It costs Martin Hone less to fly and maintain his two aircraft than it does his old farm ute. He is one of the 10,000 Australians who have worked out how to fly for fun, and on the cheap — with a recreational pilot's certificate. With safer aircraft, cheaper training and relaxed rules, flying schools and hobbyists are reporting that more people are taking up flying for recreation. At least those who know about it. Turns out you do not have to be Richard Branson or John Travolta to own your own plane or fly to Crab Claw Island for breakfast. 'Pastime just about anybody can afford' The recreational certificate allows people to fly smaller, simpler aircraft, like this two-seater kit ultralight from Florida.(Supplied: Australian Aviation Archives) Mr Hone grew up riding his bike to Moorabin Airport to watch the planes take off. Worried his eyesight was not good enough or he would never be able to afford it, he put his flying dream behind him. That was until he found Recreational Aviation Australia. Formerly the Australian Ultralight Federation, RAAus provided a window for Australians looking to fly small aircraft for fun in 1983. "It wasn't for the average person effectively to go flying for fun," Mr Hone said. We exploded in popularity An Australian Lightwing GR582 sits at the Top End Flying Club in Darwin.(Supplied: Lloyd Greenfield) Under the recreational pilot's certificate, pilots can fly with one other person in a recreation registered aircraft weighing under 600kg at take-off. They cannot fly at night or charge for their flying services (unless instructing). RAAus CEO Michael Linke said it was not until 2007 when light-sport aircraft — heavier and more sophisticated than their ultralight predecessors — came on the market that Australians took to the air in droves. When it comes to medical requirements, RAAus CEO Michael Linke said the same Austroads private driver's licence health standard applied for recreational pilots. So if you are fit to drive a car, you are fit to operate a RAAus aircraft. You can assemble your own kit plane You can pay anywhere from $5,000 for a two-stroke motor aircraft to well over $200,000 at the upper end.(Supplied: Lloyd Greenfield) It took Josh Mesilane 32 hours and $5,760 to get his certificate. The 34-year-old had just bought a house, started a business and was looking to start a family when he realised his flying dreams in 2018. Before that he had no idea recreational aviation existed. The certificate requires a minimum of 20 hours, five of which are solo hours. With schools typically charging between $200 and $300 an hour, you are looking at a bare minimum of $4,000 for your certificate. A Cross Country endorsement will take an extra 12 hours and allows you to fly anywhere in uncontrolled air space (about 95 per cent of Australia). Ross Kilner flies with his dog Bongo from Robe in South Australia's Limestone Coast.(ABC South East SA: Bec Whetham) Comparatively, a general aviation licence issued by CASA costs a minimum of $16,000 and 40 hours of flight time. When it comes to owning an aircraft you can pay anywhere from $5,000 for your "rag and tube", two-stroke motor aircraft to well over $200,000 on your top end. If you're really good with the tools, you can assemble your own kit plane. The return of old-school bush flying Recreational Aviation Australia offers a maintenance course that allows pilots to maintain their own aircraft. Another way to save money... if you are good with the tools that is!(Supplied: Lloyd Greenfield) Former Air Force pilot Dan Compton has made a business teaching recreational pilots at his airfield in Dubbo, 388 kilometres north-west of Sydney. Despite advancements in aviation and aircraft, he has been inundated with people wanting to experience flying "the way it was". Part of the "survival flying" Mr Compton teaches at Wings Out West is the ability to land anywhere. "Everything other than an airport looks big (and) scary." — Dan Compton(Supplied: Dan Compton) He said it was all too common for people to learn to only fly and land on airports, which is problematic. "Then everything other than an airport looks big (and) scary," Mr Compton said. Oh, the places you'll go! Dan Compton says most of his students are in their 20s and 30s.(Supplied: Dan Compton) Being able to land anywhere gives pilots the confidence to fly anywhere. The Top End Flying Club does a really good job of that. Club member Fiona Shanahan has enjoyed learning to fly in Darwin since moving from Melbourne. "You (can) go out to the Adelaide River floodplains and see buffalo and pigs and kangaroos and birds, all sorts of things," Ms Shanahan said. "Occasionally you can see some crocodiles sitting in rivers… you don't get to see that from the ground." A recreational aircraft flies over the Northern Territory at sunset.(Supplied: Lloyd Greenfield) Weekend fly-ins are a regular occurrence at the club. "It's not uncommon for a group of us to go and fly to Crab Claw Island for breakfast," Ms Parker said. Peter Brookman bought the Keith airfield from council a few years ago. He has two planes in the hangar there.(ABC South East SA: Bec Whetham) Mr Linke said pilots could land just about anywhere — with a few requirements, such as a windsock and indicators. Is it safe? Two young aviators at the Top End Flying Club in Darwin.(Supplied: Lloyd Greenfield) Mr Linke said recreational aircraft were just as safe as CASA aircraft. "They're obviously not as safe and don't have the same controls as Qantas and planes like that — they're carrying 500 people." Amateur-built aircraft must meet similar standards. "They've got to be inspected, they've got to get a second person inspecting when you're putting an aircraft together, you've got to get checks and balances together when you're building the aircraft," Mr Linke said. 'It'd be nice to see women' Mr Compton said most of his students are in their 20s and 30s. Then there are the teenagers looking to get a head start. Fiona Shanahan had no idea she would become an avid pilot when she moved from Melbourne to Darwin for work.(Supplied: Fiona Shanahan) "The most lacking thing here in my school… is female pilots and I think that's generally everywhere. 'We use it to bribe them' Tony Wulff and his wife, Peta, added car seats to the back for their two young kids.(Supplied: Tony Wulff) Tony Wulff, in central Victoria, flies the family's plane Percy from their farm strip at Heathcote. He and his wife, Peta, added two car seats in the back to accommodate their two favourite passengers "They really love it. They sit in the back in their car seats and have their little headsets on and hang out the window," Mr Wulff said. "We use it to bribe them quite regularly.