Training For Your Licence
Dual Lessons
If you decide that you want to learn how to fly these aircraft yourself, you will embark on a course of two-hour lessons, consisting of one hour's flying and one hour of briefing and debriefing. These will cover handling the aircraft in straight and level flight, turns, climbing and descending, stalls and, most importantly, the art of safe landings in a variety of conditions.
Going Solo
Once your instructor feels that you are completely safe to do so, you will take the big step of 'going solo' (normally after between 10 and 20 hours of training). This is generally a pretty nerve-racking affair, but is really satisfying (I can fly, I can fly!!!) and does entail a round of drinks in the pub for everyone present in the clubhouse at the time!
Cross-country
After that you need to do at least 10 hours' solo flying, practising all the exercises you learned with your instructor, with more dual training to cover navigation and more advanced exercises. You then do two cross-country flights involving landings at other sites, which again will give you a terrific sense of satisfaction.
GST
After you have completed at least 25 hours of training, including your 10 solo hours, you are then ready for the big one, the General Skills Test (GST).
Exams
As well as your GST you will also take written exams on the following subjects: Technical, Air Law, Navigation, Meteorology and Human Performance & Limitations. Each winter we run a course of lectures on these subjects which not only gives you lots of extra information but enables you to meet and chat to other student pilots you may not otherwise see at the airfield.
To assist you there is an excellent book written by Brian Cosgrove, The Microlight Pilot's Handbook, which is recommended reading for all microlight pilots and is available from your instructor.
Licence
Once you have passed all these exams you can apply for your pilot's licence and, once received, you can take passengers (impress all your friends!) and join in the various trips about the country which are organised.