Age and Medical Requirements
Minimum Age: You can start training at any age, but you must be at least 16 to fly solo and 17 to be issued the license.
Medical Certificate: You must hold a valid UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Class 2 Medical Certificate, which must be issued by an Aeromedical Examiner (AME). You should secure this before your first solo flight.
Flight Training Hours
The UK CAA requires a minimum of 45 flight hours, which must include:
Theoretical Knowledge
You must pass 9 multiple-choice written exams (with a 75% pass mark), which are completed in up to six sittings:
Air Law
Aircraft General Knowledge
Flight Planning and Performance
Human Performance and Limitations
Meteorology
Navigation
Operational Procedures
Principles of Flight
Communications
Practical Skills Test
Once you complete your training and pass your theory exams, you will take a final practical Skills Test with a CAA-approved examiner to demonstrate your general handling and navigation abilities.
Personal Logbook
Your logbook serves as the official, verifiable proof of your experience and so must meticulously document your training, hours, and flights.
Once qualified, you must continue to record all your flights. Your Pilot Rating needs to be revalidated every two years and your logbook contains the evidence of the necessary experience to do so.
Training Costs
Unlike some flight schools, we are open and transparent about your training costs. We do not offer package deals, instead opting for a pay-as-you-go system which is generally preferred by our students.
Flying with an instructor in a C42 costs £190 (incl. VAT) per flight hour, which includes home-based landing fees.
For any one-to-one ground school sessions you require, we charge £50 per hour.
CALL 01256 398254 to book today!
Allowances for holders of other licences and ratings
Pilots holding licences or ratings for other classes of aircraft, current or expired, may be entitled to allowances against the minimum hours required for the NPPL(M). Student pilots with uncompleted courses may also be eligible. For further details, see the ‘cross-credit’ document on the BMAA website here.
Medical requirements
A pilot may only fly microlights as Pilot in Command in the UK if they are considered physically and mentally fit to do so.
For the NPPL there is provision for a pilot to declare themselves as physically fit to fly. The Declaration is made on-line on the Civil Aviation Authority web site. There are a number of disqualifying medical conditions that mean a pilot is unable to declare themselves as medically fit. If a pilot suffers from or has a history of these conditions or illness, then they must obtain a Medical Certificate from a UK CAA Approved Medical Examiner (AME). Details of disqualifying conditions are published on the CAA website here.
Pilots must be aware of their responsibilities if they suffer from a decrease in medical fitness. The BMAA strongly recommends that student pilots make their medical declaration or obtain a Medical Certificate at the start of their training to ensure that they will be able to meet the required medical standards and do not wait until just before they are ready to fly solo, by which time they MUST have made a declaration or hold a valid Medical Certificate.
Personal flying logbook
This is an important document – look after it! You must produce this logbook as evidence of your training when you apply for your licence at the end of your course. Once qualified, you must continue to record all your flights. Your Pilot Rating needs to be revalidated every two years and your logbook contains the evidence of the necessary experience to do so. Your instructor will give you guidance when making the first line entry. Guidance is also provided on the BMAA website here.
Licence application
Application for the grant of a NPPL with a Microlight Class rating must be made in writing on the NPPL Microlight Licence application form through the BMAA Licence Administration Centre at the BMAA office address.
Removing the Operational Limitations from a NPPL Microlight Class Rating
To remove the passenger carrying limitation, the licence holder must have completed at least 25 hours of total flying in microlights (either under training or as a licensed pilot) and at least 10 hours solo flying in microlights. The holder’s experience is certified in their logbook by a flight examiner and the limitation ceases to apply from that time.
To remove the other limitations the holder must have completed at least 25 hours of total flying in microlights (either under training or as a licensed pilot) including at least 10 hours solo flying in microlights. Additionally, the holder must have completed the navigation training requirements specified in the syllabus within the twenty-four-month period immediately prior to applying to have the limitations removed.
Application to have these limitations removed must be made in writing on the NPPL Microlight Licence application form through the BMAA Licence Administration Centre at the BMAA office address.