You enter a modular CPL course with a PPL and some post PPL-training experience.
What’s new?
We are not teaching you to fly, but we are training you to fly as single-crew to professional standards in a complex aircraft. For a well-trained, well-disciplined PPL, this is really about operating professionally, to tighter tolerance and following SOP’s. For some, it entails unpicking bad habits acquired during personal flying!
With the word Professional, phrases like Well organised, Well prepared, Disciplined, Punctual, Efficient and Flexible come to mind. CPL flying entails more Rigour in the use of checklists and SOP’s, RT phraseology.
You will be learning to operate a complex aircraft, i.e. with retractable undercarriage & Constant Speed Propeller, which comes with faster cruise and approach speeds. Some emergency drills may be new to you, such as fire drills and emergency descent. In addition, you will need to be able fly competently tracking VOR’s using an HSI.
For many, the element of instrument flying on full and limited panel, and recovery from unusual attitudes, may be new and require some practice beyond the 10 hours minimum requirement. For the accomplished instrument pilot, reverting to VFR flight by dead-reckoning, without the magenta line of a GNSS navigator, may be a challenge.
Hours and other requirements
The CPL course minimum is 25 hours (reduced to 15 hours for IR holders). Many candidates require a few more hours than the minimum. At least 5 hours (I recommend 10 hours or more) must be flown on the complex aircraft.
The course entry requirement is 150 hours total time, and all CPL (or ATPL) theory exams completed. Most candidates will have also completed the Night Rating and CPL Qualifying Cross Country flight of 300 nm with 2 intermediate landings.
After passing the skills test, the licence application requires 200 hours total time, of which 100 PiC and 20 hours PiC cross-country.
Prepare yourself
Candidates can help themselves – and keep the training hours to a minimum – by polishing up VFR dead-reckoning techniques, flying cross-country to CPL heading and altitude tolerances, practicing VOR work and undertaking flights in a challenging CAS / RT environment. CAA Standards Document 3 sets out the test requirements and tolerances.