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Sloane Helicopters Flying School

Private Pilot Licence - PPL(H)

On completion, a PPL(H) allows you to pilot a helicopter for personal use. This provides the pilot with the freedom of the skies and permits the carriage of passengers for personal purposes, not for monetary gain.

We can accommodate students on both a full time and part time basis depending on individual needs. A full time PPL(H) course will take between four to six weeks to complete and a part time course length will vary depending on the student’s level of attendance.

The course is completed by passing a Skill Test where an in-house Flight Examiner will observe the core skills attained on the course. These include the ability to navigate, deal with abnormal and emergency procedures, flying by sole reference to the instruments and general handling skills.

The course comprises both practical helicopter flying and the study of a range of theoretical subjects.


Flying School Brochure

Syllabus

Price List
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Private Pilot Licence - PPL(H) — Course Syllabus

Prerequisites:

  • An applicant must be 17 years of age for licence issue.
  • An applicant must be at least 14 years of age for flying hours to count towards the issue of the PPL(H).
  • An applicant may act as Pilot in Command from 16 years of age.
  • An applicant must hold a valid CAA class 1 or class 2 medical certificate.

License Validity:

  • All CAA licences are valid for life.

PPL(H) Flight Syllabus:

A PPL(H) requires a minimum of 45 hours flying time which must include 10 hours of “solo” flight time. The airborne exercises are as follows:

  • Familiarisation with the Helicopter 
  • Preparation for and Action After Flight
  • Air Experience (First Flight)
  • Effects of Controls
  • Power and Attitude Changes
  • Level Flight
  • Climbing
  • Descending
  • Turning
  • Basic Autorotation
  • Hovering and Taxiing
  • Take-off and Landing
  • Transitions from Hover to Climb and Approach to Hover
  • Circuit, Approach and Landing
  • First Solo
  • Hovering Sideways and Backwards
  • Spot Turns
  • Hover out of Ground Effect (OGE), Vortex Ring
  • Simulated Engine off Landings (EOL)
  • Advanced Autorotation
  • Practice Forced Landings
  • Steep Turns
  • Advanced Transitions
  • Quick Stops
  • Navigation
  • Advanced Take-off, Landings and Transitions
  • Sloping Ground Operations
  • Limited Power Operations
  • Confined Area Operations
  • Basic Instrument Flight

PPL(H) Theoretical Syllabus:

The ground school subjects can be learned either by self-study in your own time or by one-to-one instruction and each subject has an exam to pass at the appropriate time.

  • Air Law
  • Operational Procedures
  • Meteorology
  • Navigation
  • Aircraft General Knowledge
  • Human performance and limitations
  • Helicopter General and Principles of flight
  • Flight Performance and Planning
  • Radiotelephony Communications (written)
  • Radiotelephony Communications (practical)

LAPL(H): The Light Aircraft Pilots Licence(H) has the same prerequisites and requirements as a PPL(H) but only a LAPL medical is required and the minimum time for completion is 40 hours.