UL training (practice)

The UL training (practice) consists of at least 30 flying hours, of which at least five hours must be flown solo, as well as at least five take-offs and landings in solo flight at two different airfields. In addition, two cross-country flights with a flight instructor over a total distance of at least 200 km each, three landing exercises with a flight instructor and three solo cross-country flights to foreign airfields must be completed.

  • Instruction flights to teach the basics for mastering the air sports equipment
  • Take-off and landing
  • Behavior in special emergency situations
  • First solo flight in the aerodrome circuit
  • Learning to handle under special conditions (e.g. take-off and landing in crosswinds)
  • Overland instruction with application of terrestrial navigation
  • 3 x 50 km solo flights with stopovers at foreign airfields
  • 2 x 200 km flight with instructor incl. Stopover
  • Preparation for the practical exam
  • Completion of the practical training with a 60-minute examination by a DULV examination board

The practical UL training is divided into several phases:

Basic training

  • Rowing coordination
  • Curved flight
  • Rise/Sink
  • Control elements
  • Hold direction
  • Navigation

Circuit training

  • Take-off / Landing
  • Crosswind landing
  • Short start
  • Short landing
  • Target landings
  • Solo flight

Safety training

  • Slow flight
  • Emergency landings
  • Stall
  • Motor failure
  • Steep curves
  • Twilight flight

Cross-country flight training

  • Flight preparation
  • Weather preparation
  • Dead reckoning
  • GPS briefing
  • Landing on foreign pitches

The UL training (practical training) is followed by the practical examination:

The examiner usually specifies a flight route from the home airfield via A to B and back to the home airfield on the evening before the test. A written flight preparation is expected, incl. Center of gravity calculation for the UL including pilot and co-pilot involved, luggage and required fuel.

Navigation is always based on a map and compass. In the event of flying away, an attempt must be made to secure the current position with catch lines etc. A route navigation device with a background map, also known as GPS or GPS MAP, is not permitted.

Once you have found your destination during the practical test, you fly back home to your home airfield. On the flight home, bad weather can also be simulated and you have to find another point without much flight preparation. Here the examiner wants to see whether the future pilot is able to develop spontaneous plans.

Once you have found the point, the last section of the SPL test flight involves flying exercises:

  • Curves
  • Steep curves
  • Emergency procedure
  • Rolling exercise

The “target landing” part is usually flown with the engine running at idle from 2,000 ft AGL at the home airfield. Some examiners fly this part first, as it requires a lot of concentration, which is usually at its highest at the beginning of the test.

The examiner is always on board the UL as PIC (pilot in command) and assesses the flight.

UL license requirements
  • Age at start of training min. 16 years (license receipt 17 years)
  • In the case of minors, the consent of the legal guardian. Representative
  • Good physical and mental constitution
  • An LAPL certificate of airworthiness is required for motorized aircraft > 120 kg empty weight (§ 16 LuftPersV).
  • This medical certificate is valid for 5 years up to the age of 40 and 2 years from the age of 41.

UL training (practice)