Training & Milestones

What is hour building and do I need it?

3 min read

Training & Milestones

Updated Feb 2026

Hour building simply means accumulating additional flight hours after your PPL — flying for the purpose of gaining experience and logging time. It's not a course or a formal programme; it's just flying. Whether you need it depends on what you want to do next.

Why pilots build hours

There are several common reasons a PPL holder might want to build additional hours beyond the licence minimum:

Commercial pathway

A CPL (Commercial Pilot Licence) requires a minimum of 200 hours total time. Many pilots build hours after their PPL as part of a longer-term plan towards professional flying.

Building confidence and experience

40 hours is the legal minimum. Many new PPL holders feel more comfortable building additional hours before taking on longer trips or unfamiliar aerodromes.

Further ratings

Some additional ratings — such as the full Instrument Rating — have minimum hour requirements that may exceed your PPL total. Building hours satisfies these prerequisites.

Staying current

Flying regularly keeps your skills sharp and your currency valid. Many pilots who don't have a specific hour target simply fly regularly to maintain their standard.

Hour building at Fife Flight Centre

Once you have your PPL, you can hire aircraft from Fife Flight Centre at the hire rate of £250 per hour — a lower rate than the £295 per hour training rate. There's no formal programme to sign up for; you simply book flights through Private Radar as normal and fly them solo.

You'll need to complete a checkout on each aircraft type you want to fly, and we'll ask you to stay current with regular flying and a periodic check with one of our instructors. We want our aircraft fleet in safe hands.

Hour building is flexible — you can fly short local trips, explore further afield, or work on specific skills you want to develop. There's no fixed syllabus. What you do with the time is up to you.

Log your flights carefully

If you're building towards a commercial licence or a specific rating, your logbook is important. Keep it accurate, complete, and up to date. Your instructor can advise on what counts as relevant flight time for your goals.

Do I actually need to build hours?

If you're flying purely for pleasure and have no commercial aspirations, there's no obligation to build hours beyond what you naturally accumulate. Plenty of PPL holders fly a handful of times a year — enough to stay current — and are completely happy with that.

If you do have longer-term goals, it's worth thinking about hour building early. The commercial routes require significant flight time, and building hours takes time regardless of how much you're willing to spend. Starting sooner rather than later keeps those options open.

If you're unsure whether hour building makes sense for you, have a conversation with one of our instructors. They can look at what you're trying to achieve and give you honest advice about the most practical route.

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