Anyone have any information on how i should start with getting my pilots licence?

[Andy Steiner]

Hi

 

I am new on this site and have signed up to hopefully get some usefull pointers on how to start out on looking for a good aviation school where i can get my pilots licence for rotary and fixed wing. I have no flying experience yet except for a few joy flights. I live in ACT Australia and am hoping to find a good flying school. I am even willing to relocate if it is worth the move.

 

 

[rdarby]

Well see what is close by. Then have a look at the school and the instructors. Will you like them? Look at how they maintain the aircraft, and how organised their teaching is. They are providing a service that you need to trust and learn from. Will it work for you? Ask how they teach, and discuss your way of learning and see if they can answer your needs. If so, then enquire about price last.

 

But also, go for it! The sooner you take a lesson the sooner you will be hooked!

 

In terms of finding a school, on the RA-Aus site there is a list of them. http://www.auf.asn.au/

 

For non recreational, a magazine or just a trip to the closest airport may be good.

 

Good luck

 

Ryan

 

 

[fly_tornado]

If you want to fly helicopters I would go and get trained in the US. Its going to be a heap cheaper

 

 

[Gnarly Gnu]

Welcome Andy, yes as f_t says the USA (or NZ or join the airforce) for a helicopter licence, anywhere outside of Canberra for an Ra-Aus certificate or GA PPL.

 

 

[68volksy]

Welcome Andy,

 

Very happy to recommend Canberra Aviation (www.canberraaviation.com.au) if you're after GA training in Canberra - one of their instructors flys for Aquilla helicopters in Canberra so might be able to advise on a good rotary school also although there are none in Canberra. They also do RA-Aus training from their Goulburn location. CFI is Teraya Miller and her details are on the website.

 

Definitely follow Ryans advice above. It can be a bit hard for a novice to really judge maintenance standards and an instructors competence but my advice is ask all the hard questions and even ask to see certain items such as maintenance releases or log books for the aircraft if you'd like (sometimes it's the answers to these questions that can tell you a lot about a business!). I think a very good indicator is how long the business has been operating also. The requirements to operate a flying school and maintain instructor ratings can be quite onerous and there's very little money to be made in flying training so anyone who's been running a school for a decent length of time will generally be doing it properly and for the right reasons (unless it's obviously the only thing they can do - you can probably pick these guys a mile away).

 

Another great indicator is the instructors level of experience. Unless you're looking to learn in a "sausage factory" school you'd expect to see a minimum of Grade 2 instructors and preferably Grade 1 instructors for GA schools and "Senior Instructors" in RA Schools. It means the instructors have been around for a while in most cases and aren't simply looking to build hours to get a job with the airlines. That said there's plenty of hour-building guys out there who train very professionaly and are good value.

 

If you've not yet had a Trial Introductory Flight (TIF) then definitely try and book one.

 

 

[kiwicrusader]

If you are thinking of going on to a commercial license, I strongly recommend doing your class 1 medical first. Would be nothing worse than spending all that money, then to discover you cant pass the medical. Training for fixed and rotary wing at the same time will be a waste of money. The training is so different that you will never get the hang of either if you try to learn both at the same time. It will also workout alot cheaper to get your fixed wing license first, then change over to rotary. This will save you having to do Navs in the helicopter at helicopter hourly rates.

 

My 2cents worth anyway.

 

 

[Louis Moore]

I would start with some flying lessons

 

 

[Gnarly Gnu]

Very happy to recommend Canberra Aviation (www.canberraaviation.com.au) if you're after GA training in Canberra

My apologies, I thought all the GA schools had left / been kicked out of Canberra - seems there is still one there. I believe it is the least aviation friendly spot in Australia unfortunately.

 

 

[68volksy]

Canberra Aviation's been operating since February last year. My experience of Canberra is extremely positive I must say. The airport provides (and cleans and maintains regularly) a dedicated GA facility with large viewing deck, toilets, computer access and tables/chairs. It's on the secure side of the airport which means you need a security guard to let you in but it's a wonderful facility and completely free. Not many airports around that offer such a facility purely for the GA side. Landing fees are considerably less than Goulburn (their other base) although there are airservices charges also.

 

Tower guys down there are also a great bunch and very helpful. So long as your ego stays in check and you're comfortable giving way to a commercial airline with a couple of hundred passengers in check there's nothing to worry about.