PRIVATE PILOTS LICENSE

Private Pilots License

This is where you are introduced to the world of aviation and learn the basics of flight. You are initiated into the full range of aircraft maneuvers and navigation during air training exercises, as well as learning flight theory, weather and other subjects in ground school. The Canadian Private Pilot Licence will allow you to carry passengers in light single-engine airplanes during daylight hours in good (VFR) weather conditions.

Admission Requirements

Transport Canada requires the candidate:

• to be a minimum of 17 years of age (16 years for Student Permit)
• to hold a Category 3 medical (If continuing to a Commercial Licence, a Category 1 medical should be obtained)
• to be a Canadian citizen, landed immigrant, or person lawfully admitted to Canada for flight training
• to have acquired a minimum of 40 hours of ground training, and 45 hours of flight training broken down as follows:

1. 1. minimum 17 hours dual instruction
   2. minimum 12 hours solo practice
   3. combination of dual and solo to attain flight test standards

Ground Training

Centennial has developed a continuous ground school system to allow students to start at any time for the Private Licence. Though Transport Canada requires 40 hours, the ground school consists of 60 hours of formal instruction in the following subjects:

1. Aerodynamics & Theory of Flight
2. Flight Operations
3. Air Regulations
4. Meteorology
5. Navigation, Radio & Electronic Theory
6. Airframes, Engines, and Systems
7. Flight Instruments
8. Air Traffic Control and Communications
9. Human Factors and Pilot Decision Making

Flight Training

Flight training consists of 5 phases: 

1. Basic training to the first solo level. This is all dual (flying with your instructor) and is followed by three hours of solo practice. 
2. Advanced flight training involves advanced techniques for forced approaches and specialty take-offs and landings (eg operating from soft or short fields)
3. Navigation involving dual and solo cross-country flights with no less than 3 hours dual and 5 hours solo.
4. An introduction to instrument flying.
5. Preparation for the flight test: dual and solo as required by the student to reach a level of proficiency necessary to pass the flight test.