Private Pilot Licence

Next Generation Training

At Fife Flight Centre, we offer an unparalleled flight training experience designed to help you achieve your dream of becoming a private pilot. With world-class instructors, state-of-the-art aircraft, and personalized training programs, your journey to the skies is in the best hands.

Whether you're pursuing aviation as a passion or a stepping stone to a professional career, our flexible "pay as you fly" model and commitment to excellence ensure that your path to earning a Private Pilot Licence is as rewarding as it is exciting. Start your adventure with us today.

Elixir Next Generation Trainer -Arriving November 2024

Course Structure

Training for your Private Pilot Licence goes through key phases, ensuring competency and confidence before progressing to the next stage. Our experienced instructors are here to guide you through from your first lesson to your final skills test

  • In the first phase of your Private Pilot Licence course, known as General Handling, you'll learn the foundational skills needed to control an aircraft with confidence and precision. This phase focuses on mastering basic maneuvers such as climbs, descents, turns, and straight-and-level flight. Under the guidance of our experienced instructors, you'll develop a solid understanding of the aircraft's controls and how to safely operate them in various flight conditions. General Handling is where your journey truly begins, building the essential skills that every pilot needs to progress to more advanced stages of training.

  • In the Circuits phase, you’ll practice takeoffs, landings, and flying in the airport traffic pattern, known as circuits. This phase is crucial for mastering the critical stages of flight—takeoff and landing—through repetitive practice. In this phase you'll take your first solo flight

  • This phase introduces you to cross-country flying, where you'll learn to navigate between airports using charts, compass, and radio aids. You'll practice planning routes, estimating fuel consumption, and making in-flight adjustments based on weather and other factors.

  • Advanced Handling involves more complex maneuvers, including stall recovery, emergency procedures, and handling the aircraft in more challenging conditions. This phase is about developing a deeper understanding of the aircraft's performance and how to handle unexpected situations.

  • In this final phase, you'll complete your qualifying cross-country flight, which is typically a solo flight covering a significant distance and multiple airports. You'll also prepare for the final flight test, known as the Skills Test, where you demonstrate all the skills you've learned.

What Makes Us Different

Decades ahead of the rest

Our current Tecnam aircraft are the most up to date Private Pilot trainers in the UK, and we are taking that even further. From this November onwards all our students will be able to train on our brand new Elixir aircraft. This next generation trainer brings the best safety and technology available in a training aircraft

Training for this century

Most training providers are only able to offer you 40+ year old aircraft to train in. By using modern Elixir aircraft you’ll be learning to fly in the safest and most advanced training aircraft available, with a full Garmin glass cockpit and autopilot.

Highly Experienced

All our staff have over 15 years of experience in aviation, and our instructors must have a minimum of 1000 hours of instructional time to work for us. You’ll benefit from that experience, keeping you on track with reliable, knowledgable and safe instruction.

Online Scheduling

From your first flight onwards, you’ll be able to book your lessons online at a time that suits you. This gives you control of your schedule 24/7. Our team are always here to assist you with your bookings by phone, email and live chat

Pay as you fly

Most schools ask for full up front payment to unlock their best pricing, and overcharge you if you want the flexibility and security of paying as you go. We are pay as you fly only, allowing you to be in control of your schedule.

Safety built in

Our team have a strong safety culture, and you’ll benefit from their high levels of experience as you develop your airmanship skills over time.

Our aircraft meet all the safety requirements for modern aircraft certification, that means they are built for safe operation, with spin resistance and ballistic parachute as standard

Key Info

  • If you are training part-time the duration of your training is up to you. If you are aiming to complete over longer than 18 months please let us know as we will structure your training differently.

    Full-time courses take between 4-6 weeks (weather dependant)

  • 17+ years old to obtain a licence. You can train from age 14 and go solo from age 16.

    CAA Class 2 minimum to go solo.

  • You can download our training costs via this link

  • Our current training aircraft is the Tecnam P2002

    From November our training aircraft will be the brand new Elixir. This 4th gen trainer puts us decades ahead of the competition.

Book a lesson

Book in for your First Lesson with us online at a time that suits you

Download Brochure

Find out more about the costs of Private Pilot Licence training with us

Book a meeting

Book a meeting at Fife Flight Centre, online or by phone at a time that suits you

 FAQs

  • No, unlike other flight training providers we provide all expected training costs to our students. See our key facts for expected licencing and exam costs.

  • You’ll need to have a UK CAA Class 2 medical as a minimum in order to go solo, this is usually after 2 weeks of full time training or 15 hours into a part-time course. We have a medical centre on site and can arrange your Class 2 medical

  • Yes, there are a number of theory tests to complete, you can either do these as part of an intensive theory course or just take them as you go along with your part-time training, your instructor will let you know what to study for when. And if you need additional help, book in with your instructor for personal tutoring.

    You’ll also do a Radiotelephony exam which will enable you to use the aircraft radio when you are flying solo.

    Your skills test at the end will be taken with an external examiner. this is usually around 2 hours of flight time.

    At Fife Flight Centre we set you up for success, so we’ll never put you forward for an exam or test that we are not confident you have a good chance of passing. Our instructors have years of experience and will ensure you are ready for anything

  • Yes, when you join us from another school we’ll get a copy of your training records and continue your training from there. You may need additional time to get checked our in our modern aircraft

Contact us.

ops@fifeflightcentre.com

0800 0903 787 (Option 3) 24/7 - (Our team will take a message out of hours)

Fife Flight Centre

Fife Airport

Glenrothes

KY6 2SL