The dream of becoming a pilot!
Who has not on occasion dreamed to have his own private pilot licence (PPL)?!
TH-Aviation-ConneXions - Pilot Training Solutions offers a very attractive PPL (Private Pilot License) course. Bethlehem is a town in the Free State Province of South Africa. It is situated in a fertile valley of the Maluti Mountains on the N5 highway near the Golden Gate.

It is a wheat growing area and hence the name Bethlehem (from "Beit Lachem", Hebrew for "house of bread"). Population 66,704. And here we offer Pilot Training Solutions, Safari Outings, Eco training and adventures which is unevened in the aviation and tourism market.
Therefore this area is perfect for students, experienced pilots, the flying careerists and tourists.




If you have any questions after reading this chapter view the FAQs'. You are still welcome to contact us if you need any further information and we will connect you with the African adventure.

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We strongly recommend that you study for your exams before leaving for South Africa - log onto flyEAA Online, select shopfront; e learning courses; courses for Individuals; Private Pilot's License Ground School, and then scroll down to find which course you wish to register for - the "e-learn only" course costs R295. Register as a New User, enter all your details and pay with your credit card. EAA will then send you your password and the necessary links. This will enable you to complete all of your ground-school training before arriving in Bethlehem and is a huge time and effort saver, giving you the opportunity to concentrate more on the actual flying when you arrive. The additional advantage is that you get used to the technical terms of aviation! EAA are a SA CAA accredited Ground School Organization, their License Number is CAA/0176, thus we can recommend their courses. Thereafter you are fine to book your ticket. Important facts and notes about South Africa are mentioned in Data and facts...

The duration of the PPL Pilot-Training at South African flying schools can be as short as 6 weeks but due to weather can be as long as 8 weeks. If you have more time, there are plenty opportunities to continue and develop your flying skills by getting the night rating or completing the bushpilot course, a very adventurous course lasting about 2 to 3 days.
A handling agent of the air school picks you up at the International Airport of Johannesburg (Thambo International Airport). The Flying School reserves and makes the booking for accommodation. The school has a driver and a car that goes to town on regular intervals. Students who want to make use of their own transport can hire car on request. Rates are available on request.
On the second day you will exercise your first flight with an instructor. There is an introduction of the environment of the airfield, the circuit itself and also the general flying area (GFA). The GFA is an restricted area (FAR) - perfect for flying dual or solo and practising the manoeuvres.
Once the upper air work is completed the student is introduced to the circuit. If your understanding of principles of flight is satisfactory, the senior instructor is going to check the student in the circuit. Thereafter the student is approved to fly his first SOLO! Great! My first flight, without instructor!

You start the engine, taxi to the runway, do the radio work, before-take-off checks. Thereafter you line up and gently ease the power to full throttle… the acceleration is much quicker than you are used to…the aeroplane is lighter as the instructor is no longer with you and shortly after releasing the brakes you lift off to your first solo. The adrenalin is rushing and for the first time you feel the freedom of solo flight. You complete you after take-off check and turn crosswind and afterwards downwind. Once you have execute the radio call and finishing the before-landing checks on the downwind leg you find yourself halfway through your first solo flight and ready to turn base. Then you distinctly remember your instructors words… "A good landing is preceded by a good approach" You plan your descend and on final approach execute your final checks. From there it is all concentration to get the speed and the approach perfect. Your focus is on every procedure you have learnt before…GREAT!…round out 6-8ft above ground, hold off...Then before you wipe your eyes out you do your…first LANDING…the Cessna 172 lands very gently…after landing checks completed…it strikes you like a blow over your head… MY FIRST SOLO!
In the evening there is a big celebration with all the other SOLO pilots! This will mark a memory in your life that will be unequalled and stay with you as one of the foundest memories. After the solo dual and solo training continues to meet the 40hrs required by the SACAA. Lessons practised to perfection are Forced landings, Pre-cautionary landing, stalls and stall prevention, spin-entry, spin-recovery and spin-prevention (depending on aircraft type!), steep turns and the all-important checks for long distance navigation flights. In the fourth week of your PPL course (between day 21 to 25) cross-country (X-country) navigational flights are planned and exercised. As student you learn how to prepare flight plans and the navigational log.
The first X-country is really exhausting; the instructor does most of the air work. Your purpose is to navigate by means of map reading, comparing it with the calculated time on your navigation-log, execute the radio work in controlled airspace, etc. The second X-country is a more relaxed one. By now you will have "time" to do more of the work. You will be proficient enough to fly, map reading and do the radio work yourself. The instructor is only there to help you where required. The third X-country is a SOLO flight. You prepare your nav-log very accurately, because the landscape in Africa looks very similar: no big cities or roads, only bush, bush, bush…the topic navigation is an essential at South African flight schools. The student gets an introduction on the radio navigation like ADF, VOR-Receiver and GPS, but the major focus definitely is the navigation by means of map reading and good log keeping.

What makes our school so unique is the fact that we can monitor the students solo flight to pin point accuracy. We are the first school in South Africa to do this. It is done by means of a receiver in the aeroplane which sends digital data via GPRS, Cell phone, Satellite and GPS the aeroplaines exact GPS position, speed, heading and altitude. This is a very valuable training and safety feature and now we can use this data to debrief the students and point out his or her mistakes.

The PPL-test takes place in the last week. It comprises a 3-hours navigational flight. Everything is planned and done by the student. The instructor only monitors the planning and the flight. He is onboard for the purpose of testing your skills and if you have any problems to assist you and show you how to correctly execute the task at hand. On the first leg you fly to an airstrip (grass or gravel), executing a pre-cautionary landing, thereafter to a manned airfield, practising some circuits and landings. During this flight situational awareness is tested and also the ability of the student to use all resources at hand if it is needed.

The examiner checks the student's ability of understanding the...


Finally on the third leg you return to the airport or airfield of your flying school, the examiner asks you to execute the upper air work. The examiner thereafter do a thorough debrief. He will then pass you provided he was happy with your performance during the test. He does however take into consideration the fact that you are nervous. The important thing to remember is that this licence is a licence to learn. You are by no means an ace pilot and you will still be a novice in this new found passion. Your instructor is always a phone call away to assist you in any query you have. The theory at South African flying schools is also a very important part of the training syllabus. The different subjects are: Engines and Airframes, Airlaw, Meteorology, Navigation, Principles of Flight and the Restricted Radio licence.

The flying school provides all necessary theory books like the pilot's manual, the radio book, the manual calculator "whizzy wheel" and diverse ICAO-maps. Daily, before or after each flight, the PPL-students are instructed into the principles of flight, air law and airframes and engines. There is definitely the need to prepare and repeat the theory briefings as self-study to pass the tests. We also strongly recommend our students to prepare the PPL groundschool via flyEAA Online. Next to time and money saving, additional advantages are that you get used to the technical terms of aviation.

After 14 days the restricted radio licence is handed out. The PPL theory exam is computer-based, the pass rate is 75%. Check also diverse YouTube videos for PPL training in general.

We are convinced to see you again in South Africa's wonderful flying world…looking forward to see our old students and chat about experiences and lessons learned!