UK Private Pilot's Licence (GYROCOPTER)

GAINING YOUR PPL (G)

NWG has the approvals and facilities at Barton Airfield to teach the PPL(G) syllabus which comprises a minimum of 40 hours of training out of which at least 15 hours must be under dual instruction and at least 10 hours must be flown solo. The other 15 hours can be dual or solo as required. You must also complete a minimum of 3 hours Cross Country exercises, with full stop landings at two different aerodromes.

THE EXAMS

There are also 6 exams that must be passed before the end of the course - Air Law, Human Performance, Fight Planning & Navigation, Meteorology, Communications & Gyrocopter Technical.

The exams are between 15 and 20 questions long and multiple choice, the pass mark is 70%. All theoretical knowledge examinations must be passed within a period of 18 months and the pass will remain valid for license issue for a period of 24 months from the date of successful completion of the examinations. All theoretical knowledge examinations must have been completed before taking the skill test. All the recommended manuals, revision guides, aeronautical charts and flight equipment that are required can be purchased through our pilot's shop.

MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS

The most common form of Aviation Medical held by gyrocopter students and qualified gyrocopter pilots is a Self Declaration Medical. A Self Declaration Medical is an affirmation of your medical ‘fitness to fly’ and may be used whilst learning to fly a gyrocopter and once qualified, exercise the privileges of a qualifying pilot’s licence. A student must hold a valid Self Declaration Medical when conducting any solo flights prior to license issue. You can’t have a Self Declaration Medical if you do not reasonably believe that you meet the medical requirements for a Group 1 (Car) Licence issued by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and are not taking medication for any psychiatric illness. A Self Declaration Medical can be obtained free of charge through a personal CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) CELLMA portal.

AIRCRAFT

For the PPL(G) we predominantly use the MTO Sport, the world’s most popular gyrocopter, a versatile tandem 2 seat aircraft. We can also train on the Magni M24, an enclosed cockpit with side by side seating. All our aircraft are maintained to the manufacturers recommendations and serviced by trained engineers.

YOUR INSTRUCTOR

At NWG we believe there is a lot more to learning to fly than just flying the aircraft. The time you spend with your instructor both before and after the lesson is as important as the flight itself. All flight instructors must pass periodical competency checks by a CAA approved Examiner. They will not only teach you to fly, they will teach you to become “The Captain” of an Aircraft.

We pride ourselves on our hard-earned reputation for professional standards and our friendly easy-going teaching methods. You will receive a pre-flight briefing before each lesson, this gives you the opportunity to ask any questions and discuss the flight exercise. On completion of your lesson, you will be de-briefed on all aspects of the flight and discuss what study is required for the next lesson.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE

The minimum requirement is 40 hours. However, in our experience, external influences such as work commitments, family life, holidays and/or unforeseen circumstances such as poor weather conditions or aircraft technical issues will enforce breaks in your training. Flying is a skill and hence the 40 hours minimum requirement is very much dependent on the individual. Students take from 6 months to 3 years to gain their PPL (G).

FACILITIES

Our purpose-built training facilities provide the ideal environment for flight training and ground study. We have a dedicated classroom as well as a lounge where you can relax after your flight / ground school session with a tea or coffee.

BEFORE YOU COMMIT

North West Gyro is the only Gyrocopter Flight Training School in the North West of England and will be pleased to meet, discuss and answer any further questions you might have. If you're interested in learning to fly, we also recommend and advice that you take a trial lesson first to experience the thrills of flying a Gyrocopter & confirm it's what you want to continue with. Please contact the office on 0161 710 2410 if you have any questions and/or wish to book a trial lesson.

ADVANCED PPL TRAINING

After achieving your license and flown a good number (50+) of hours, should you wish to improve your accuracy of flying, perform more advanced manoeuvres and extend the types of aircraft in which you are permitted to fly, then NWG can offer the following advanced training for PPL holders.

Spot landing techniques – with and without power
Safe low flying
Learn to fly from the rear seat
Type conversions

CLICK HERE to view our PPL (G) training price list

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