Flying RAA Types on a GA PPL

[jwt101]

I am a UK Pilot about to visit Australia and will be flying on the privalidges of my UK PPL(A) (on a Certificate of Validation recently issued by CASA).

 

I have never flown in Australia before and the 'Recreational Aviation' sector is unfamiliar to me. I can see a lot of flying clubs operating Ultralight aircraft such as a Jabiru.

 

Is it the case that these types require a RAA licnese to operate them? Or could a GA pilot fly them with appropriate training?

 

 

[sseeker]

Hi,

 

The conversion for the full certificate is 5 hours from a CASA (Civil Aviation Safety Authority) PPL(A). It may be different because of your international qualifications. The school may however do a 1-2hour checkride and send you on supervised solo (without PAX).

 

-Andrew

 

 

[facthunter]

ALL you GA ratings (where applicable) transfer over, but you have a few more restrictions. Get on to the RAAus site and have a good read. Nev

 

 

[Gnarly Gnu]

A PPL can convert to RAA High Performance with as little a check ride conversion, it is at the RAA CFI's discretion.David

Should be able to milk him for 15 hours or so then.

 

 

[rocket1172]

It's odd (but correct) that you need 5 hours to fly a low performance aircraft, but just a check ride for high performance. Usually the other way around. I am going through this process now, and am enjoying every bit of my 5 hours. Only had to do 2 hours dual, now clean it up with solo time, then freeeeeeeeee..............

 

 

[sseeker]

Are you sure the 5 hours is only for low performance? I thought it was for the certificate regardless of aircraft type. It doesn't say anything about that in the ops manual...

 

If you're converting from GA the CFI will probably want to do a short nav (1-2 hours) then test your stalling, PFL, steep turning etc... That'll probably be at least 3 hours so not far off 5.

 

Regards,

 

Andrew

 

 

[sseeker]

David, I never said it was odd but it wouldn't be out of the ordinary for the CFI to test the pilot for their nav capabilities. What if they plain suck at navigating and just scraped through the PPL exam? If you're being signed off for the endorsement the CFI has every right to test your competency (even if it's just a verbal quiz) you can't just assume someone's competent, while they should be and chances are most will be EVERYONE forgets basic things especially if they haven't done dual flying in a while. GA schools may teach a form of log keeping that a particular RA-Aus school might not think is sufficient which could mean they don't log something and if something bad did happen, the insurance company would ask questions. Unlikely but everything in aviation is 'what if' - I'd say most CFIs would go on the safe side and assess you with a short nav (or verbal quiz), especially if you're coming from overseas.

 

 

 

jwt101 - So you don't have to fly 5 hours but just be prepared to possibly do a short nav (maybe just a 1hour flight to a local airfield) or be prepared to answer some questions on navigation. It's an endorsment that you'll automatically be issued with since you're converting from a PPL.

 

-Andrew

 

 

[Teckair]

It is completely logical that the requirement to convert to LP is greater because that is where the greatest difference in type performance exists.

 

David

 

Quite correct David, back in the early days of ultralighting the only planes available were slow flying high drag machines and GA pilots would try to treat them the same as a GA planes. This caused a lot of accidents and deaths and ultralight aircraft got a bad name which lead to the AUF changing its name to RAAus. In my opinion it takes more skill to fly a Thruster than a Jabiru and the 'high performance' and 'low performance' tags are misleading, as there are some areas where a Thruster will out perform a Jabiru, like short field for instance.