Converting RA to CASA PPL

[pdriussi]

Hi all

 

Just wondering, I have just started doing a bit of flying with RQAC at Archerfield and have a question for anyone who has gone from RA-Aus to CASA licence. I have x country and pax endorsement with RA and so where do I come in to the CASA licencing scheme? Unfortunately noone at RQAC has done any RA flying. (How I pity them ... for they know not what they have missed out on)

 

I have come in at pre GFPT stage and working towards my GFPT exam.

 

Is that where I should be? Should I be before there of after there?

 

I dont have a problem with it I just dont know why noone seems to know anything about RA-Aus in the CASA schools. Seems we just get put near the beginning and none of my x country training/flying has any relevance to the CASA regime.

 

I imagine there have been a lot of people before me taken the same steps so any info or help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Cheers

 

Pete

 

 

[sseeker]

Your hours are (legally) directly convertible, i.e hour for hour. The GA school has every right to make you repeat segments of the PPL syllabus if they want you to.

 

My experience is:

 

Obtain ARN

 

Obtain Medical

 

Obtain SPL/ASIC

 

Sit GA BAK

 

Sit PPL Exam

 

(Theory and paperwork over with! Well most of it anyway.)

 

Get used to a GA plane (C172)

 

Do your 2hrs Instrument

 

Practice using navaids with instructor (VOR/ADF)

 

Do a few solo navs/training flights.

 

If you're up for it, book your PPL exam.

 

This is my experience with the Royal Aero Club of WA after speaking to Trent the CFI.

 

Regards,

 

Andrew

 

 

[Tomo]

Hey Pete!

 

I'm doing the same thing at the moment at Archerfield, but down the apron a bit at Flightone. I didn't start here, I started at Caboolture and obtained my GFPT in about 6-8 hours - including the instrument time and required solo time in the particular aircraft... I also did a few more circuits and things so I really got the hang of the aircraft (C172) as I wanted to know the plane before I did any tests in it. Got that no worries.

 

As Andrew said above you need to sit the theory exams, which aren't too hard if you're clued up on it all. I'm not the best at that side of things, but didn't have any trouble with the practical.

 

I've just recently started flying at Flightone, and totally love the guys there, and you're a pilot there no matter what, and are treated very well. They have an impressive range of aircraft too! They aren't the cheapest around, but it's money well spent once you fly with them. I'll be doing my test sometime in the next few weeks - I've just started with contract cotton picking out here, so trying to find the time now is a bit tricky!

 

They have a DAME that does the aviation medical too, so if you haven't got one yet, they're there close by - Monday nights they do that usually.

 

Give us a call if you want to ask any questions, my number is 0429 680 423

 

Regards,

 

Tom

 

 

[facthunter]

I would have thought that RQAC might run an RAAus section, but I suppose it is up to them. My view is they would be better off if they did. Regarding what credits you get, you cannot demand any. Being reasonable, the flying skills you have learned do have value and in a skills based assessment of how much you need to do, should count. The X-country (Nav), for example, might be treated at a totally different level to what you are used to. You might have to drop a lot of the technique and do it differently. Where the GA level gives credits that are laid out, It doesn't work in reverse, except that in general, some of your hours (can) count. It's easier when the school does both, because they know what they are dealing with. Nev

 

 

[Hildy]

redcliffe aero club has an official conversion syllabus:

 

http://www.redcliffeaeroclub.com.au/files/conversion_ra_aus_ppl.pdf

 

 

[motzartmerv]

cough......

 

 

[DarkSarcasm]

Can I offer you a cough lolly motz?

 

 

[motzartmerv]

6 hours ground briefing pre ppl test?? I have seen CPL KDR done in 1 hour.

 

 

[djpacro]

redcliffe aero club has an official conversion syllabus

which is less than what I have seen at another school which does both RAA and CASA training - however the other one included CTA.

 

 

[frank marriott]

Going from CASA to RAA is seamless - a check flight with a CFI is all that is necessary - but high performance only [i.e. cruise not below 80 kts] I would have thought a GFPT would be the same as an RAA licence without X country endorcement. I'll leave it to the likes of Motz who are actually doing the training to give the actual position. I realise the post states pre GFPT so maybe do the GFPT test to put you to the old Resticted PPL level might resolve some problems.

 

Just my opinion and obviously be guided by the people who are doing the training - Motz by your comment "cough" you have an interesting opinion - please share it - I am not in the training scene but like to be informed of everyone's opinion.

 

Frank

 

PS - What is KDR - I am not up to speed with that one or just dumb.

 

 

[motzartmerv]

Sorry Frank, we have been down this road before on this site, and it never ends up pretty.

 

I will say this.

 

If you Hold a RAA cert with Xc endo, there is no need for you to do a GFPT. It should simply be a matter of ticking the boxes that don't get ticked during your RAA training. ie, Basic instrument flight, cta nav etc.

 

There isn't much to it. Of course you will need to pass the relevant casa exams. All too often i hear of RAA pilots being duped by GA schools into flying 15 or 20 hours, just to get a GFPT. We have to keep in mind it is performance based, but on quite a few occasions I have known very good pilots to receive the same treatment. One bloke could hold height better, first go in a c152 then the instructor demonstrating it could. And after 15 hours had still gotten nowhere. I sent him to a different school, and now after 3 flights has a PPL.

 

The bottom line is that while some school will technically count the hours done in RAA, they can still put you through the ringer.

 

As others have said, a dual school is the way to go.

 

 

[frank marriott]

No worries Motz just interrested - not wanting to start a bushfire just interrested - all done.

 

Frank

 

 

[motzartmerv]

No probs Frank. Its a big area of contention, and unfortunately, nothing very clear from CASA to guide schools, or students.

 

Cheers

 

 

[poteroo]

Merv is correct re the GFPT - you do not need it - because you will be tested in all the GFPT sequences during your PPL final anyway. The only need for a GFPT is if you intended to stay a GA student pilot, suffer all the indignities of having to be signed off, and be unable to go more than a few nm with your passengers. Bring back the RPPL and the UPPL !!

 

Better to get straight into the 172, get familiar with it, then do your IF, then undertake whatever NAVS that are left to reach PPL standard. In our dual GA/RAA school, you will already have completed NAVS 1-5 in your RAA course, (because we've made them the same), then complete the remainder in your GA course. As it's competency based, if you saddle up the 172 and demonstrate competency very soon - then you'll be ready for the PPL 'final' flight test much faster than you think.

 

There's no valid reason for a GA school to deny an RAA pilot the right to be 'competency' assessed. It's all about the almighty A$ !

 

But, it's not all one way traffic! I'm also aware that some RAA schools are making it very difficult for GA pilots to convert to RAA

 

happy days,

 

 

[Hildy]

my school is not insisting that I do the GFPT. I don't have my XC yet, though, so I am going to do XC in a variety of planes, and only the later / more advanced NAVs in a 172.

 

also: I did the GA BAK and got a higher score than on the RAA BAK. (GA BAK was using the ATC Industry test. RAA BAK was using the standard Test 1.)

 

now, if only I had some nice weather for NAVs.

 

poteroo: would you allow a XC endorsement from another school to count towards NAVs 1-5?

 

 

[fly_tornado]

so hildy, can i ask why you didn't build up more hours/endorsements prior to starting your conversion to GA?

 

 

[Hildy]

flytornado: I moved cities and my new club is a combined GA/RA club. I told the CFI about my plans to convert and we came up with a schedule.

 

 

[fly_tornado]

I have a plan to convert to GA but only after I have gotten 100 hours

 

 

[poteroo]

my school is not insisting that I do the GFPT. I don't have my XC yet, though, so I am going to do XC in a variety of planes, and only the later / more advanced NAVs in a 172.also: I did the GA BAK and got a higher score than on the RAA BAK. (GA BAK was using the ATC Industry test. RAA BAK was using the standard Test 1.)

 

now, if only I had some nice weather for NAVs.

 

poteroo: would you allow a XC endorsement from another school to count towards NAVs 1-5?

Only if the NAVS matched up in distance and features comparable to what we use for PPL 1-5. If they had done the RAAus NAVS at a dual school - I'd be asking what the PPL 1-5 NAVS were at their school, and did they match up to the RAAus NAVS that the pilot had in their logbook.

 

happy days,

 

 

[pdriussi]

Hmmm thanks everyone. I dont really think they are trying to suck money from me as such, well no more than any other aviation based business anyway ... I have been informed that my navs/experience will count towards my training just have to follow the steps. I did my C172 endorsement with ease, just getting used to the controlled airspace etc and done a few hours of instrument flight, spin recovery and now doing pre gfpt test. Hoping my prior nav experience will knock a huge lump out of the CASA PPL navs that I am required to do. I have the medical and asic and spl from a while back, and have completed my BAK and PPLA exams too. Hoping for the navs that I only have to do nav aids and cta then sign in for the PPL flight test soon after ... all being well anyway. :)

 

I wasnt trying to start a war between CASA and RA licence holders as I will be a proud holder of both some day.

 

Thanks again

 

For the love of flying.

 

Pete

 

 

[Tomo]

Awesome mate! Sounds great.

 

Will have to catch up sometime for sure when I'm over there again.

 

 

[pdriussi]

Gday Tomo

 

I am around most weekends and am trying to do a flight each weekend (excepting this one as I am with a touch of the flu thats getting around) but would be great to catch up next time you're in town.

 

Let me know when you are in next if you get the chance.

 

My number is 0408911049

 

Pete