Private Pilot License

A Private Pilot License (PPL) truly gives you the freedom of flight.  With your PPL, you can fly an aircraft, take friends and family for rides, travel on your own schedule and explore the romance of flight. The PPL is the basis for all additional licenses and ratings and its the first license most pilots earn.
The Ottawa Flight College Private Pilot License program teaches you to be a safe and proficient pilot while you work towards the PPL. This is a non-vocational program aimed at students who want to learn to fly for fun and at professionals who are just starting on their careers. 

Admission

The Ottawa Flight College welcomes everyone and anyone that wants to learn how to fly.  If you are willing to put forth the effort to become a Pilot, we will be happy to train you. 

There are no admission requirements but you will need to meet the following requirements during your training:

1. You must be at least 14 years of age before you can  fly solo.  You can start training at an earlier age but you will not be able to solo until you turn 14.  You must be at least 17 to complete the license.
2. You require a Category 4 Medical Certificate to go solo and a Category 3 Medical Certificate before you get your license.  It is highly recommended that you get a Category 3 Medical Certificate at the start as the medical paperwork can take a long time and may delay your training.
3. You must pass an oral English Proficiency Exam.

The best way to start your training is to come into or call the Flight College and book an introductory flight. This first flight enables you to experience the joys of flying before you commit to a training program. An introductory flight lesson includes:

• a hands-on aircraft orientation;
• education and pre-flight demonstration by one of our professional Flight Instructors;
• a guided lesson on how to taxi and take-off; and
• a chance to fly the airplane under the guidance of your instructor.

If you are still keen after the introductory flight, you can start your training at any time.  All we require is that you
complete a student application and admission form which provides us with
the information we need for our records and gives you access to our booking system.  The tuition fee, payable on
application, includes a student membership in the Ottawa Flying Club and
the PPL ground school.  Books and flight fees are charged separately.

Once the application form is completed, you can choose when and how often you fly based on your own schedule.  Apart from the ground school portion of the program, the training is one-on-one with the instructor of your choice at a pace that suits your schedule.  The instructor will guide you through your flight training to ensure every milestone is met.  

The Private Pilot ground school is held three times a year and you can join the class in progress at any time, picking up the classes you missed in the next class.

Program of Study

Flight Training

A minimum of 45 hours of flight time must be acquired but the typical student will require around 70 hours to be ready for the Flight Test.  Of these hours, a minimum of 17 hours must be Dual, which must include 3 hours of cross country time and 5 hours of Instrument time.  A minimum of 12 hours must be Solo, which must include 5 hours of cross country time.  you will also receive 40 hours of one-on-one ground briefings with your instructor.  During this time you will gain extensive experience in all aspects of aircraft handling, emergency procedures, radio procedures, navigation and basic instrument handling.  

At the end of the flight training, a flight test must be completed by a Flight Test Examiner.

Ground School

A minimum of 40 hours of ground school must be completed and the Ottawa Flight College provides 54 hours over 18 weeks to ensure every topic can be suitably covered.  At the end of every private ground school session a new one begins so you can start in the middle of one and take the missing classes from the next session.  In the classes you will gain valuable knowledge in Air Law, Navigation, Meteorology, and Aeronautics - General Knowledge.

These classes will help prepare you for the mandatory Transport Canada Written Examination. A minimum of 60% must be obtained in each of the 4 sections.

Graduation

Students who successfully earn the Private Pilots License will receive a Certificate from the Ottawa Flight College.  Each May, at the Ottawa Flying Club's annual Wings Dinner, the graduate students are celebrated.

Fees

Fees for the Private Pilot License Program will vary depending on the individual pilots skill and abilities. The following table calculates the fees for a typical student.