Getting your pilot's licence (PPL, your licence to fly as a private pilot) means 9 theory exams, 45 flight hours and a strict EASA deadline. Many people start. Few make it without support. We are that support.
Built by PPL pilots
Born from our own flight training
Honest advice, no sales pitch
Free intro call, no obligation
6 questions · 2 minutes · free
Are you suited to be a pilot? What's your type?
Take the quick quiz and discover which route to your pilot's licence suits you best.
Does this sound familiar?
You don't know where to start. What does it cost? Where do you train? How long does it take? Can you combine it with work and family?
You've tried self-study, but some subjects like Navigation and Meteorology just aren't clicking. You need someone who can explain it differently.
You've heard it's cheaper in Spain or Germany. But how do you find a good school, and what are the pitfalls?
Everyone's #1 question
No email wall. Tweak two controls and see an honest estimate for your situation. Cheaper than you think? Cheaper in Spain or France? Cost breakdown? Find out yourself.
Total costs range from €10k (France, aero club) to €25k (Netherlands, busy school). Average student around €15k.
Quick estimate — no email needed
Estimated total cost
over 1–2 years · 55 flight hours in Netherlands
Indicative figures — actual costs vary by school
Learning to fly is a 1–2 year journey. We help you at every step, from the first question to the final exam.
€79 per session · your thread through the journey
A dedicated coach who guides you from first question to licence: school choice, study plan, exam strategy. No subscription — book when you need it.
View PPL Coaching →€89 per session · subject specialist for one tough topic
Stuck on Navigation, Meteo or Air Law? A subject specialist explains it in 90 min. Includes practice questions to take with you.
View PPL Tutoring →€129 · 2 sessions
Radiotelephony exam. ICAO phraseology, ATC procedures, mock oral.
View R/T →€12 · 2 hours
90 EASA questions across all 9 subjects. Pass/fail report per subject.
Start mock →€499 · 8 sessions
All 9 PPL subjects in one compact programme with study plan and mock exam.
View Crash →Our mock exam gives you 90 EASA-style questions across all 9 PPL subjects. You then receive a per-subject report — you know exactly where you stand. The best starting point to book targeted coaching or tutoring.
You can start flying right away. Theory, R/T and LPE happen at the same time. Your PPL Coach keeps the overview and plans everything at your pace.
While you practise with your flight instructor, your PPL Coach is the one with the overview. They schedule your theory study, R/T training and LPE preparation seamlessly around your flight schedule, so you meet every requirement at exactly the right moment, without stress.
You do not need a medical, theory or certificates to start your first flying lessons. Get in the aircraft and begin.
No prerequisites. Start today.At least 25 hours of dual instruction: basic airmanship, stalls, emergency procedures, circuits and landings. Each lesson: briefing → flight → debrief.
After an average of 15 dual hours you fly alone for the first time. Most pilots describe this as the finest flight of their training.
Solo flights over longer distances, including the mandatory navigation flight of at least 150 nm with two intermediate stops.
Class 2 Medical certificate
Obtain your EASA Class 2 medical from a certified Aviation Medical Examiner. Only required before your first solo. By that point you may already have many dual hours logged.
Theory study (9 EASA subjects)
Your coach plans the 9 subjects around your flight schedule: Air Law, Meteorology, Navigation, Aircraft Knowledge, Human Performance, Principles of Flight, Performance & Planning, Operational Procedures, and Communications.
Theory exams
Minimum 75% per subject, 18-month window from your first exam. Max. 4 attempts per subject. Your coach determines the ideal order and timing.
R/T certificate (RT-VFR)
Radiotelephony certificate: ICAO phraseology, ATC communication and emergency procedures. Timed cleverly once your theory is already progressing well.
LPE language test (ICAO)
ICAO English Language Proficiency, minimum level 4. Level 6 is valid for life. Your coach prepares you specifically for all six assessment criteria.
You demonstrate all flying skills to a certified Flight Examiner (FE): navigation, emergency procedures, stalls, takeoffs and landings, and radio communications.
Application at the national authority. Your Private Pilot Licence is valid for life and recognised worldwide.
Ready to begin? Your PPL Coach plans everything at your pace.
Free consultationPeople who've been through it themselves
All pilots who know exactly what it feels like to get stuck — at Meteorology, the nav triangle, or the 18-month deadline. They help you at exactly those moments.
15 min · free · no obligation
* Click a time — live availability appears directly in the booking flow.
FAQ
On average 1 to 2 years, depending on how quickly you complete your theory exams and how intensive your flying schedule is. With good preparation and guidance, most students earn their licence within 18 months.
In the Netherlands total costs are typically between €15,000 and €25,000. Abroad (e.g. Spain or Greece) you can achieve the same EASA-recognised licence for €10,000–€15,000. We are happy to help you build an honest cost estimate.
Absolutely. Most of our students combine the training with a job or degree. Your flying schedule is tailored to your availability: weekends, early mornings or holiday periods.
Your coach analyses your situation, helps you choose the right flight school, creates a personal study plan and guides you through the theory exams. Even after earning your licence you can count on us for further development.
An example journey
An illustrative example to make the steps, timeline and costs tangible — not a specific client. We map out your own route together during the free intro call.
Age
38
Profession
Doctor
Time per week
6-8 hrs
Total cost
€13.840
"During COVID I once spent 14 days in the hospital in a row. On the way home I'd always look up — small planes in the evening sun. I thought: why am I not actually doing this?" Daan booked the free intro call that same evening, in pyjamas on the couch.
First session: €0 · only time.
"In 15 minutes I got an honest answer: yes you can, but in NL it costs €22k over 24 months. Or you go to Spain for half. No sales pitch. They suggested Spain, in 2-week blocks." Daan booked 4 trips to Seville and ordered the Crash Course for theory.
Crash Course: €499 · plan: 8 months theory + 4 months flying.
"Air Law I did blindfolded. But Meteorology — fronts, depressions, advection fog — I understood nothing. Failed two practice exams." One 90-min PPL Tutoring session with a former ATC controller worked wonders. "He drew it on a whiteboard, suddenly I saw the system. A week later: 87% on the real exam."
1× PPL Tutoring: €89 · Meteorology exam passed.
"6:30 am, instructor steps out, and suddenly you're alone on the runway. Three circuits — I don't even remember if I was scared or euphoric. I just knew: this is real. I can fly." Daan sends his wife a photo of the aircraft. She sends back a heart.
20 flight hours passed · halfway.
"My method: 45 min studying in the morning before shift, practice questions during lunch, then repeat material in the evening. One subject per 3-4 weeks. Wesley kept me on track with a session every 3 weeks — mostly mental support when I wanted to quit." All 9 subjects in one go.
14 PPL Coaching sessions (€79 × 14 = €1.106).
"My wife and kids were there in Seville. My 7-year-old asked if she could fly with me later. 'As soon as you're 7 — which is right now.' First passenger flight: the week after, coastline of Cádiz, kids in the back, wife next to me." He's now a 4-month licence holder.
Final total: €13.840 over 14 months · licence earned.
It can work for you too
Faster or slower, in the Netherlands or abroad, intensive or relaxed alongside your work. We help you with the throughline: the right choices, a realistic plan and guidance at the moments that matter.
Book your first conversation →15 min · free · no obligation
Why UP Aviation
UP Aviation is a new initiative, born from our own flight training. We hit the same walls ourselves: theory that wouldn't stick, expensive flight hours and an unclear route. We want to make private aviation more accessible and give future pilots the right nudge in the right direction.
We know exactly where it goes wrong in the theory, the school choice and the planning — because we went through it ourselves.
No sales pitch. In the free intro call we listen to where you stand and tell you honestly what does and doesn't make sense for you.
A throughline across your whole journey: the right choices, a realistic plan and guidance at the moments that matter.
Tell us where you stand. We'll be honest about what we can do for you — and what we can't. No sales pitch, just a good conversation.
✓ In 15 minutes you'll know exactly what your next step is
15 min · free · no obligation
