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For Learners
Licence stages – part two
By Guy Allen
So you want to fly. It's huge fun and a real challenge. Here you'll find some info on what's involved and where to look for more info.
There is a series of steps required for you to obtain a general aviation pilot’s licence (known as a Private Pilot Licence or PPL), which enables you fly a basic civil aircraft (Piper Warrior, Cessna 172 and the like). The rules for an ultralight or light sport aircraft are different and should be discussed with your local training school, or see the links at the bottom of this page. Requirements are a little lower, and you will have more restrictions on where you fly. Having said that, the restrictions do not prevent people traveling the country and there is a big support industry.
A PPL gives you full access to major airports such as Archerfield, Bankstown, Canberra, Essendon and the like.
(A quick note of explanation: most schools work in their home airfield plus a nearby training area. The training area will be a defined district you fly in, varying from a bunch of local farms, to something more exotic like the Point Cook to Essendon route used by some schools based at the latter aerodrome.)
 Step one: General training and first solo
This is where you learn the basics: general handling, take-offs, landings, stalls and what to do with an engine failure. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) says most people are ready at about 15-20 hours. Some go earlier – particularly when trained in the military – and many take closer to 30 hours. In any case do not fret – it’s all good experience.
In the first solo, your instructor will generally give you a quick briefing, tell you to do one circuit of the airfield, and then hop out. It’s a great feeling – scary too – and one you’ll never forget. You’ll gradually find you will do more solo work as your flying progresses.
There will be a brief exam to test your knowledge of some aviation basics and the local circuit area before you’re allowed to fly solo to the training area.
Step two: GFPT or general flying progress test
 The minimum is 20 hours, including five solo, two on instruments (sometimes a mix of simulator and the real thing with an instructor – at least an hour of the latter). This enables you to fly in the school’s training area, with approval, as pilot in command and take passengers.
You’ll be asked to undertake a reasonably big exam on flying, called the BAK. There is also a verbal examination on the test day.
Once you have the GFPT, this becomes the stage at which you begin navigation instruction. It used to be called a restricted licence but is now regarded as a student licence. As you progress with the nav exercises, you will be expected to do some solo trips.
Step three: PPL or private pilot licence
The minimum is 40 hours, including a minimum of 5 in command (without an instructor), plus 5 cross country in command and 2 on instruments. CASA says 55-60 hours is more common, while many people (particularly if they’re doing it part-time) will stretch this to more like 100. You need to be 17 years of age.
Along the way you pass a comprehensive exam. While you can self-study, most people do a theory course which can cost around $900. There will also be a verbal examination on the test day.
The PPL allows you to go more or less anywhere (there are some restrictions in heavy-traffic areas) and take passengers – as a social exercise, as you are not yet approved to hire out your services. The latter requires a commercial licence.
Getting a PPL is a real achievement and marks your ‘coming of age’ as a real pilot. It’s a lot of work, and you’ll probably want to learn more skills once you have it.
More skills, Vicar?
From there, some go on to Commercial Pilot Licence, which requires 200 hours (a little less for an integrated course), much more study and a more complex set of skills. Then it’s APTL, or a transport licence and so on. This is the career path for those who want to fly for a living.
A PPL holder might however decide to get a variety of endorsements to open up more flying options, without doing the full commercial course. Those endorsements can include constant-speed prop and retractable undercarriage (for faster single-engine planes), multi-engine, night VFR (for evening flying), instrument rating (for poor visibility conditions) and so-on. Some of them are relatively inexpensive and can be mixed and matched to suit your tastes.
What about helicopters?
 As a general rule, helicopter training is much more expensive per hour than fixed wing – about 150-200 per cent of the cost. There are obvious benefits, such as being able to land in places a fixed wing plane could only dream of, and they are more challenging aircraft to fly. Rotary wing schools generally like you to have substantial fixed wing experience before you start with them.
Medicals and paperwork
There are some additional formalities, such as medicals. These are graded according to your licence. It’s basic for ultralight/light sport (equivalent to a car licence), reasonably serious for PPL -- good heart, eyesight (with or without glasses), blood sugar levels, cholesterol and so-on – and quite rigorous for commercial and above. PPL and higher requires you to see a CASA-approved doctor. See this CASA link.
Another requirement for access to most airports is a security clearance card, called an ASIC. See this CASA link.
Costs
Oh dear, this is the hard part. Flying is expensive – simple as that. Generally you can work on the basis of around $200 per hour for an aircraft (Piper Warrior, Cessna 172 and the like) including fuel and an instructor. The rates vary according to the school, where it’s located, what it’s flying and so-on. You also pay less for solo time. If in doubt, make some calls -- or better still, go and visit some schools and ask for information sheets.
Realistically, a PPL is going to cost around $15,000-plus by the time you add up all the costs.
Many training schools now offer light sport aircraft (such as the Queensland-built Jabiru series) for training and it is worth investigating this as an option, because the costs are lower. (See the ultralight and recreational aviation links below.)
A commercial licence is more like $70,000-plus, depending on how you do it. The least expensive and quickest way to do it can be full-time. Some flying schools and teritary institutions run specific courses and camps for young people working up to a commercial licence.
You should also see the CASA licence stages web page: click here
See this CASA link for sport and recreational flying
Plus this link from the Australian Ultralight Federation
See this CASA link for the helicopter licence checklist
Useful links:
Civil Aviation Safety Authority
Key clubs
Aircraft Owners & Pilots
Helicopter Association
Recreational Aviation
Sport Aircraft
Women Pilots Assn
Images:
www.newpiper.com
www.cessna.com
www.raytheonaircraft.com (Beechcraft)
www.bellhelicopter.textron.com
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