RECREATIONAL PILOT'S LICENCE

[V2-OMG!]

Does anyone here have their RPL, or are in the process of obtaining?

I have only briefly looked at the requirements, but it certainly is more appealing to this candidate. Years ago, I took the ground school and the introductory flight, but was too busy at work to finish getting my PPL.

I still have the desire to get airborne, but I really had some serious issues with the viability of the cost of PPL for someone who has been enamoured with the idea of flight since reading "High Flight" in grade 5. You could say my aspirations are more romantic than practical.

I am also somewhat guilted by the idea of utilizing a precious resource (fossil fuel into 100LL) just to get my arse in the air and bounce around a bit. Maybe I am being a bit too hard on myself; I do like to write about the metaphor of flight - getting airborne would certainly embolden that.

I also study air crashes as a kind of "hobby," and support/belong/volunteer at a flight museum, so my interest in flying is more than superficial.

Your thoughts? Comments? Recommendations?

[Thomas Magnum]

... ahhh....

Anyways,
I used to work at a flight school and in the two years I taught there, not one person did a Recreational Pilot Permit (and yes it's a permit, not a license). You're really limited in what you can do with it and in the end the PPL is only a couple grand more. If cost is an issue, then wait until you have more cash saved.

If putting 100LL into the tanks and flying around is an environmental concern, than maybe flying is not a hobby to take up.

[mikegtzg]

You're really limited in what you can do with it

In reality that doesn't really apply. If the direction you want to take in flying is the purely personal recreation. Occasionally taking one passenger along with you for a ride. Planning that 1000 mile cross country once a year. Flying an hour or so on the weekend for $100.00 pancakes and sausage...the recreational permit is a great value.

yes you cannot fly at night (most grassroots grass strips don't have lights anyway)
You cannot fly in the USA unless its an aircraft registered as an Ultralight or advanced ultralight (yes, very odd rule isn't it)
you can only take 1 passenger (aircraft performs better with only one anyway)
you can only fly an aircraft with up to 4 seats (who can afford to fly a bigger one for fun anyway)
You can't fly IFR or VFR OTT (and you'll live longer because of it)
You can't fly twins (oh well)
2 years after you get your permit...you won't be any worse a pilot than if you had got your
private

Now here's the only restriction that applies to renting. Many (not all) schools/renters won't rent an aircraft to a person with a rec permit or put heavy restrictions on the use of it. If you have your own aircraft this is not an issue. If the flight school won't rent you the aircraft after you get the Rec. Permit...find another school.

Many pilot/aircraft owners that fit the definition of flying I outlined above have downgraded there licences from Commercial & Private licences to Recreational permits so they can save money on not going to an aviation CAME for a class 3 medical. (self-declared class 4 medical co-signed by your family doctor is all for the Rec.)

Now if you have aspirations to make a career out of flying. This opinion does not apply.

[hydro]

. Now here's the only restriction that applies to renting. Many (not all) schools/renters won't rent an aircraft to a person with a rec permit or put heavy restrictions on the use of it. If you have your own aircraft this is not an issue. If the flight school won't rent you the aircraft after you get the Rec. Permit...find another school.

I have a rec permit, and this was the only problem I ran into. Some flight schools wouldn't allow me to rent since their insurance wouldn't allow it. Of the 4 schools I looked into, 2 had no problems renting to me, the other 2 had restrictions due to insurance. The 2 schools who said they couldn't rent due insurance both allowed me to rent it solo for flights that could be considered training for a PPL, but I could not carry a passenger.

hydro

[Changes in Latitudes]

I started out with an RPP because I was too young for the PPL. It was a lot of fun for me and allowed me to take a passenger on my solo xc flight for the ppl and enjoy building time with people along the way! It granted me an incredible license to learn!

[tvguru]

Some more food for thought. For your REC you have to write an exam just like for the Private. From my understanding they are pretty similar and if you write the one for the Private it still applies for your REC if you choose to only get that. The benefit of writing the Private exam instead is that it still leaves the door open for you to peruse the Private, if you so choose, as it's really only a couple exercises more (forget which ones mind you and too lazy to look them up). If you go through with the REC flight test you still have two years from the date you wrote the Private exam to complete the PPL without writing the exam over if you decide you'd like to upgrade for a night rating or what have you.

I would highly recommend writing the Private exam. There's nothing wrong with the REC, limiting for some, but just the ticket for others. It's just a good idea to keep your options open.

Best of luck on whatever you choose.

[maryclaire]

I started out with an RPP because I was too young for the PPL.

I did too. In general, it is not very common to do the RPP. But I agree with tvguru...

I would highly recommend writing the Private exam.

I believe the only difference is that there's a NAV component on the Private exam.

[cubonfloats]

I started out with an RPP because I was too young for the PPL.

I did too. In general, it is not very common to do the RPP. But I agree with tvguru...

I would highly recommend writing the Private exam.

I believe the only difference is that there's a NAV component on the Private exam.

because you dont need to navigate if its for "recreation".

even if you dont get the private licence...the more you learn the richer you are and it could someday save your behind.

[V2-OMG!]

Thank-you all for your comments and tips.

They certainly made me think. Flying and thinking....or thinking about flying....it's all good, man!

[Airflow]

tvguru made a valid point, "I would highly recommend writing the Private exam". Options are always good to have.

Should you go ahead with the rec, it will definatley get you in the air. Write the PPL and get a min class 3 med, should you decide to upgrade (which all you would need to do, privided you do a flight test winthin 2 years of your written, is another flight test.)

There are quite a few exercises that are not covered on the RPP; steep turns, spins (not on the ppl either, but definiately good training - this is strickly a solo requirement), no solo crosscountry and no instrument flying. If you decide to only do a rec, it would be a good idea to get a few hrs dual under the hood (instrument flying).

Good luck

[MichaelP]

When the RPP came out the first new student into a club was suggested to be their first candidate for it... They didn't qualify that student properly...
He bought a Mooney 231 and flew across Canada in it...

Regardless of what Permit or Licence a person gets we all have to share the airspace and we all need enough training to do so.
Doing an RPP in the middle of Saskatchewan is a very different proposition to doing one in the lower mainland.
It takes time to train and the RPP time is not sufficient. You might as well do the PPL it's only a few more hours due to the instrument hours.
Yes there's the steep turn... But a necessary thing here sometimes!

[767]

Its better to get a PPL.