How does an RPC holder fly within Class D?

[HerpaDerp]

Looking at Moorabbbin in particular, I see schools like LearnToFly offering Recreational Pilot Certificates through Moorabbbin airport. My understanding of an RPC is that an RPC holder can only fly in Class G airspace. I'm interested in getting an RPC, but I'm wondering how it can legally happen at a flying school such as at Moorabbin, which is Class D?

 

 

[Downunder]

RAA schools in class D have special permissions and conditions. 

 

You need to be trained at the school in class D and cannot fly in any other class D airports.

 

It may also be that you can only fly the schools aircraft in that airspace as well....

 

 

[kgwilson]

Once you get your RPC I think now you can fly the school aircraft in Class D & C as a first part of RA trying to gain access to controlled airspace. At present class C & D change to class G or E when the tower closes. Coffs Harbour is like this, it changes from C to G. I did my PPL conversion there. My PPl is no longer current so I can only legally fly there now after Tower hours.

 

 

[Jaba-who]

RAA schools in class D have special permissions and conditions. 

You need to be trained at the school in class D and cannot fly in any other class D airports.

 

It may also be that you can only fly the schools aircraft in that airspace as well....

Yep that's correct. . 

 

The school and a named person ( owner of the school usually), and specific  aircraft  ( registration is specified  as part of the instrument of exemption) carry the exemption. ( The instruments are available on the internet for anyone to see ( I don't have the link but I did go through them all last year after a similar discussion on this or another forum. There are perhaps three or four schools who hold an exemption. Most are in class D but there is at least one I remember was in Class C ( Townsville)   

 

 Students only get the exemption while they are students of the said school using the schools aircaft. As best I recall they were also required to hold a Class 2 medical though I may be wrong in that bit. Once the student gets their licence they again are unable to fly in that controlled airspace.

 

There was a notice put out last year to possibly make a change so that the same pilot could continue to hire the same aircraft after they attain their RPC but as best I know it never went any further and I haven't heard anything more about it. 

 

There is no capacity to fly any other aircraft, either in the same airspace nor to fly the same aircraft to another controlled airspace. 

 

 

[kgwilson]

Yeah I also had the thought that they had to have a class 2 medical. The entire process though is laughable as it lacks any logic at all just like class C becoming class G. RPTs still come & go after tower hours so what is safer, the controller separating everyone or a free for all?

 

 

[HerpaDerp]

Just spoke with someone from Soar, who operate out of both Bankstown and Moorabbin. Got a somewhat similar answer: a flying school can have an exemption to operate their aircraft within Class D airspace. As a student, I can fly any of those aircraft under instruction. As an RPC holder, I can still fly any of those aircraft, so long as the place I hire from (not necessarily the same company I train under) has an exemption for that airport, and the company deems me fit to fly in Class D.

 

 

[Roundsounds]

Once you get your RPC I think now you can fly the school aircraft in Class D & C as a first part of RA trying to gain access to controlled airspace. At present class C & D change to class G or E when the tower closes. Coffs Harbour is like this, it changes from C to G. I did my PPL conversion there. My PPl is no longer current so I can only legally fly there now after Tower hours.

You could very easily raise a valid argument that operating in CTR / CTA could be safer than Class G. Alternatively you could argue the authorities are saying it’s more dangerous to operate in controlled airspace. Albury / Wagga are interesting cases. Albury has a tower due RPT ops. RPC holder cannot operate at Albury when the tower is active, yet they can when the tower closes. If the argument is about RPT movements being limited to tower hours consider Wagga. Wagga has RPT ops, no tower yet RPC operations permitted.

 

Motor gliders can be flown in CTA / CTR by the holder of a GFA equivalent of an RPC with no limitations. It’s all very inconsistent and not safety based.

 

 

[Jaba-who]

You could very easily raise a valid argument that operating in CTR / CTA could be safer than Class G. Alternatively you could argue the authorities are saying it’s more dangerous to operate in controlled airspace. Albury / Wagga are interesting cases. Albury has a tower due RPT ops. RPC holder cannot operate at Albury when the tower is active, yet they can when the tower closes. If the argument is about RPT movements being limited to tower hours consider Wagga. Wagga has RPT ops, no tower yet RPC operations permitted.

Motor gliders can be flown in CTA / CTR by the holder of a GFA equivalent of an RPC with no limitations. It’s all very inconsistent and not safety based.

Like many of the rules we are forced to operate under, they don’t stand up to scrutiny. 

 

But CASA are a law unto themselves and laws and/or their interpretation of them are not required to be practical or make sense.