The Pre-Requisites to Start the Private Pilot Licence:

• No Age restriction, start flying at any age (reaching the pedals and seeing adequately out the front windscreen is easier when you are at least 4 feet tall)
• Prior to Flying Solo (typically around 20-30 hours into the training) you will need to be at least 14 years old and will need at least a Category 4 Medical
• A Medical is not required to start flying, but you will want to start the process to obtain a Category 3 Aviation Medical early on to avoid delays in the training program.
• Groundschool is not required prior to starting flight training (we will cover all of the preperatory ground instruction in a briefing room prior to each flight)
• No high school diploma is required to start or complete any of the training courses we offer including the Commercial Pilot Licence
• Should be in good physical health to manage various G Forces in flight
• Should not be prone to motion sickness or manage it with simple medication like Gravol
• Should be of average build; larger body types with weights in excess of 300lbs may not adequately fit in the aircraft or be able to latch the seat belt.

The Requirements to Complete a Private Pilot Licence:

• Be a minimum of 17 years old
• Have a valid Category 3 Aviation Medical
• Complete the required Groundschool and Flight Training
• Successfully complete a Written Exam and Flight Test

Groundschool for the Private Pilot Licence can be In-Class or Online.

OSFS offers In-Class Groundschool sessions for the Private Pilot Licence and Recreational Pilot Permit a couple of times each year.  You can see the latest Groundschool Information at this link.

If you can’t make it out to our in person classes or would like to supplement our classes with additional content, we recommend an online option from Canadian Flight Trainers.

PPL Groundschool involves a minimum of 40 hours of content including:

• Licensing, Airframes and Pre-Flight
• Theory of Flight
• Aero Engines
• Flight Instruments
• Weight and Balance
• Aerodromes
• Performance
• Air Law
• Radio Procedures
• Radio Navigation Aids & Global Navigation Satellite Systems
• Meteorology
• Flight Computer
• Navigation
• Human Factors & Pilot Decision Making
• Exam Prep

The Flight Training required for a Private Pilot Licence is as follows:

• 45 Hours Minimum (Transport Canada)
  • 17 hours dual which must include
    • 5 hours instrument
    • 3 hours cross country
  • 12 hours solo which must include
    • 5 hours cross-country flight

*As mentioned above, these “minimum times” from Transport Canada are not realistic, the average student finishes closer to 80 hours.  We have developed a program that is more realistic that adds up to about 70 hours of flying.  See the Hours and Cost Estimate link below.

In order to complete the Private Pilot Licence you must also complete:

• Private Pilot Written Exam (PPAER).
  • The exam is a 3 ½ hour, multiple choice type exam with 100 questions.
  • The pass mark is 60%.
  • This exam is available to write at the Owen Sound Airport.

• Private Pilot Flight Test (With a designated Transport Canada Flight Test Examiner)
  • The flight test is undertaken at the Owen Sound Airport

Hours and Cost Estimate based on the breakdown of hours as outlined in our Progressive Flight Education Program.

The total cost to complete the program is heavily dependant on student performance and the total hours it takes to reach the level of proficiency required to complete the program.  The following breakdown assumes students complete the course in the projected timeline starting from zero and completing the entire course at OSFS.  Students coming to us with various levels of flight experience can be given a custom estimate based on their hours and final costs will vary based on overall performance.

A few points of clarification before interpreting the information in the link below:

Dual – means flying time with an instructor.  For the first few flight levels you will be flying with an instructor, but eventually while still in the training program, you will begin to fly by yourself to practice exercises we have taught you.  When flying Dual, you are paying for the Aircraft Rental and the Instructor for time in the aircraft, and for the Instructor only before and after the flight during pre and post flight briefings..

Solo– means flying by yourself while under the guidance of an instructor.  You will be sent out to practice various exercises in the airplane all alone after a thorough pre-flight briefing on the ground.  Prior to being licenced, you will complete some solo flight time to gain confidence in your techniques.  When flying Solo you are paying for the Aircraft Rental when fling, and the Instructor before and after the flight during pre and post flight briefings.

IFR SIM – means time in our flight simulator when you undergo training that counts towards the 5 hours of required Instrument Training Time.  This is logable time towards your licence working on techniques that apply to the world of IFR (Instrument Flight Rules).

Dual / Solo FTD – means time in our flight simulator for basic visual flying procedures.  In this scenario we use the same piece of infrastructure, but we use it as a Flight Training Device where the intention is not to log instrument time, but to practice procedures that can save you time and money in the airplane.  The sim is a great tool to practice exercises like Climbing, Descending, Turns, Slipping and Landings as well as Emergency Procedures.  We may also send students into the sim for solo practice of visual manouvers, this is called Solo FTD and is another great tool for the student to achieve increased proficiency in basic manouvers in order to maximize their value in the actual airplane.

PGI – means Preparatory Ground Instruction.  This is the time before the flight where you sit with your instructor one on one, to talk about vital information about the upcoming flight.  This is more of the “what” and “how” of the upcoming flight lesson, whereas Groundschool in a classroom environment is more about the “why, where and when”, discussing more theory and scenario based information.

With this knowledge in mind, have a look at our program breakdown with estimated cost which includes everything we could think of to get you through the Private Pilot Licence, including Flights, Briefings, Books, Groundschool, Exams, Flight Tests and taxes.

See this link for our latest Hours and Cost Estimate for the Private Pilot Licence Program.

Q.  How long does it take to get a licence?

• Well, that depends on a number of factors, most notably how often you come out to fly!  Weather delays and varying student abilities will also play a major role, but as an idea if you come out once a week it’s not unrealistic to be done in 12 – 18 months.  If you flying 5 days a week and you have average or above skill in the airplane, an aviation medical in hand and a strong aptitude for the written exam, with favorable weather conditions its possible to get this done in 6 months.   Most people take 1-3 years to get the license as they are often balancing many other demands for their time in their personal lives.

Q.  Do I have to do groundschool before I start flying?

• No, not at all.  There is a common misconception that you need to start, or finish the groundschool before flying, but this is simply not true.  You will at some point have to complete the groundschool, however you can start flying at any time!  Realistically you could do around 20 hours of flying before requiring the information obtained in the groundschool, this is because before each flight we will cover all necessary information in a Pre-Flight Briefing.  We do however recommend if you are in the groundschool, to do a little bit of flying, as the time in the air will give you a better understanding of the topics we cover in class.

Q.  How often do I have to fly to keep my licence valid?

• This is a classic question that is often circulated through misinformation.  Your licence will never become invalid, as long as your medical is current.  There are however Currency Requirements for licensed pilots who are renting airplanes.  For insurance purposes our renal pilots are required to fly once every 45 days, otherwise they just need to do a few circuits with an instructor to get back into the swing of things.  This requirement is not the same if you own your own aircraft.

Q.  What are the medical requirements to be a pilot?

• There are different medical requirements depending on your age and the medical category you are maintaining.  Different licences require different medical categories.  A Recreational Pilot Permit requires a Category 4 Aviation Medical, Private Pilot Licence a Category 3 and Commercial Pilot Licence requires a Category 1.  For a thorough summary you can look at the Aeronautical Information Manual.  If you find this difficult to interpret don’t fret, your flight instructor will help guide you in the right direction!

Q.  How old do I have to be to fly a plane?

• You can start flying at any time! We even have special cushions for anyone young and old to assist with reaching the controls and seeing over the dash for flight training. At 14 years old you can get a Student Pilot Permit which allows flying solo without an instructor on board the airplane, this happens approximately halfway through the training. There is a minimum age of 17 to finish the Private Pilot’s License.

Q.  What if I wear glasses, can I still be a pilot?

• Absolutely!  There are pilots all over the world flying with glasses or contacts.  Your vision does not have to be 20/20, but it should be corrected sufficiently through some kind of corrective lens or procedure.  Even pilots who suffer from color blindness can still fly, they just may have some restrictions like daylight flying only.

Q.  If I want to buy my own airplane, can you teach me to fly it?

• Depending on our workload for any given season we may or may not be able to offer training in private aircraft.  If it is a type we are familiar with that is a good start.  There are a lot of variables to consider, and you can review our policies and procedures for training in private aircraft in our Private Aircraft Handbook linked on this page.

Q.  How much does it cost to get a pilots licence?

• Getting a  pilots license is a big financial commitment, but not much more than a decent used car or a year away at university.  Our pay as you go program makes getting a licence affordable as you only pay for each lesson after each flight. For more information on cost check out our guide how to save money on flight training.  You can see additional cost information on the PPL above.