This is one of the most common questions from people considering a learn-to-fly trip to the Alps — and the answer is more encouraging than most people expect.
To Make Your First Solo Flights: One Week
A standard 5-day initiation course (stage initiation) is designed to take you from zero experience to your first solo flights under radio guidance. By the end of the week, most students have completed multiple flights from a real mountain launch, understand the basic theory of flight and meteorology, and can manage their glider on the ground. Equipment is provided by the school throughout.
To Fly Autonomously: 10–20 Days of Training Total
True autonomy — being able to show up at a site, assess the conditions, and fly by yourself without instructor supervision — typically requires between 5 and 10 additional days of training after your initiation course. Like learning to drive, progression varies considerably from person to person. Some people are comfortable in the air from day one; others need more time to build confidence and coordination. Age, prior experience in mountain environments, and simply the number of hours you spend kiting on the ground between sessions all play a role. There’s no shortcut, but there’s no ceiling either — the more you put in, the faster it comes.
After completing this second phase, most pilots can realistically target their Brevet Initial (IPPI 3), the entry-level French pilot’s licence.
France Is One of the Most Open Countries in Europe for Visiting Pilots
This is worth understanding in context. In Germany, an IPPI card is mandatory for all foreign pilots, and only IPPI level 4 or 5 is accepted. Switzerland requires a minimum IPPI level 4 for general flying, and IPPI level 5 for cross-country. Italy accepts the IPPI card but requires valid third-party liability insurance. France, by contrast, requires neither a rating nor an IPPI card — just insurance. This makes the French Alps, and Saint-Hilaire in particular, one of the best places in Europe to build hours and experience regardless of where you are in your training journey. The flying you do here goes into your logbook and counts towards whatever rating system you use at home — and you won’t hit a bureaucratic wall before you even get to the launch.
Realistic Timeline for a Visiting International Pilot
| Phase | Duration | What you achieve |
| Initiation course | 5 days | First solo flights under radio guidance |
| Progression 1 course | 5–10 days | Active piloting, descent techniques |
| Progression 2 course | 5 days | Flying new sites, licence preparation |
| Brevet Initial (IPPI 3) | End of Progression 2 | Autonomous solo pilot in calm conditions and known sites |
Full Weeks or Weekends — Both Work
Courses at Saint-Hilaire are available as full weeks (Monday to Friday) or weekend formats, making it possible to progress even with a busy schedule. Weekend courses are a good option if you’re based within driving distance of the Alps and want to build hours gradually over several months rather than committing to a full week at once.
Why Site Choice Matters
One thing that affects your timeline more than anything else is weather. Saint-Hilaire has more flyable days than almost any other site in the northern French Alps — the plateau’s geography and orientation mean that even on days when the valleys are grey, the launch is often clear and the conditions are flyable. A typical week here delivers 4–5 real flying days.
Planning a trip to the French Alps? Saint-Hilaire is one of the best sites in Europe to learn to fly — reliable weather, four massifs on the horizon, and English-speaking instructors throughout the season.