Converting NPL to PPL

So I can convert my NPL licence to a PPL after I get it, I am registering now as a PPL Student. The PPL licence will enable me to fly my Sling aircraft in the long-range tanks heavier version.

Registering now as a PPL Student pilot will also enable me to write the higher PPL exams.. otherwise I would have to do the NPL exams and then re-write to get my PPL if that makes sense.

So today I did my intro flight on a Cessna 152, an old workhorse compared to the light and responsive Foxbat I have been flying. So here's a pic of Sierra Charlie Lima .. again I was concentrating too much to be able to take any pics in the sky.

First Lesson today

Brad (right) from Light Flight School took me on my first formal lesson today in the School's Foxbat.

The lesson was great and felt quite different with more resonsibility than when I went on my demo flight two years ago. We covered lessons/exercises 1-8 and at the end I was given the PPL Pilots' Manual which I spent the rest of the day wading through to bring me up to speed with the exercises we covered in the lesson.

I have chosen to do my National Pilots Licence (NPL) instead of PPL as Light Flight School seems the most cost-efficient and fun way to get my licence and the Sling Aircraft we have bought needs only an NPL Licence. So I'll be taking to the skies on a regular basis now to see if I can get my licence in the next few months.

Doing some research

One of the planes we looked at

Llewellyn's kids Calvin and Caitlin

Spending a long weekend in Johannesburg was a great opportunity to buy as many flying magazines as possible and visit Rand Airport where I spent some time doing some research before making a decision to go-ahead... types of aircraft, price-range, lessons etc.. wow, an incredible amount to take in.

Can I fly this thing?

Climbing into an aeroplane and lifting off into the skies is not as easy as it looks, but pretty cool.

I went for a demo flight lesson today and am considering getting my licence. No pics of me flying the plane though as I was concentrating heavily while I zoomed over Tala game reserve while clutching the flight controls.

First step is to investigate the costs... quite hectic and more than I imagined to get your licence. Next decision is what kind of licence? Certainly the cheaper option is to go for a sport/light plane licence which is generally half the price. But then if you do want to fly a bigger/heavier plane, this licence counts you out and one has to get a full Private Pilots licence. However the sport planes are cheaper to buy and more economical to run and service... so big decision. Cost comparison seems to be about R60 000 for the one type and R110 000,00 for the other and to buy a plane varies from R300 000,00 for a light plane to R1mil and upwards for an older bigger plane.

So before I sign up for lessons, I need to make sure this is what I want to do and that the kind of plane I am wanting to fly will be possible and affordable. It is one thing to always be dreaming about flying by just flapping my arms, but another to take to the skies where eagles dare for real.

This is the beginning!