This placement would suit... Anyone who's ever dreamed of flying... and would like to make those dreams a reality in a stunning location. This is an idyllic setting in which to learn to fly. Imagine flying along the outstanding Garden Route with mountains on one side and the ocean on the other... and blue skies above and golden sands below. This is a unique opportunity to do something exciting and unusual and gain your pilot's licence at the end of it! Cost benefits By taking this course in South Africa, you save approximately £1,500 - £3,000 compared to the same qualification in the UK. This saving applies including the cost of your international flights to South Africa and up to 10 extra lessons on your return to the UK (if you wish to convert your qualification to a UK one). Plus – you get to spend time exploring South Africa, all your food and accommodation included. No strings attached - this course is an absolute bargain! What to expect To obtain your Private Pilots Licence you'll do a minimum of 40 hours of flight training. 25 hours will be with an instructor and 15 hours will be solo (flying alone). Of these, three hours will be solo cross-country flight time... sound exciting? The Academy is run by an ex SAFAir Captain and most of the staff are ex SAA pilots. The Academy is very popular with learners coming from all over South Africa and from overseas as well. The Academy is based in Plettenberg Bay, which is a beautiful area on the renowned Garden Route and is the first choice holiday location for many people from around the World. It really does have the idyllic attractions that people hanker after - miles of golden sands against the beautiful backdrop of the mountains... and dolphins jumping through the waves close to shore. The Academy has seven aircraft and all the instructors are fully qualified to SA Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) requirements. The private pilots licence is taken on either the Cessna 152 or the Piper Tomahawk, but type rating for other aircraft may be undertaken. (This involves about five hours' flying time on whichever aircraft is selected, plus familiarisation study of that aircraft.) About the Private Pilot's Licence Course The Private Pilots Licence usually takes four to six weeks to complete, but may possibly take a little longer in the winter owing the weather conditions. 40 hours is the minimum requirement (25 hours dual*, 15 hours solo), to obtain your PPL. This is subject to instructor recommendations. The Academy states that when they sign you out, they won't compromise and will ensure your safety. Having said that, 90% of students finish within this time frame. (* Dual instruction means flying under instruction with an instructor.) Requirements: You must be at least 17 years of age to qualify for a Private Pilots Licence. You must also be medically fit and be able to pass a medical examination by an approved South African physician. The medical examination includes chest X-rays, an ECG, vision and hearing tests... and yes, you can fly with spectacles. There is no other basic minimum requirement, but you need to be literate in the English Language and be able to understand basic and advanced mathematics. The three basic requirements for becoming a good pilot are common sense, good coordination and a willingness to stay within the boundaries of both flight regulations and personal piloting ability. ![]() The different elements Initially you will obtain a Student Pilots Licence (SPL). This requires you to pass an elementary written exam in Air Law and pass the Private Pilots Licence Medical. This will allow you to fly solo when you have satisfactorily reached a proficient level in aircraft handling and emergencies as well as take off and landing whilst in the circuit. You will be required to write and pass an exam on Radiotelephony to gain a Restricted Radiotelephony Operators Licence. Additional to this, you will have to write and pass an exam on Air law, Meteorology, Navigation (necessary before you do a cross country flight), principles of flight, instruments and basic technical with emphases on engine and aircraft performance based on a training aircraft. Ground courses are conducted on the required subjects. Finally, you will have to pass a practical general flight test as well as a practical navigation exercise conducted by a Grade ll or Grade l instructor. Once you have a valid Private Pilots Licence, you will be able to fly, within limits of any ratings held as pilot-in-command (PIC), of an aircraft endorsed on your licence and carry passengers, but not for hire or reward. The Academy All instructors at the Academcy are fully qualified and SA CAA approved. Aircraft are fully maintained to SA CAA specifications. Time spent at the academy will be approximately three hours per day, but this may increase, depending on various factors. Flying time on instruction is about one hour, dual and solo, per day. If you want to speed up the process, you may be able to fly twice a day to complete the course quicker. The cost of the course includes a Pilots Bag which you'll receive containing three instruction manuals (study material), Pilots Radio Handbook, and certain basic instruments, maps, etc. Licence conversion: The Academy advises that the SA licence is recognised worldwide. However, you will need to convert it to your home country's requirements. For example, for UK students, the licence would need to be converted to a UK licence with the UK authority, but we have been advised that this is easy to do. Accommodation and living in South Africa You will more than likely live in a hostel. The hostel is beautifully set in a modern house with full facilities and is situated very close to the pretty town centre of Plettenberg Bay. This is very handy for socialising in town in the evenings and weekends. The people in the hostel are very helpful and our volunteers frequently report that their enjoyment is greatly enhanced by the friendliness of the owners and staff. You'll share a room with other Travellers volunteers and you'll also share the communal areas, such as bathrooms, showers, kitchen, etc. with Travellers volunteers and other backpackers. The hostel has a lovely bar, with a pool table and an outdoor deck, ideal for braais (barbeques) and relaxation. Downstairs there is also a large lounge and a TV room. There are lawns and palm trees in the grounds, ideal with lazing and reading a good book. You will need to prepare your own food and there is a communal kitchen that you can use. A food allowance will be given to you and we've found in the past that many of our volunteers group together to take turns in doing the shopping and cooking, but of course you can do your own meal preparation if you prefer. There are some great shops in Plettenberg Bay (the locals call it 'Plett'), including a big supermarket and and a couple of lovely Malls that have outdoor restaurants and burger bars. There are clubs and pubs in the area and, of course, those lovely neverending beaches where you can sit on the sand and watch dolphins jumping through the waves.
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