Flying
'I Will put something here - eventually'
Introduction
An Introduction is meant to go here, I will update it when I can be bothered.
PPL Theoryy
While talking to both instructors and students at my flying school it became apparent that people either use Bristol Ground School or EasyPPL. The vast majority of people studying using EasyPPL highly recommend it, while some people I spoke to who had been using BGS suggested it was not for them and that they had switched to EasyPPL. In preparation for starting I had already purchased BGS.
In my experience with BGS there is a lot of redundant content – I quite quickly learnt how to sift through and learn just what was required, I mainly learnt by reading the content and then making condensed notes on Goodnotes 5 on my iPad Mini. I then stuck these notes around my room.
I found the ATPdigital app used by BGS as extremely intuitive as you could set target exam dates and see a trend line. Additionally being able to do small tests after each lesson really helped consolidate that knowledge.The option to then review these tests allowed me to write down all the answers I had got wrong.
I did find a lot of the questions did seem rather left field and had not been something that had been in the core material, whether these were things that had been expected to be taught in the duration of the PPL or other CAA reading material I cannot attest to.
My flying school suggested as a rule of thumb once you got 90% Five times in a row you’re ready to go!
Medical
While you do not need the Medical Certificate to start flying by the 15th hour of your PPL it will be required, if you have advanced notice of when you will start it is always a good idea to get it out the way first (after paying for your PPL).
While you only need a Class 2 Medical to hold a PPL it may be worth considering a Class 1 if you intend to hold an ATPL or for commercial operations.
Before you can apply for a Medical you have the delight of navigating through the CAA CELLMA System, This is something that you should ask for advice for from your flying school if you have not already done it, there are at least two sections that appear very similar for the medical declaration but are not the same and only one can be read by the Aero Medical Examiner. It is worth mentioning that you should select the license you would like to hold as well as the license you will hold; in my case PPL & ATPL.
I went to Birmingham Aeromedical Consulting to do my initial Class 1 Medical, I paid £499.00 upfront and then £499.00 on the day. I had a 09:00 and was done by around 11:45. The examination was split into a few parts.
The Nurses examination consisted of: Height and Weight, ECG, Spirometry, Finger Prick Cholesterol, Audiology – with the audiology you need to listen for the white noise as well as the pronounced beeps.
The Vision consisted of a series colour vision tests as well as regular tests for glasses, having never been to an optician this was all new to me, finally it ended with a peripheral vision test.
The last stage of the medical the Doctor conducts a physical examination and then goes over anything you have declared on your CELLMA Form.
Equipment
In terms of equipment, it may be easy to fall into the trap of buying lots of things that are not required. To learn I would buy an iPad Mini, it’s important it’s a Mini as it will have to fit inside the cockpit of a GA aircraft in my case a PA28 Tomahawk. I also opted for an Apple Pencil Pro as previously I had used the apple pencils and they were amazing however slightly awkward ergo dynamically speaking. This is however not a necessary purchase.
In terms of necessary purchases, the software you intend to learn on, a high-visibility jacket for walking airside, a fuel tester will be required at some stage early on (in my case my 3rd lesson).
Cost
| Item | Cost | Date |
|---|---|---|
| iPad Mini | £XXX.XX | XX/XX/XXXX |
| Apple Pencil Pro | £XXX.XX | XX/XX/XXXX |
| Bristol Ground School 1 Year Subscription | £268.00 | 14/10/2025 |
| Flying School Annual Subscription | £240.00 | 29/01/2026 |
| PPL 45 Hour Course (PA38) | £12,650.00 | 29/01/2026 |
| Flying School High-Vis | £11.99 | 29/01/2026 |
| Fuel Tester | £10.76 | 08/04/2026 |
| X-Plane | £X.XX | XX/XX/XXXX |
| Just Flight PA38 Tomahawk | £30.49 | 11/04/2026 |