Frequently Asked Questions

1. How long will it take to complete the Private Pilot Licence (PPL)?
We recommend four weeks, although it can reasonably be completed in three.

2. Is the licence guaranteed in 45 hours?
We do not offer unconditional guarantees, some students may take a little longer than the required minimum. The objective is that you leave here a safe and competent pilot.

3. What are the course start dates?
Please call us for details. All training is conducted on a one to one basis, all you have to do is tell us when you would like to begin.

4. Is the accommodation shared?
The accommodation comprises of one bedroom in a two bedroom apartment. You have your own bedroom but share the living area, kitchen and bathroom. If you wish, you may rent the whole apartment
for an additional charge.

6. Are the aircrafts maintained to FAA Standards?
Our aircraft logbooks are available at any time for inspection. In addition to this, there is a status board showing all the inspections and when they are next due.

6. Will I have numerous flight instructors?
No, we think that you should stay with the same instructor throughout the course. The only times you will fly with somebody different is during stage checks (and the flight test!).

7. What will happen if I do not get on with my instructor?
Very occasionally there is a personality difference between a particular student and instructor. This is easily resolved, simply a case of talking to an instructor or one of the managers.

8. Will I be able to tour in an aircraft after obtaining my licence?
This is no problem at all. Once you have a licence you will be able to visit places such as: The Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Santa Monica and Monument Valley (to name but a few). Santa Catalina island or Big Bear are both an hour away. These two destinations both require an instructor checkout of the route and airport (Big Bear because of density altitude, Catalina because of runway location).

9. What is the best month to train?
We fly 350 days per year and on average have 28 inches less rainfall than Florida every year! And no hurricanes!

10. Can I fly to Mexico?
We do not allow flights to Mexico because of potential insurance problems.

11. Do I have to pay all my money "up front"?
No, all that we ask of you is that you remain in credit with us. If you have any concerns regarding this we will alleviate them. It is best if you concentrate on flight training and not have to worry about finances.

12. Are pilot examiners independent or do they work for the school?
All examiners for FAA ratings are independent so that we can ensure continuous monitoring of our training standards. We do have an on staff JAA examiner.

13. Do I need a student visa to fly in the US?

To complete a full time course of study in the US requires an M-1 training visa which we will issue for you. If you have more queries concerning this please telephone our admissions office.

14. Are the aircraft insured?
Yes they are, but you are not. We strongly recommend obtaining travel insurance which covers you for flying before travelling to the US. The aircraft insurance has a $2500 deductible.

15. Will I need to hire a car?
This is a personal choice and can be easily arranged. If you are completing a PPL or other course, time for sightseeing may be a little limited. If you are here on holiday it is a good idea to hire one for sightseeing.

16. I have a foreign licence, how should I convert it to an FAA equivalent?
To fly solo in the US it is necessary to convert to the FAA. There is no fee for this and it takes around half an hour. Once you have the licence you will need to complete a biennial flight review (one hour ground and one hour flight) to make the FAA licence current.

17. How often will I fly during the PPL course?
During the first ten days of the course it is around two hours per day. After this it is one hour per day solo and dual practice before increasing to three hours per day once you are in the cross country phase.

18. What is the best way to pay for the training ?
We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, cash in $, travellers cheques, US personal cheques or wire transfer. Bank transfer or credit card is the easiest way. For customers who are on long courses, we ask for $10,000 upon arrival and a maximum of two installments thereafter.

19. Are the utilities paid for in the accommodation?
Gas and electricity included with the accommodation rental. If you wish to install a telephone this is independent of American Aviation Academy.