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Q: Why should I learn to fly at Wonderboom National Airport ?
Q: Why should I choose Loutzavia as my Flight School ?
A: Loutzavia is proud to say that we were part of the international ICAO 2023 USOAP ( Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme) audit during April and that we had an extremely Successful Audit by our SACAA and ICAO and passed with flying colours.
We have an excellent safety record !!
At Loutzavia we are a family , and everyone here gets treated as Family.
All training programs were designed and is supervised by Jannie Loutzis our In house designated flight examiner DFE 1 for the SACAA and Grade 1 Flight Instructor.
Jannie has been flying since the age of 17 and involved in training pilots for the past 32 years at Wonderboom Airport and has been involved in the training of more than 2676 pilots.
Jannie has a total of 8500 flying hours and 1200 hours instruction on Flight Simulators.
All instructors involved at are very dedicated to top quality flight and Ground training.
The Loutzavia facilities are of the best training facilities available with top quality classrooms and a State of the Art Frasca Tru- Visual Flight Simulator.
Our flight simulator is also approved for PPL training that gets used in areas of difficulty.
Loutzavia has trained pilot’s from all over the world and has been training pilots for various institutions and airlines in South Africa and around the World.
At Loutzavia you will get what you pay for and our prices are very competitive in South African Market and Abroad.
Our quotations for pilot training are thorough and complete without any hidden costs.
Please ensure that you compare Apples with Apples when comparing Quotes as we know that many flying schools omit some of the costs involved to make their quotations and estimations look more attractive.
Q: How long does it take to do the Private Pilots Licence ?
A: Anything between 60days (full time) to 9 months (part time). It depends on your personal needs and financial budget however we do not recommend a PPL course shorter than 60days or anything longer than 9 months.
Q: Is the South African PPL accepted Internationally ?
A: Yes, in most countries as it is an ICAO Licence , however the medical examination, Air Law examinations and the PPL flight test needs to be redone in that country, but that would be similar to an overseas pilot wishing to fly in our country.
Q: Can the course be completed in the quoted 45 hours ?
A: Its possible to complete the course in the planned 45 hours however the secret is to fly regularly and to read up as much as u can about learning to fly prior to commencing with the PPL course, a home based flight simulator program like Microsoft Flight Simulator, when practicing regularly will reduce flight training hours necessary.
The national average currently is 52 to 55 hours of flying.
Q: Does age play an important role in learning to fly ?
A: Not really, as long as you are medically fit to pass the medical Examination, but the statistics do show that younger pilots to tend to complete the course with less training hours.
Q: Can any doctor do the medical examination ?
A: No, the doctor that does the medical examinations needs to be approved by the South African Civil aviation Authority to conduct the examinations and only a South African medical Certificate will be accepted for a Local pilots license.
You would need a class 1 certificate for commercial pilot licence
You would need a class 2 certificate for private pilot licence
Q: Where can I do my medical Examination ?
A: Loutzavia makes use of approved medical doctors available at Wonderboom Airport and in Pretoria available 5 days a week.
Q: Are there different medical Certificates ?
A: Yes,
Class III – For Microlight, Glider and Balloon Pilot’s.
Class II – For Private Pilots
Class I – For Commercial and Airline Pilots.
Q: What are the Main things the medical Examination involves ?
A: A check on the following:
- Blood Pressure
- Cardiovascular System
- Respiratory System
- Vision ( Colour Vision & Depth Perception)
- Hearing
- Heart condition
- Co-ordination
- No color blindness allowed
- No history of epileptic fits
- Diabetes is restricted
Q: When do I do the Medical Examination ?
A: Immediately after making the decision to do your Private Pilots License. The Flying school will book the examination for you.
Q: How long is the medical certificate valid for ?
A:
- Class II (Under the age of 40)- 60 Months
- Class II (Over the age of 40) – 24 Months
- Class I (Under the age of 40)- 12 Months
- Class I (Over the age of 40) – 6 Months
Q: How regular can I fly ?
A: The school is open 7 days a week however we recommend u can fly up to 5 days a week and a maximum of 2 sessions a day
Q: How many Instructors will I have ?
A: At Loutzavia, you will have one instructor that will take you from start to finish to make sure you receive the best possible flight training at all times.
Please note however that instructors move on as they gain their hours and therefore the longer you take to complete the course the higher the chances are that you might need to be allocated a new instructor.
Q: Does Loutzavia do regular Dual / Progress checks ?
A: Yes, all dual checks are either done by the chief or senior flying instructors , these checks are there to ensure that you are on a high training standard throughout your training course.
These checks are also in place to ensure that your instructor gives you the best training at all times.
Q: How often are the Dual / Progress checks done ?
A: At least every 10 flying hours, where after you will receive a thorough briefing and progress report on your performance.
Q: How much ground briefings do I receive during my training at Loutzavia ?
A: At Loutzavia we believe that proper ground training reduces flying training, thus saving you money.
You will receive at least 30 one on one briefings
You will receive at least 70 hours briefings on groundschool.
Q: If I wear spectacles, can I still become a pilot ?
A: Yes, you most probably can. Many pilots flying out there wear either spectacles or Contact Lenses. We suggest that you do the medical examination prior to commencing or committing to any payment.
Q: What about my grades at School ?
A: Of course any Airline that will consider giving you a flying position, will do a careful study of your CV and might ask for your school grades, however it is recommended that Mathematics, Science and Geography be taken at school
These subjects are not compulsory.
Q: Do I have the co-ordination and ability to become a Pilot ?
A: No one was born with the ability to fly an aeroplane. Learning to fly must be practiced over and over. Hence the 45 hours for the PPL.
Q: Does Loutzavia provide accommodation ?
A: No not directly however Loutzavia has a list of accommodation facilities available around the airport, from basic accommodation to full board and lodging.
Q: How do I get the right instructor ?
A: Our Chief Flying Instructor – Jannie Loutzis or a senior instructor will have an interview with you on arrival whereby he will asses you and decide on the correct flying instructor to suite your personality.
Q: How do we make bookings ?
A: On arrival for your first training lesson your instructor will explain the booking procedures to you. Flight training is available 7 days a week and bookings are made to suite your individual needs.
Loutzavia has an electronic booking procedure that can be made with a cell phone or a PC.
Q: What about past experience ?
A: The Chief Flying Instructor will asses your Logbook and work out a tailor made program whereby to continue from.
Q: How much studying do I have to do ?
A: For the Private Pilots License most of the course is focused on the practical aspects, Loutzavia offers a ground school course every Saturday of the month for the different PPL subjects namely:
- Principles of Flight
- Engines + Airframes
- South African Air Law
- Meteorology
- Navigation
- Radio Telephony Course
- Flight Planning
- Human performance.
These are SACAA exams that are written at the Flying School and the Pass rate is 75 %
Q: Am I guaranteed to pass ?
A: No, However if there is a Will there is a Way. Learning to fly takes a lot of Practice, Willpower and Dedication. It doesn’t happen often that a student can not complete the course if he is self driven and motivated.
Q: Which clothes / uniform do I have to wear ?
A: It is not compulsory to wear a uniform at our Flight Training Center however if you are enrolled for the commercial pilot licence we recommend that students wear navy blue pants with a white Pilot-shirt and Pilot wings.
Q: What is a night rating and do I need one ?
A night rating is an additional endorsement in your logbook allowing you to fly at night. We highly recommend obtaining your night rating soon after completing your PPL in order to enhance safety margins when hour building. A night rating is a requirement to obtain an instrument rating.
Q :How does the payment system work ?
You can either pay for your course in full before you start training or you can pay in smaller segments e.g. week for week. Whichever suits you best.
You can continue with your course on a fly as you pay basis.
Q: Is there a limited amount of time to finish my CPL ?
The only time restrictions are the ones set out by the SACAA. You have 18 months to finish your exams from the time you have passed the first one and you have 36 months from the date you passed you final exam to test for your CPL.
Q:Who can help me with the exams ?
Loutzavia offers Groundschool. These classes are focused on the theoretical knowledge you require to pass the exams. We don’t just prepare you to pass the exams, we prepare you to have a full understanding of the subject to be able to apply it to your flying career.
You will need to pass each and every exam with 75% .
Q:Should I do a multi engine Commercial Pilot Licence or is it possible to do the multi rating separately ?
In the long run doing the multi IF CPL all together with end up being the cheaper option but if that doesn’t fit into your current circumstances or budget we do offer separate Multi engine ratings. We have the new generation Tecnam multi engine aircraft which is a great multi engine trainer.
Q: What if English isn’t my first language ?
Loutzavia has many students from all over the world with home languages such as French, Zulu, Xhosa, Arabic, Hindi, Spanish, Portuguese and Afrikaans.
The aviation standard language is English so it is a requirement to be fluent in English. In order to ensure this you will undergo an English Language Proficiency test organized by Loutzavia.
Regards
Jannie Loutzis.
Grade 1 instructor and SACAA DFE 1 examiner.