Have you ever dreamed of hopping into an airplane with a couple of buddies and flying yourselves to a remote hunting camp? How about flying yourself south for the winter? If so, then a private pilot licence would be perfect for you.

A private pilot licence allows you to fly single engine piston driven aircraft in Canada or the USA, and you can carry as many passengers as there are seats in the airplane. Unlike the Recreational Pilot Permit, the Private Pilot Licence allows you to expand your flying potential by adding ratings to your licence. (eg. Night rating, Instrument rating, Multi Engine rating etc…)

There is no age limit to start training but you must be 14 years old to fly solo and 17 years old to receive a Private Pilot Licence. The Private Pilot ground school course is 42 hours long, spread out over several weeks and includes topics such as air law, theory of flight, airframes, instruments, radio procedures, flight operations, licensing, meteorology, navigation, etc.

The Private Pilot Licence takes on average 14 months to complete, flying once per week. If you were to fly every day it can be done in as little as 3 months, or if you would like to take your time, 4 years. There is no time limit to complete this licence and we will work around your schedule. Transport Canada sets the “Minimum Flight Time” at 45 hours, however this is an unrealistic goal for most aspiring pilots and should not be considered when budgeting for a Private Pilot Licence.  On average, a student can expect to take between 60-80 hours of flying to get their Private Pilot Licence.  Depending on a students personal abilities and how often you are able to fly, it could take more, it could take less. Costs will vary depending on student ability and frequency of flying. For more information on what sort of factors affect costs, see our document how to save money on flight training.

For information give us a call at (519) 372-1259 and we will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have!