Learning to Fly

With

[IAS] Irish Aero Sports Flying Club, Kilkenny Airfield, Kilkenny, Ireland


At Irish Aero Sports Flying Club we love to fly......particularly Microlight aeroplanes
Traditionally, learning to fly has always been seen as expensive and beyond most peoples' reach financially, but this is not the case anymore. Most people learn to fly light aircraft for fun and for the challenge. With the development of modern microlight aircraft which are economical to operate, extremely well-designed and engineered, Learning to fly is now within everybody's reach, with Irish Aero Sports Flying Club!
The Requirements to Learn to Fly! The minimum age to start logging flight hours towards your licence is 15 years old. The minimum age to achieve a student pilot's licence (SPL) and to fly solo under supervision of a flight instructor is 16. To obtain a student pilot's license, you must first undergo a straight forward medical examination with an aviation medical examiner. Basically, you must be in good health with good eyesight and hearing, and not be over weight. The PPL (M) course of consists of a minimum of 40 hours flight training, of which - At least 25 hours must be with a flying instructor. At least 10 hours must be supervised solo flight. At least 5 hours must be solo cross country navigational flights. Typically student pilots fly once a week or every 10 days and can expect to complete the course over a 12 month period. This is normally the case because students are not working intensively towards completing the course, preferring to take a more relaxed approach and to enjoy the experience. Weather is, of course, also a limiting factor here in Ireland! The course also includes classroom study of the theoretical knowledge subjects covering: air law, aircraft general knowledge, flight performance and planning, meteorology, navigation and principles of flight, in preparation for multiple choice written exams covering the required subjects. While evening classes are available, students are strongly advised to study at home. Study material is available in both book form, on CD ROM and notes from your instructor. What about the costs? Flying club membership is €100 per annum. Flying lessons cost €135, which includes a pre-flight briefing and one hour of flying instruction in the club aircraft. Lesson slots are at 2 hour intervals, instruction being available 7 days per week, weather permitting. The average medical examination cost is €150. Student Pilot License issued by the Irish Aviation Authority is presently €70. Written exam fee is €35 per exam and there are 4 exams in total. Flight test with a flight examiner is in the region €400. Hire of the aircraft for the flight test is €100 per hour. Please note that many of these quoted prices are beyond our control and are liable to change - treat these as rough estimates! If you would like to learn more or book your first flight, feel free to telephone, or drop in for coffee and a chat any time. We love having visitors, and people always enjoy the atmosphere of the club and the airfield.
What to do when you have achieved your licence? Several options are open to new PPL holders. The first and easiest is to continue to fly for fun at club level - that is to say, remain a club member and hire the club aircraft. Some people form a group and buy an aircraft between them - others buy an aircraft for themselves. Microlight aircraft can be purchased for as little as €8,000, for a basic machine.