Guides
Straight answers for South African pilots and would-be pilots. Every figure links to where it came from.
- How to become a pilot in South AfricaThe steps to a private pilot licence in South Africa: medical, flight school, student licence, SACAA exams, 45 hours of flying and the flight test, then the commercial route, microlights, the Air Force and bursaries. Sourced and checked November 2026.Checked 5 November 2026
- What a private pilot licence costs in South AfricaWhat a PPL costs in South Africa in 2026: three flight schools' published prices (R106 000 to R201 000), SACAA's official fees from 1 October 2026, the costs schools leave out, and how to spend less. Sourced and checked November 2026.Checked 5 November 2026
- PPL, CPL and ATPL: South Africa's pilot licences comparedThe student, private, commercial and airline transport pilot licences side by side: minimum age, medical class, flying hours, what each lets you do and SACAA's 2026 fees, from the Civil Aviation Regulations. Sourced and checked November 2026.Checked 6 November 2026
- Aviation medicals in South Africa: classes, validity and costWhich SACAA medical class you need, how long it lasts at your age, who can examine you, what happens at the appointment, what examiners charge in 2026 and your duties afterwards. Sourced and checked November 2026.Checked 6 November 2026
- How to keep your PPL valid in South AfricaEverything that keeps a South African private pilot licence usable: the revalidation check every 24 months, what happens if it lapses, currency fees and paperwork, the 90-day rule for carrying passengers and your medical. Sourced and checked November 2026.Checked 6 November 2026
- How to get a night rating in South AfricaWhat a night rating lets you do, the training SACAA requires, the exam and skills test, SACAA's fees and two schools' published prices (about R47 000 to R49 400). Sourced and checked November 2026.Checked 6 November 2026
- How to get an instrument rating in South AfricaWhat you need before you start, the 40 hours of instrument training, why it needs a Class 1 medical, the yearly revalidation, recency for instrument approaches and a school's itemised price. Sourced and checked November 2026.Checked 6 November 2026
- How to buy and sell aircraft and parts safelyAvoid losing money when you buy or sell an aircraft or parts in South Africa: check the seller and the registration, get it inspected, transfer it within SACAA's 30 days, and pay safely. Sourced and checked November 2026.Checked 6 November 2026
- How to choose a flight school in South AfricaHow to check a flight school is SACAA-approved before you pay, what its approval documents tell you, SACAA's scam warning, the rules for trial flights, and the questions to ask about prices, aircraft and instructors. Sourced and checked November 2026.Checked 6 November 2026