At the 2024 microlight instructor seminar, the BMAA provided the latest statistics on NPPL microlight training and licencing, instructor certification and other interesting facts up to the end of 2023.
NPPL Microlight licence applications 2002-2023.
Overall, the number of NPPL Microlight licence applications remained relatively stable in the three years following the COVID-19 lockdowns, but remains significantly below the number of applications received prior to 2020, and around 40% lower than a decade ago.
Ratio of flex-wing to fixed wing licence applications 2010-2023.
The percentage of flex-wing to fixed wing applications remained broadly similar to 2022, with flex-wing licence applications representing 15% of the total applications.
Number of new microlight instructors.
The number of newly qualified microlight instuctors remained in single figures for six of the last 12 years, with eight instructor certificates issued in 2023, down from 12 in 2022.
Number of Instructors upgrading from a Restricted Certificate to a full Instructor Certificate.
The number of instructors upgrading from FI(R) to QFI status increased to its highest value since 2015.
Other interesting statistics.
Average age of student pilots when they begin microlight training: just over 44 years old (static from 2022, 45 years old in 2021 and 43 years old in 2020).
Average time taken to complete NPPL training: just over two years (static).
Number of licence applicants converted to BMAA members since 2015: 116
Average total training hours to complete NPPL training:
2020: 56 hours 27 minutes
2021: No figures
2022: 57 hours 19 minutes
2023: 57 hours 44 minutes
Average total of solo hours to complete NPPL training:
2020: 13 hours 7 minutes
2021: No figures
2022: 13 hours 2 minutes
2023: 13 hours
Average age of a microlight instructor: 59 years old
Number of active microlight schools (BMAA estimate):
England: 77
Scotland: 5
Wales: 2
Northern Ireland: 5
Abroad: 4 Total: 93
UK microlight schools by country and county: England: 1.6 Microlight schools per county
(Microlight school every 653 square miles)
Scotland: 0.15 Microlight schools per county
(Microlight school every 6,016 square miles)
Wales: 0.25 Microlight schools per county
(Microlight school every 4,012 square miles)
Northern Ireland: 0.83 Microlight schools per county
(Microlight school every 1,092 square miles)
Existing statistics that have not been updated in 2023:
Percentage of female licence applications 2010 - 2020: 3.7%
Percentage of female licence applications 2010 - 2022: 3.6%
Statistics up to 2019:
Percentage of female licence applications in the age group 17-20 years old: 9%
Percentage of licence applications with more than 100 hours of tuition: 5.5%
17-20 year olds had the lowest amount of flight trainign logged at the time of licence application
60-70 year olds had an overage 72 hours flight training logged at the time of licence application.
The oldest student was 85 years old
The longest course of training was 30 years
The highest amount of flight training before licence application was 315 hours and 25 minutes
Share your thoughts.
Let us know what you think about the latest statistics and the overall health of the sport. Do you have any insights into why the number of licence applications has declined in recent years? We'd like to know your opinion.
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