THE BUILDING BLOCKS TO YOUR FLYING CAREER

PRIVATE PILOT LICENSE

The building blocks to your flying career

PPL (A)

This course will provide you with the necessary ground and flight training as well as exams to obtain your PPL

Overview of the course

The PPL is course is structured for both pilot's seeking to fly for a career or just privately. If you are unsure as to wether or not flying is for you, it is strongly recommended that you undertake an introductory flight prior to beginning training.

This qualification allows you to be Pilot in Command (PIC) of an aircraft and to carry passengers. This enables you to make all decisions pertaining to planning and executing a flight, during daylight hours, and in clear weather. Additional qualifications are required to fly at night and in cloudy conditions. You may not, however, receive remuneration for your flying activities. This licence is required even if your ultimate goal is to become a Commercial Pilot, as it allows you to accumulate the relevant experience that is essential for any advanced qualifications. The following requirements are all integrated into the course, provided age and medical requirements are met by the student. Your instructor will ensure you meet these requirements to a high standard before submitting your paperwork:

Requirements for the issue of a PPL (A)

You must be over the age of 17 although you can begin training at age 15
You must hold a valid Student Pilot's License (SPL)
Hold a valid English Language Profiecency Certificate
A Radio Operators License (Restricted Radio Certificate)
You must complete 7 written examinations which are the following subjects:
- Air Law
- Principles Of Flight
- Meteorology
- Flight Planning and Performance
- Navigation
- Human Performance and Limitations
- Aircraft Technical and General

Each exam is an online multiple choice based exam with time restriction and requires a 75% pass mark

45 hours of flight time of which:
- Minimum 15 hours solo flying time
- Minimum 25 hours dual flying time
- Of the 15 hours solo time 5 hours must be solo cross country hours (2 landings at aerodromes away from base and minimum 150nm flight)
Pass a skills test with a Grade 2 qualified flight instructor

Expected Course Duration

3-5 months for students on a full time basis (flying at least 4-6 times a week)
6-9 months for students on a part time basis (weekend flying/students with full time jobs)

Please note that these are estimated training times and are completely dependent on your performance as a student, weather and aircraft maintenance.

Private Pilot's License

FIRST STEP IN YOUR ADVANCED TRAINING

NIGHT RATING

Night Rating

The first step in your advanced training toward your CPL.

Night Rating

This course will provide you with the necessary ground and flight training as well as exams to obtain your Night Rating. The Night Rating is an addition to your PPL and is not a seperate license.

Overview of the course

The next step in your pilot training, and one that improves your ability to fly in reduced visibility, is to obtain a night rating. This allows you to conduct or continue a flight during the hours of darkness and the benefit is obvious in terms of being less restricted when planning and executing your particular flight. At this stage, you will be aware of your dependency on being able to see the outside surroundings, particularly the horizon, while controlling an aircraft in flight. At night, these visual cues are greatly reduced, or even completely absent and therefore you need to interpret and rely on the instruments in the aircraft. Similarly the cues you have been using to assist you when landing are also different, so additional landing practice at night is required.

Requirements for the issue of a Night Rating (A)

You must hold a valid PPL
Pass the online CAA exam

The exam is an online multiple choice based exam with time restriction and requires a 75% pass mark

Complete a minimum of 10 instrument flying hours (this means time at the controls with reference purely on the aircraft instruments) of which:
- 5 hours simulator time
- 5 hours actual flying time
The law requires a minimum of 5 take offs and landings by night, as well as a night cross-country flight of at least 150 NM’s with 2 full stop landings at two separate airfields away from base.
A basic instrument flight test will be required, conducted by a Grade 1 or 2 flight instructor. This takes around 1 hour, and may be included in the mandatory 10 hours instrument training.

Expected Course Duration

1-2 weeks for full time students
2-3 weeks for part time students

Please note that these are estimated training times and are completely dependent on your performance as a student, weather and aircraft maintenance.

DEVELOPING YOU INTO A PROFESSIONAL PILOT READY FOR A CAREER IN AVIATION

COMMERCIAL PILOT LICENSE

Commercial Pilot's License

Getting you ready for a career in aviation

CPL (A)

This course will provide you with the necessary ground and flight training as well as exams to obtain your Commercial Pilot License. This license is what you will need to begin your career in aviation.

Overview of the course

This license will be the most intensive and longest course on offer at FTS but we will be sure to provide you with the knowledge and experience in order to make you a high standard professional pilot and get you ready for the commercial world of aviation, whether you are interested in flying on a charter or corporate basis or have a dream of being in the airlines.

The commercial license will allow you to operate aircraft commercially (for remuneration) on single crew certified aircraft.

Please note that we offer the CPL course on both single-engine and multi-engine platforms and this will differ in cost. For a detailed cost breakdown please hit the contact us button at the bottom of the page for more information

Requirements for the issue of a CPL (A)

You need to be 18 years or older
Hold a class 1 medical certificate
Hold a general radio certificate
200 hours of flying time of which:
- 100 Hours as PIC in Aircraft (Flown on a Hire-And-Fly basis)
- 20 Hours of Cross Country
- 50 Hours of Cross Country
- 5 Hours Night PIC
- 20 Hours Instrument time
- 40 Hours Instrument time
- 5 Hours Instruction on a Complex Aircraft (Retractable Undercarriage and Variable Pitch propeller)
- Skills Test with a Designated Examiner
You must have successfully completed the SA-CAA CPL theory examinations:
- Human Performance and Limitations
- Aircraft Technical and General
- Flight Planning
- Air Law
- Instruments
- Navigation
- Meteorology
- General Radio
- IFR Procedures

Each exam is an online multiple choice based exam with time restriction and requires a 75% pass mark

Expected Course Duration

Approx. 18 months for full time students
Approx. 36 months for part time students

Please note that these are estimated training times and are completely dependent on your performance as a student, weather and aircraft maintenance. This estimate includes the PPL course duration which must be completed as part of your CPL training.

HELPING YOU GET TO THE RIGHT SEAT

AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT LICENSE

Airline Transport Pilot's License

Helping bridge the gap from CPL to the right seat

ATPL (A)

Overview of the course

This license can only be

Requirements for the issue of an ATPL (A)

Be at least 21 years old.
Pass the SA-CAA ATP theoretical examinations.
Have completed not less than 1500 hours of flight time. (You need to check the Regulations to determine what hours count in full and what hours are limited, as well as the break down of hours).
Successfully complete a practical flight test, conducted by a Designated Flight Examiner (DFE), on a multi engine turbine / jet aircraft or a multi engine aircraft with a maximum take off weight exceeding 5 700KG’s.
FTS can provide the necessary preparation, from an experienced multi-crew perspective. This normally entails refreshing the instrument principles that should be quite familiar at this stage, and producing a comprehensive theoretical scenario that covers all aspects of command preparation when conducting flight planning and execution. You will be thoroughly briefed on all aspects of the legal perspective of flight planning, flight and duty considerations, fuel planning, take off minima, take off alternates, en-route navigation, destination landing minima, destination alternate minima, all aspects of system abnormalities (applicable to type) and Crew Resource Management, incorporating Risk Management

Each exam is an online multiple choice based exam with time restriction and requires a 75% pass mark

Expected Course Duration

Approx. 18 months for full time students
Approx. 36 months for part time students

EXTRA AVAILABLE COURSES

RADIO LICENSES

Radio Licenses

Restricted Radio License

The restricted radio license is required as part of the training toward a Private Pilot's License (PPL)

Overview of the course

The student is required to pass the online SACAA radio exam in order to complete the course. The course is made up of an oral and written section and can take up to 4 hours to complete. Knowledge of visual procedures in both controlled and uncontrolled airspace is necessary.

Each exam is an online multiple choice based exam with time restriction and requires a 75% pass mark

Please note that these are estimated training times and are completely dependent on your performance as a student.

General Radio License

The restricted radio license is required as part of the training toward a Commercial Pilot's License (CPL)

Overview of the course

The student is required to pass the online SACAA radio exam in order to complete the course. The course is made up of an oral and written section and can take up to 4 hours to complete. Knowledge of instrument procedures in both controlled and uncontrolled airspace is necessary.

Each exam is an online multiple choice based exam with time restriction and requires a 75% pass mark

Please note that these are estimated training times and are completely dependent on your performance as a student.

FOREIGN LICENSE VALIDATION

Foreign License Validation

Fly in South Africa with a foreign license

PPL License Validation

We encourage individuals with non-South African licences to travel to our country and hire an aircraft. If you hold a valid PPL, irrespective of the country of issue, it is possible to validate the licence for private use in South Africa.

Overview of the course

The SACAA has set requirements for both validation and conversion of licenses. These are two different processes. Clients wishing to completely convert their foreign license will have to follow a more extensive process, however if you are foreigner simply wishing to fly privately in South Africa you can simply operate on a license validation which is much quicker and easier process and usually valid for a certain period of time.

Please click the link at the bottom of our page to find out the different requirements needed for a license conversion as they are different depending on which country issues your license. Below are the requirements needed for a license validation which are the same regardless of state:

Requirements for the issue of a foreign license validation:

1. Pass an air law examination at our facility at Grand Central airport, after having been briefed on the relevant aspects, and completing the Computer Based Training (CBT) presentation on this topic.

2. You need to be thoroughly briefed on local procedures and operational aspects associated with these procedures.

3. You need to pass a practical flight test, including a navigation exercise. This will entail approximately 2 hours of dual flight time in one of our well-equipped aircraft.

4. Have your medical certificate and radio licence validated.

5. Complete the paperwork for the application to our SA-CAA, and pay the appropriate fee.

Each exam is an online multiple choice based exam with time restriction and requires a 75% pass mark