The Extreme sports | Flying courses | Qualifications programmes in South Africa
From Price: 3,949.00EUR / GBP3,547.00
Imagine the wind in your face as you soar above the wild animals of the Kruger national park in a micro light in South Africa. A stunning backdrop of Wild South African bush will ensure that this is one of the experiences of your life! Our micro light flight school is based at the foot of the Drakensberg Mountains in the Limpopo Province. The Centre of the South African Safari industry. You Experience of the REAL Africa will be closer than you think with Hippos and crocodiles roaming freely around the purpose built flying resort.
Microlight Pilot Kruger National Park Essential Info
Learn to fly - Micro light pilot in South Africa on your gap year in a 3 Axis Micro Light or Ultralight trike. The ideal first step in to aviation. Fly's like a plane with an unrivalled view. The Xtreme Gap micro light pilot licence is set against stunning backdrop of wild South African bush. This promises to be one of the experiences of your life! Your experience of the real Africa will be closer than you think with Hippos and crocodiles roaming freely around the purpose built flying resort.
Flight test and pass requirements
In order to Pass your flight test you need a minimum 10 hours Dual and 15 hours SOLO flight time.
Passing the test
The law set outs out minimum numbers of hours to pass your test, however this does not mean you will pass in that time. Much like driving a car it is down to your ability. Your mind should be very clear on this issue as although the law lays down minimums for achieving these aims, they are simply minimums and the actual time taken will vary very much according to each individual. The important point is to understand that you will go solo or achieve your licence when you are safe and competent to do so. Your life and the lives of your future passengers depend on this philosophy and cannot be measured in hours flown.
The Xtreme Gap Micro light course allows for 30 hours of flight time. 5 hours over the minimum to allow for extra training if necessary.
If you fail to reach sufficient standards with in the course you have the option to purchase extra flight time direct with the instructor, however please allow 650 S.A. Rand extra per hour needed.
So you want to fly?
Good for you. You have made one of the most exciting decisions of your life. The world looks very different from the pilots perspective and it is a great view from up there! A word of warning however, it is not an easy achievement, but ultimately it will be incredibly rewarding. To be a micro light pilot in South Africa you must be able to multitask and co-ordinate and know exactly what it is you are doing at all times. It is about memorizing and practicing procedures to the point you could achieve results with your eyes closed. It is about safely knowing your limits, the limits of your micro light. Understanding the weather, radio procedures and air law. It takes effort and ability to master, but once you have done so, your life will be changed forever. The Xtreme Gap Pilot program is the ideal first step into aviation.
Accommodation
Welcome to your home from home, situated in the one of the worlds most beautiful surroundings. The Xtreme Gap base in the heart of the South African bush. It has everything to cater for your needs during your flight training. Swimming pool, restaurant, comfortable clean rooms and landing strip set in an idyllic environment surrounded by the greater Kruger park game reserve. Resident Hippos, Baboons, ververt monkeys, and crocs will keep you entertained and remind you that you are in a truly spectacular environment. Helpful friendly staff can help you settle in and introduce you to the area and can help you arrange a safari in the Kruger and local game reserves, weekly social excursions, quad biking adventures and much more.
Getting There
The flight school is based in Hoedspruit in Limpopo province. This is in the heart of the african bush and a beautiful part of Africa. You will need to fly in to Phwalaborah or Nelspruit (transfer from Phwalaborah included in the programme, Nelspruit will be at extra cost). South African Airways offers good value internal flights from Johannesburg and can be easily purchased online.)
When To Go
This is a year round activity
Why Xtreme Gap?
We have done it! Talk to us about the course as we have experience in gaining a PPL license in South Africa.
Price and Dates
Flight training and accommodation costs €3949
Included
The total course will be 6 weeks and will include the following
Travel Advice prior to departureTransfer from airport Nelspruit or Phwalabora to Hippo Pools Resort
In Country Representative to meet you off the plane
Great accommodation, your own little private house at the beautiful resort
Area introduction30 flight hours and dedicated instructor
Insurance for the airplane during instruction.
Books
Certificates
6 weeks breakfast and dinner included!!
Excluded
Flight tickets to and from South Africa
Drinks and snacks
Costs for visa
Aviator Shades (You will end up in them)
Travel insurance
Small fee for your medical and eye and hearing tests in country
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Itinerary
Microlight Training
To legally fly a Microlight in South Africa, you must be in possession of a valid MPL (Microlight Pilots License) and Radio operators license.The training typically requires a total of about 25 hours flying (about 10 hours dual, and the rest solo), and all the relevant ground courses (weather, engines & airframes, airlaw, navigation, theory of flight, radio procedure).
At the beginning of the training, you must must have a medical examination and apply to the DCA for a student license. After the training, you must have a series of flight tests by an instructor other than the one who did the training, and pass written exams on the ground courses, as well as obtain a radio operators license from Telkom SA.
If all tests and exams are passed, the student can apply to CAA for a Microlight Pilots License (valid for the type on which he/she has trained).
This is valid as long as the medical certificate is valid for (5 years from date of examination ). Every five years the pilot must have a further medical examination.
If the student/pilot is over 40 years old, the medical must be renewed every three years.If he passes this, and can prove (by means of log book, or form signed by an instructor) that he has flown 10 hours in the previous year, the license will be renewed by CAA to the date of expiry of the new medical examination.Medical examinations must be made by a CAA approved doctor and include complex sight and hearing tests, as well as a strenuous ECG .
The medical test is then sent with the licence application to CAA and a licence will be issued.
What is the difference between a 3 axis micro light and a trike?
Ultralights and microlights are defined differently in different countries. Essentially, they are very light airplanes, either single-seat or dual seat and the licensing regulations for both pilots and aircraft are less stringent than for conventional light aircraft. There are two main types: 3-axis - which have conventional controls, and weightshift, or trikes, which use a similar control system to hang gliders. The new category of ULM requires the same skills of flying as conventional aircraft and frankly, some of the newer models out-perform some conventional aircraft.
The world of Micro lighting has advanced so much over the last 15-20 years that it has become the most affordable and safest form of motorised flight.
The advancement of four stroke dedicated aviation engines now make the aircraft more reliable than before, faster, as well as sleeker looking.
There are two types of Microlight aircraft, one is derived from hang-glider technology and the basic principle to operating the weight-shift, as it is called, is by moving the wing in the airflow to manoeuvre the aircraft in the air, usually you are open to the elements in this type of aircraft.
The other type of Micro light aircraft is the simple 3 axis stick and rudder control, very similar to normal aircraft, being in an enclosed cockpit, these have surfaces on the wings and tail-plane which can be moved in the airflow, to manoeuvre the aircraft in the air, they are better known as 3-Axis types.
The weight-shift aircraft are able to carry two people and fuel up to 4 hours duration in the air. Pilot and passenger sit in tandem like a motorbike; they have been likened to 3D motor biking. The 3-Axis types usually have side by side seating arrangements like the normal cockpit of a small aircraft. The aircraft is controlled by deflection of flight control surfaces. These are hinged or movable surfaces with which the pilot adjusts the aircraft's attitude during takeoff, flight manoeuvring, and landing (aircraft attitude refers to whether the aircraft is pointing up, down, etc.). The flight control surfaces are operated by the pilot through connecting linkage to the rudder pedals and a control yoke.
Control sticks are used on most 3 axis microlights. They used to be called joysticks and can be seen in the photo below. If the aircraft has two seating positions with dual controls, the sticks are linked together as shown below. You can push and pull them in addition to pushing them side to side. The push/pull dimension controls the third direction (up and down). A few 3 axis microlights use a control yoke which is more like a car steering wheel but functions in a similar Fashion to the control stick
If you think micro lights aren't capable of keeping up with the big guys, think again. Read on, and maybe you'll change your mind.
The longest distance ever to be covered on a microlight is 1,627.78km. This was done by the Austrian Wilhelm Lischak. The flight took him from Volsau, Austria all the way to Brest, in France. The flight was done on 8 June 1988.
The longest distance to be covered in a closed circuit by a microlight was 2701.16km. This too was done by Wilhelm Lischak on the 18 June 1988.
The highest altitude ever reached in a microlight was 31,890ft. This record altitude was done by Serge Zin of France on the 18 September 1994.
Highest speed to be reached in a microlight over a closed circuit is 293.04 km/h. This record speed was done by C.T. Andrews of the USA .
Eve Jackson flew from Biggin Hill, Kent, UK, to Sydney, Australia from 26 April 1986 to 1 August 1987. The flight took 279 hours and 55 minutes, and covered 21,950 km.
From 1 December 1987 to 29 January 1988, Brian Milton of Great Britain covered a distance of 21,968 km from London, UK, to Sydney, Australia. His flying time was 241 hours, 20 minutes.
Historically, ultralights and ultralight trainers with wings mounted above a tricycle undercarriage have been called trikes and powered hang gliders. In sport pilot/light-sport aircraft the FAA officially named this two-place lightsport aircraft category a �weight shift aircraft.�
Why? Learn to fly micro lights in South Africa?
Micro light training in south Africa is great for several reasons.South Africa lends itself to micro light flying very well due to the all year round good weather. Making micro light training more predictable�not many lessons have to be cancelled due to rain.South Africa is a large country with lots of Airfields and open space. Perfect for micro light instruction as air space is not so restricted as it is in Europe. Micro light pilots have lots of landing options too.Micro Light training in south Africa is cheaper than in most countries and the standard of instruction and safety is consistent with FAA or JAA levels (American and European). Landing fees, fuel and aircraft maintenance are all cheaper meaning your micro light flight instruction is cheaper.There is plenty to see when micro light training in South Africa! Imagine seeing vultures fly past you, or spotting herds of elephant roaming on the African plains below you. Hard to beat.On your days off flying there is a wonderful country to explore! Micro light training does have some down time, when you are not studying or flying, you have a wealth of options to explore South Africa.
