IDAC Private Pilot Airplane (PPA) study plan
IDAC Private Pilot Airplane (PPA) · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Air Law and ATC Procedures & Meteorology
Map the air-law syllabus into a one-page index covering licensing, privileges and limitations of the private pilot licence, documents to be carried, and rules of the air
Define and contrast VMC and IMC minima, visibility and cloud-separation criteria, and the airspace classes in which a PPL holder may operate VFR
Explain the standard pressure-setting procedures (QNH, QFE, QNE/transition altitude and level) and convert between them for a set of aerodrome elevations
Describe the composition and vertical structure of the atmosphere, and state the standard lapse rates used in altimetry and temperature calculations
Your checkpoint
A two-page air-law and altimetry reference sheet, plus 20 self-written recall questions on airspace and pressure settings answered at 80% or better.
Air Law and ATC Procedures & Communications (VFR and IFR)
Outline the notification, clearance and position-reporting requirements for VFR flight in controlled and uncontrolled airspace
Interpret a set of NOTAM-style and AIP-style extracts to extract runway, serviceability and procedural restrictions
Build a phonetic-alphabet and standard-phraseology drill covering departure, en-route, approach and emergency calls
Practise writing out readback-required clearances and identify which elements must be read back verbatim
Your checkpoint
A recorded or written transcript of 10 simulated VFR radio exchanges with correct phraseology, plus a one-page NOTAM interpretation summary.
Aircraft General Knowledge (Airframe, Systems, Powerplant, Instruments) & Principles of Flight
Trace the four-stroke cycle and explain how mixture, throttle and propeller setting affect power output and fuel flow
Describe the airframe, flight-control, electrical, fuel, oil and vacuum/pitot-static systems and state the failure indications for each
Explain how the pitot-static instruments derive their indications and predict the errors caused by blockage, leakage and position error
Derive lift from the lift equation and explain the relationships between angle of attack, indicated airspeed, load factor and stall speed
Contrast the four forces in climb, glide and turn, and explain why load factor increases stall speed in a level turn
Your checkpoint
A labelled systems diagram set with a one-page 'if this fails, expect this indication' table, plus 15 stall-speed and load-factor calculations worked by hand.
Aircraft General Knowledge (Airframe, Systems, Powerplant, Instruments) & Principles of Flight
Explain stability, controllability and the causes and cures of the three axes of upset, including spiral dive and spin entry
Describe the effect of flaps, slats and trim on the lift curve and on take-off and landing performance
Interpret engine and system limitations from a representative aircraft flight manual and state the consequences of exceeding them
Explain wake turbulence generation, decay and avoidance procedures in the take-off, approach and landing phases
Your checkpoint
A closed-book 30-question test on aircraft systems and principles of flight, scored 80% or better, with every wrong answer rewritten as a corrected statement.
Milestones
Week 4: Score 80% or better on a closed-book 30-question mixed test covering domains 1, 2, 5, 8 and 9, and show the completed systems-failure table and lift/stall calculation set.