ayavner

in case you haven't seen it - https://www.raa.asn.au/learn-to-fly/ gives the basics, have a browse. You wouldn't be able to fly out of Moorabbin or other controlled airports with only the recreational cert. Lots of threads on here about that. i wouldn't say the theory is "simple", but certainly achievable by almost anyone with a passion for it. I think a couple of lessons first would be great, as the theory really comes to life when you can relate it to something you saw or felt or did. But resist the temptation to just think this is something you are going to knock out when you have the time. It becomes a way of life, there'll ALWAYS be something to learn or a test to prepare for - so think of it as a long term lifestyle... yes you can get it done more or less quickly but don't make that the point :) You won't be less of a pilot if it takes you 2 years vs. 1 year.. its for LIFE! A sample question for the pre-solo might be something like - who has to give right of way in a given scenario. Or, what do such and such runway markings mean. They aren't difficult, or even really focused on aeronautical knowledge - your first solo will just be a circuit or 3 around the aerodrome, so they just need to know you have the "rules of the road" down so to speak. The finer points build on that and come later. how often? as often as you can. Lots of memory and motor skills, which get lost after too much time - then you spend half of the next lesson (and $$) trying to get back to where you left off. that may not be feasible now, as happyflyer said, make year 12 your priority - do that right, and most everything else falls into place after that (well, more so than if you don't...). welcome to the forum btw!

it happens Ben... keep it up :-)

or the sequel....

more "around" it.

that'll buff out...

haha Bob, not what I meant at all... same would go for a banker or florist. Just meant it would be no more of a guarantee that one out of a million security guards won't snap than it is one of a million pilots won't. All human...

...and that assumes security guards as a population are less prone to the same sort of anomalies as pilots...

you can't think of everything. Of all the things to worry about flying commercially, it seems we are soon to be conditioned to add this to the list. Heartbreaking on almost every imaginable level, for all involved (and uninvolved).

he probably passed out when he saw the "looking for unfinished aircraft frame or kit" thread

3-4 sec

Agree, really made it fun and put me there. I think when it goes to 2nd edition, perhaps the word "wether" can be corrected in the review, I am sure Maj meant "whether" but yeah the spelling in the story itself really made me believe I was reading someone's private thoughts. The story and the presentation and the ending were all just brilliant, I am sure I'll read this over again. "What's that smell?" chapter had me pissing myself with laughter!

the shirt, not the Honda ad...

it would make a hell of a tattoo

how about that 162 in the classifieds?

he'll have a new definition once he gets into aviation :-)

just for fun

Nicely and safely packaged, and with a nice signature in the front. Weather's cool in Sydney now, getting dark earlier... looking forward to settling in with this. thanks Tim!!

well, i mean there's this too: http://www.airservicesaustralia.com/aip/current/ersa/FAC_YSBK_05-Mar-2015.pdf with a phone number you can call. But, as i understand it, RAA only, probably not. A point of much consternation for me, as I did my RAA training there and once certified could not fly out of or into it!

You really need a PPL at least. Tower is alive and well on the weekends, and it gets quite busy. Outside hours would be too dark to try to practically plan with just RAA. Warnervale isn't that much further north really, and there is a lane of entry you can take that avoids all the control stuff nicely.

don't mind tinkering in the bush myself

wow....

color? oh dear....

pretty long stroke on that

I think also it is easiest to break the answer down into that bit which pertains to you - otherwise its just too big. Most of the stuff you need should be found here http://www.casa.gov.au/scripts/nc.dll?WCMS:STANDARD::pc=PC_101440 in fact here is a booklet - http://www.casa.gov.au/wcmswr/_assets/main/lib100191/part61booklet.pdf and of course, the ever-popular FAQs: http://www.casa.gov.au/scripts/nc.dll?WCMS:STANDARD::pc=PC_102186