Private pilot
Private pilot licence — PPL(A)
The private pilot licence lets you act as pilot-in-command of any aircraft you are rated on, without remuneration. Count on a minimum of forty-five flight hours, nine theory subjects, and no prerequisites to start.
PPL(A) training at Air Academy New CAG consists of a one-hundred-hour theory course — in the evening in Charleroi, Brussels or Saint-Hubert, or by distance learning in English — and practical training of at least forty-five flight hours on the Sonaca 200, of which thirty dual, ten solo and five on an FNPT II simulator.
Theoretical training
Classroom courses run in the evening, twice a week, over about five months, in Charleroi, Brussels (EPHEC Alma campus) or at Saint-Hubert aerodrome. They are taught in French, with phraseology and technical documentation in English — the real environment of flying.
A distance learning version is also available, in English, on our platform: slide decks and question banks, at your own pace. Access is open for one year, renewable.
The theoretical exam is taken on computer at the Belgian Civil Aviation Authority in Brussels: one hundred and twenty-four multiple-choice questions across the nine subjects, with 75% required in each.
The nine subjects
- Aircraft general knowledge
- Flight performance and planning
- Principles of flight
- Meteorology
- Navigation
- Air law and ATC procedures
- Operational procedures
- Communications
- Human performance and limitations
Flight training
A minimum of forty-five flight hours: thirty dual with an instructor, ten solo under supervision, and up to five on an FNPT II simulator. Training is flown on the Sonaca 200, a recently designed Belgian trainer.
At the end of the course you take the official skill test with an examiner, after which you exercise the privileges of the licence.
How long to plan for
One student in three gets the licence in just over five months; half in under seven and a half months; nine out of ten in under twenty-seven months. The spread comes from flying rhythm: the licence can be earned in one school year, or in two years flying every other weekend.
Durations measured across all of our completed courses from 2015 to mid-2026: from the first theory class — or, for courses without a theory session, the first flight — to the last training flight or class. Basis: 660 completed PPL courses.
Requirements for issue
- Be 17 at the skill test — 16 is enough for the first solo.
- Log at least 45 flight hours, of which 30 dual and 10 solo; up to 5 hours may be flown on a simulator.
- Hold a valid class 1 or class 2 medical certificate.
- Have trained within an Approved Training Organisation (ATO).
- Have passed the theoretical exam at the Belgian Civil Aviation Authority.
- Hold a language proficiency certificate (ELP, FCL.055) for radio use.
Medical certificate
A class 2 medical certificate is enough for the private pilot licence; aim for class 1 if you are considering a professional course: its requirements are stricter, and it is best to be sure before committing to training. The initial class 2 examination is done by an approved aeromedical examiner or an aeromedical centre; the initial class 1 examination only at an approved centre.
MEDEX — Federal aeromedical centre
Place Victor Horta 40/10, 1060 Brussels · +32 2 524 97 97
Aeromedical centre (Belgian Defence)
Quartier Reine Astrid, rue Bruyn, 1120 Brussels · +32 2 264 52 55
Brussels Aviation Medical
Brussels Airport, Building 26, 1930 Zaventem · +32 2 416 22 70
Language proficiency
English is the radiotelephony language in Belgian airspace. Regulation FCL.055 therefore requires demonstrated proficiency: level 4 (operational, valid four years), level 5 (extended, six years) or level 6 (expert, unlimited).
Prices
The full price
| Description | Price incl. VAT |
|---|---|
| Theoretical training | |
| 100 h ground course | €990 |
| G. Claude course books | €179 |
| Subtotal | €1,169 |
| Flight training | |
| 30 h dual — Sonaca 200 Aircraft €199.65/h · instructor €90.75/h. The minimum 5 hours of supervised solo are charged at the instructor rate. | €8,712 |
| 10 h solo — Sonaca 200 | €2,450.25 |
| 5 h dual — FNPT II Alsim AL4x simulator | €898.75 |
| Starter pack (pilot equipment) | €590 |
| Subtotal | €12,651 |
| Total incl. VAT | €13,820 |
Rates effective from 1 February 2026.
Not included
- Not included: theoretical and practical exams, examiner fee, medical examination, ELP.
After the PPL?
The night rating is the licence’s natural extension; the instrument rating opens flight in poor visibility; the professional course starts exactly where the PPL ends. Nothing is lost: the PPL is the first module of the airline pilot path.
First step
Try flying before you commit
The introductory flight puts you at the controls for forty minutes, with an instructor at your side, on a Sonaca 200 or Diamond DA40. It costs €290 and, if you enrol, it counts towards your training.
Practical information
Frequently asked questions
How long does the PPL take?
One student in three gets the licence in just over five months, half in under seven and a half months, nine out of ten in under twenty-seven months — durations measured on our completed courses since 2015. Theory takes about five months in evening classes; the rest depends on your flying rhythm. One to two sessions a week gives the best results, as skills fade quickly below that.
Is the published price the real price?
It corresponds to the regulatory minima, the common basis for comparing schools. The regulation sets a minimum, not an average: additional hours are frequent and are invoiced at the published hourly rate. Add the third-party costs — medical, exams, examiner fees, licence issue — detailed on the prices page.
Can I start before I have my medical certificate?
You can follow the theory and fly dual, but the medical certificate is indispensable before the first solo. We advise taking it at the very start of the course: it is the one entry requirement that depends neither on you nor on the school.
Can the course be done remotely?
The theory, yes — in English, on our platform, with one year of access, renewable. The flying, no: it takes place at Charleroi or Saint-Hubert.