SGK logotyp Skånska Gyrokopterklubben

Training at SGK

How to become a UL pilot at Skånska Gyrokopterklubben

SGK Training

Our mission is, through theoretical and practical training, to:

  • Train students to carry out independent and safe flight in UL-classified aircraft.
  • Develop flight discipline in students and discipline in pre-flight preparation.
  • Familiarise students with phenomena that negatively affect flight safety.
  • Prepare students for the safe performance of tasks even in stressful and critical situations.

Our training can lead to a UL pilot certificate.

Apply for UL certificate or UL type-rating training

Trial lesson

Before starting your flight training with us you have the opportunity to take a trial lesson with an instructor and experience how it feels to fly. The trial flight counts as practical training time if you go on to start training. After your first flight, nothing else will seem quite as sensible 🙂

Course duration

You decide. Whether you want to learn to fly in a few days or over several months, we adapt to your pace.

Medical requirements

A general medical examination by an approved aviation doctor, including vision and hearing tests. Ultralight aircraft have limited payload, which unfortunately means we cannot train pilots who weigh more than 110 kg. If you weigh more, contact us for a discussion.

Student permit

To begin training the Transport Agency requires you to obtain a so-called student permit. To receive this you need:

  • To be at least 16 years old (there is no upper age limit)
  • A police background check (the Transport Agency arranges this automatically for Swedish citizens)
  • A personal identity certificate from the Swedish Tax Agency
  • A medical certificate (roughly equivalent to a driving licence medical)

Practical flight lessons

Flight training takes place year-round in club aircraft, or alternatively in your own UL-A, UL-B or UL-Gyro that meets the requirements. Your first flying hours are spent on basic aircraft handling, then on take-offs and landings. When both you and your instructor feel you are ready to fly alone, you will have reached one of the milestones of your flight training — flying a aircraft entirely by yourself. Training continues with more advanced manoeuvres, navigation, flight in controlled airspace and to controlled aerodromes.

Practical flight training for students with no prior flying experience consists of a minimum of 25 flight hours, of which at least 5 hours must be solo (according to KSAK's Training Manual UL-Gyroplane). Pilots with documented prior flying experience in certain classes may shorten their training at the flight school's discretion (see TSFS 2021:26). The minimum time for conversion from another flight class to UL-gyro is 10 flight hours. The actual number of training hours depends on the pilot's ability to learn a new flying technique.

Theory training and theory examinations

Theory training is normally conducted via www.flygcert.com, or through instructor-led teaching at the club's premises at Sövde airfield one evening a week over a few months. We can also use video-conferencing for distance learning. Another option is attendance at theory courses at another flight school approved by KSAK.

The theory examination is taken either via www.flygcert.com or with us, and covers all the subjects you have studied. The radio telephony examination is taken with a Transport Agency examiner. At least 75% of the questions in each subject area must be answered correctly.

Solo flight (EK, own command)

To be allowed to fly alone you must have:

  • A valid student permit
  • Completed a technical course on the aircraft type
  • Completed emergency training
  • Passed the theory examination, the EK (own command) examination, and the technical examination on the type

Final flight test

When you and your flight instructor consider you ready for the concluding flight test, a flight test is carried out, which covers, among other things:

  • Flight planning
  • Normal flight procedures
  • Low-speed flight
  • Emergency procedures
  • Spot landings

After completing your flight training

Once you pass the final flight test, you receive a UL certificate issued by the Transport Agency. To fly other types or classes of UL aircraft, only a type or class conversion with a flight instructor is required. Within the club we have the expertise to help you obtain class and type conversions in all UL classes. We work closely with other clubs where you can go on to convert to an S-certificate, TMG or PPL.

You can supplement your training with a rating to fly on skis or with floats. You can travel using the club's aircraft, which — in addition to basic equipment — are fitted with baggage space, special suitcases, life vests, heated clothing, navigation lights, radio, intercom with effective noise cancellation, transponder, emergency locator transmitter, GPS and even skis for winter flying.

You may carry passengers once you have flown a further 10 hours since the certificate was issued and have made at least three landings in the relevant class within the last 90 days. You can fly the club's aircraft considerably more cheaply than your own. You also have the option of flying abroad, but since the UL certificate is a national certificate, you must always check whether the aircraft, certificate and insurance are valid in the country in question.

Insurance

Pilot and passenger, as well as the aircraft and damage to third parties, are covered by Skånska Gyrokopterklubben's insurance for the club's aircraft, valid throughout Europe. Some variations may occur, which are communicated to all club members.

Students at our flight school will be given all the teaching and assistance towards a certificate that the school can provide. We assume that students will make progress and obtain a certificate. Should a student fail to make progress, and/or it becomes apparent that the student lacks coordination and/or multitasking ability, or another quality important for flying, we reserve the right, for safety reasons, to remove them from training. Any such removal is always preceded by a check flight with another instructor and/or examiner, who must reach the same conclusion regarding the student's training prospects. If a decision to remove the student is made, the student is not entitled to claim back fees already paid for the flight training.

How to become a member and start training towards a UL pilot certificate

  1. Let us know via email to skola@gyroflyg.se that you want to become a member of Skånska Gyrokopterklubben and start training with us.*

    Give us your contact details and describe any previous flying experience. Confirm to us that you have read through the information about:

  2. Read through the SGK bylaws and other documents in the document library, once you have received a welcome letter with login details from us.

  3. If you already hold a valid flight certificate issued by the Transport Agency*, go to step four, otherwise:

    * If you have previous experience from other aircraft classes or from other countries, contact us for a discussion. It is possible that some of your experience can be credited towards a Swedish UL pilot certificate.

    ** No books are mandatory, but without them it can be harder to reach the level of knowledge required to obtain a UL pilot certificate.

  4. Pay the annual SGK membership fee. You will find SGK member prices on our membership page.

We will help you get into our routines so you can start training whenever suits you. Once you have your certificate you can fly whenever you like by booking the club's aircraft via our web-based booking system Myweblog.

Welcome to SGK 🙂