EASA Light Aircraft Pilot Licence

The EASA Light Aircraft Pilot Licence is a pan-European qualification that allows you to fly, during daylight hours and in fair weather, anywhere in the EU on a non-commercial basis. Unlike the PPL, LAPL holders are limited to aircraft with a maximum weight of 2,000kg and carrying no more than 3 passengers. The LAPL is not internationally recognised outside the EU, so if you plan to fly abroad in the future (for instance, in the USA), then the PPL would be more appropriate. The privileges of the licence can be extended somewhat by adding “ratings” for Night and Aerobatic flight.

We provide all the required training and testing for the issue of a LAPL, as well as courses for the additional ratings mentioned above. Keep reading, or contact us, to find out more.

The Basics…

On completion of the course and passing the Skills Test, you will be issued with an EASA LAPL (Aeroplanes), with embedded privileges to fly Single Engine Piston aeroplanes. Both the licence itself and the embedded privileges are valid for life, but you must meet certain “rolling” experience requirements in order to maintain currency.

The course consists of a minimum of 30 hours flying, with several multiple-choice theory exams and finally, a practical Skills Test.

Before you start…

Age

There is no minimum age for starting training. However, you cannot fly solo until you are 16 and cannot hold a licence until you are 17. There is also no maximum age for holding a LAPL. As long as you can pass the medical, you can fly!

Medical

You must be able to obtain a LAPL medical certificate in order to hold a LAPL. You may be able to do this through your own GP, if they are registered with the CAA. Although it is not a requirement to hold a medical to begin training and the standards are not too onerous, we strongly recommend that you satisfy yourself of your medical fitness before investing in any training. For more information on medicals, please visit the UK CAA Website.

What does the course involve?…

Flying

The course consists of a minimum of 30 hours of flying, including:
Icon24 hours dual instruction
Icon6 hours solo flying
(of which 3 hours must be solo cross-country flying)
Icon80nm solo “Qualifying Cross Country” flight
(including landing at another airfield)

The hours above are the minimum legal requirement for the issue of a licence and the actual time taken to complete the course will vary. A realistic average can be approximately 45 hours, depending on how regularly you fly, so we recommend that you take this into account when planning your training.

At the end of the course, you will have to pass a Skills Test (just like your driving test) before you are able to apply for your licence.

Theory

There are nine short multiple-choice exams to pass as you progress through the course:
IconAircraft General Knowledge
IconPrinciples of Flight
IconFlight Performance & Planning
IconAir Law
IconOperational Procedures
IconHuman Performance & Limitations
IconMeteorology
IconNavigation
IconCommunications

Much of this requires self-study in your free time. However, it is also supplemented by regular classroom time with our instructors.

There is also a separate Radio Communications practical test to complete, which will allow you to operate the aircraft radios once you have your licence.

Cost

We aim to provide you with the best possible value for money at Horizon Aviation and are always working to keep our rates as low as possible. We currently offer two different payment options for the LAPL course.

Contact us for the latest price.

Payable in 6 instalments (equivalent to 5 hours’ flying), our LAPL package offers value for money, while protecting your investment by limiting the size of your payments.

The package includes:
IconStudent membership for 12 months
Icon30 hours of flying (including all landings at Bournemouth)
IconOur complete theoretical knowledge course (including classroom instruction)
IconAll theory exams and the R/T practical test

Any landings at other airfields, re-sits of exams, the final skills test, CAA charges, and books/equipment are all that is not included. Any flying required over and above the included 30 hours is charged at our standard training rates.

Simply put, you pay for the flying you do, as you do it. All other charges, such as exams and groundschool are paid for as you complete them.

For more information on our training prices, please contact us.

Interested?

If you’d like to know more, please contact us for a chat and to arrange a visit.