So I am cadet and I am 15 years of age and interested in the new pilot scheme which has been offered in cadets. I’ve been wanting to do my PPL for a while now and I was excited that cadets offer it. However, to be eligible you must be 16 years of age and have a predicted grade of a 4 in English and Maths. Personally I feel like this is unfair as there are people in my year who are 16 who are able to apply to do this even though they haven’t finished year 11 and my birthday is in early August. Are there exceptions for this or would it be best if I went privately and payed around 10 grand?
The Air Cadet Pilot Scheme doesn’t give you a Private Pilots Licence (PPL), it’s only 12 hours of flying training up to first solo standard. A full PPL is 45 hours of flying training plus you can’t be awarded a PPL until you are aged 17 and you can’t fly powered aircraft solo under CAA rules until you are 16. That is why you need to be 16 to apply for the ACPS.
MB
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I do understand that. However there’s flight schools which allow you to start training from 14 and solo from 16
Whole point of the ACPS is to end with a solo flight.
So you must be 16 at start of course.
Sorry but thems the law and the RAFAC rules.
Always can apply next year.
Corrected that for you.
Its bare bones 45 hours.
Best to factor 50 to 55 if being realistic to take account of weather etc.
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And the rest.
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Yes but ACPS is an intense two week residential course with the aim of getting your first solo at the end. No point going through all of the training at 15 and not being able to solo at the end of the 14 days if you are up to the required standard.
Remember the ACTO only says you need to be aged 16 when the course commences not on application. If selected for an ACPS place you can choose the course date that suits you in that particular year.
MB
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yeah no i’m not waiting that long. Ill just do it at a flight school which offer it from 14.
No, you can start training at 14, can’t go solo until you’re 16 and license issued when you’re 17.
Source: Friendly Resident PPL/CPL instructor
IIRC you can go solo in a glider from the age of 14
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You’re not listening.
Yes. You can ‘go flying’ and ‘start your training’ at 14.
No. You can’t go solo til 16.
That is uk law.
First solo is lesson 15 of the PPL syllabus approx 12 to 16 hours in, depending on factors.
So you cant really progress beyond that until you are 16.
But. Hey what do we know…
We tell students to budget for 10-11k, shouldn’t be much more than that.
Come see me if you want 
Train me for tinnys 
Hampshire Aeroplane Club said plan for 14k then anything is left over is either bonus or hour building
Very much depends on location, aircraft to be flown, size of school, etc etc.
For example goodwood or similar flying school.
Very posh… 20k isnt unheard of.
Small grass strip, taught by grandad… 6k.
Anywhere in between…
Exercise 14 
, Exercise 15 is advanced turning
But you know all this.
It’s for the younger fella.
Depends on which ‘syllabus’ you use I guess…
After all it isnt written down in law.
Just convention.
More money than sense (learning to fly outta somewhere like Shoreham) or in something like a cirrus. 
Find somewhere that doesn’t charge you per landing
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Sounds like L3 prices!
Actually it is 
(well maybe law is the wrong word, but certainly regulations)
FCL.215 - Syllabus of Training
But we digress
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Well blow me down and ■■■■■■ me sideways… that’s new to me.
Wernt like that in my day…
Lessons 1-22 ending in skills test…
NVM.
Lesson 14 / 15.
Same diff. Either way unless they have got more money than sense, it ain’t happening… even then… it still ain’t…
Not til they’re 16!
But they never listen.
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