Hello From Ireland

[Flyer1]

Hi everybody,

 

The name is Brian, i'm from Ireland. I'm moving to Australia at the end of January 2012, I hold an Irish PPL (A) and I plan to do some flying out in Australia when I move out there. Decided to join to hopefully get in contact with some people and to do some research on aviation in Australia. Looking forward to getting to know a few people from here.

 

:)

 

 

[dazza 38]

Hi Brian.Welcome mate.

 

 

[Guest Michael Coates]

Hello Brian, welcome to the site. One of the biggest problems you will have is getting an aviation security identification card ASIC for short, this allows you to fly around and land at any airport which is serviced by a regular passenger transport service, e.g. the bigger airports. When you arrive in Australia you will most likely have to go to one of these airports to receive your training (five hours) which is a requirement before they let you lose. They should be able to set you up with everything you need to make application but to get one of the stupid identity cards, takes a 'normal' Australian about three months so my guess is a newly arrived person there was not even a citizen may never get one but the local flight training group will be able to tell you more. You may have to go with a recreational aviation licence instead?

 

 

[Guest Darren Masters]

Welcome to TAA Brian :) Best of luck with your move down under.

 

 

[Guest DWB]

Yes welcome Brian - this is the place to ask about anything you need to know. Michael's already started the briefing. It wouldn't surprise me if it's easier for you to get an ASIC then us colonials.

 

 

[Guest OzChris]

welcome Brian

 

 

[Flyer1]

Thanks for all the warm welcomes guys :)

 

I've just been having a look on the CASA website to see what is needed to convert my Irish JAR PPL A over and it seems pretty straight forward, air law exam, flight test and the obligatory $140 fee. Can anyone reccomend a good flying club in the Sydney area ? I'm more interested in clubs with people who fly for fun then getting in to a button pushing flight school. The web hasn't got all that much info and anything seems to be more catered towards the professional flight training side of things.

 

 

[Guest Michael Coates]

Hello again Brian, it may be that you need to look a couple hundred kilometres away from Sydney in some of the regional areas where you will get probably a more customised and friendly service. I have not lived in the Sydney region for some time but there are some great airport north of Sydney around Newcastle in the Hunter Valley, as well as West of Sydney in places like Bathurst and Orange and also south of Sydney in places like Wollongong.

 

What I would suggest is when you arrive and get settled to do three weekend trips. The first trip head north of Sydney and explore the area in the Hunter Valley (which also has great restaurants and wineries) the next weekend head south of Sydney down to Wollongong and the South Coast area and then the following weekend head inland. This will give you a good overview in cross-section of the local flying fraternity in schools, it will also familiarise yourself with some excellent places to visit around Sydney when you finally have your flying licence approved and you will also get to explore your new home !

 

That would be my suggestion, familiarise yourself first on the ground and then go and commit aviation ! I am sure there are a number of forum members based on these different areas which would also be happy to introduce you to their local flying schools and also make recommendations based on their local knowledge.

 

DEX, I quite like that name "colonials" it gave me a giggle ! but we really need to start giving Brian all of our Irish jokes....

 

(Brian, jokes in Australia usually make fun of two types of people, those from New Zealand and those from Ireland) your best to start toughening up your skin before you arrive because you will become an easy target to everybody's Irish jokes !

 

Having said that I read in a newspaper the other day that a Cessna 150 crashed into a cemetery in Ireland, so far they have recovered 62 bodies and expect the count to rise as they continue digging... Old but good.

 

 

[drifter45]

Welcome Brian. You should feel quite at home as a very large percentage of the new arrivals 200 odd years ago were Irish.

 

cheers John

 

 

[Flyer1]

Thanks for the reply Michael. I really appreciate it ! Its great to get the " inside " information on everything.

 

I plan to take a month of just touring around when I arrive so hopefully i'll get a better feel for it when i'm out there.

 

I had to laugh at that one ! Us Irish give as good as we get ;) There's enough of us out there by now !