Light Aircraft Pilot Licence (LAPL)

An alternative licence to the PPL is the new Light Aircraft Pilot Licence (LAPL) which is less stringent in its requirements and requires fewer hours to obtain. The LAPL has been developed for those private pilots who only wish to fly in daylight hours in what’s known as Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC). The main difference between the PPL and the LAPL is that the hours required for training for the LAPL are only 30 plus a navigational flight test and a general handling skills test making a total of approximately 35 hours. However, we would expect most students to take approximately 45 hours to complete the course if studying part time.

The written exams are the same as those for the EASA PPL licence and again, you’ll need to pass a simple medical carried out by a CAA Approved Medical Examiner (AME) which we can help you arrange. Overall there would be a saving in costs in completing the new LAPL course compared with the EASA PPL licence but, if you wished to undertake further training to enhance your licence, such as the night rating or the IMC rating, this would not be permitted. A LAPL can be ‘upgraded’ to a PPL but the hours required to do so will be slightly more than the simple difference in hours between the courses.

Flying Hours

Students will need to complete a minimum of 30 hours flying training which roughly breaks down as follows:

3 hours aircraft familiarisation and level flight
3 hours climbing descending and turning
6 hours in aerodrome circuit practising take-off and landing

At this point, you may be able to take your first solo flight.

5 hours circuit and solo con
5 hours dual navigation

You can now try for your first solo cross country.

5 hours solo navigation
2 hours progressive flying training
1 hour instrument flying
2 hours revision exercises

You may now be ready to take your skills test and apply for your licence.

Ground School and Exams

You are required to pass nine written examinations and a radiotelephony test. This you can choose to do in three ways, self-study, weekly lectures or personal tuition with your instructor. The nine examinations to be passed are in the following subjects and are of a multiple choice format:

Air Law
Operational Procedures
EASA Communications (written & practical test)
Meteorology
Navigation & Radio Aids
Human Performance & Limitations
Flight Performance & Planning
Aircraft (General) & Principles of Flight
Aircraft General Knowledge

LAPL Medical

You’ll need to pass a simple LAPL medical which must be carried out by a CAA Approved Medical Examiner (AME). We can help you arrange this.