Cubair offers courses of training for both the Private Pilot Licence (PPL) and the National Private Pilot Licence (NPPL) issued by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

The PPL is an internationally recognised licence. Following successful completion of a course of training at Cubair and after application to the CAA you would be issued with a PPL with privileges to fly a single engine piston aeroplane (land) as pilot in command. Subject to relevant training and further ratings the licence privileges may be extended to fly any aircraft type. The licence privileges may also be extended with additional ratings for instrument flying, aerobatics, night flying, mountain flying and glider or banner towing.

The NPPL is a UK only licence. The privileges of the holder of an NPPL for aeroplanes are to act as pilot in command of air on single-engine piston aeroplane or touring motor glider with a maximum certificated take-off mass of 2000 kg or less, carrying a maximum of 3 passengers, such that there are always a maximum of 4 persons on board of the aircraft. Following successful completion of a course of training at Cubair and after application to the CAA you would be issued with a NPPL with privileges to fly a single engine piston (land) aeroplane.

The PPL course requires a minimum of forty five hours flying training and the NPPL course requires a minimum of thirty two hours flying training. There are ground examinations, covering a range of subjects including Aviation Law, Navigation, Meteorology, Principles of Flight, Airframes and Engines, Airworthiness, Instruments, Human Performance and Radio Telephony. Preparation for the written examinations is covered by a combination of self-study from textbooks and briefings from your instructor. Certain areas of ground training are required to have been completed at particular stages of your flying training. If you are planning an intensive course, it is best to get the majority of your ground studies and examinations completed before commencing your flying.

There is no time limit within which the flying has to be completed; you can spread your training over as long a period as you wish. However, we find that the longer the break between flying lessons the more overall flying time will be needed to attain the required standard. The course of flying commences with learning the effects of the various aircraft controls, then on to straight and level flight, climbing, descending, turning and stalling. Once the basic skills have been mastered your training concentrates on take-off, flying a circuit around the aerodrome and landing. When these skills have been learned, your instructor will leave you to fly the aircraft on your own, your ‘First Solo’. There now follows a period of consolidation of your flying skills before moving on to steep turns, forced landings, low-level operations, stalling, spin awareness, slow flight, instrument flying and cross-country navigation. At the end of the course there is a flight test called the “Skills Test” to be passed.