Guest Bigfella Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Hi Everyone, I know this may seem like a very basic question but being new to flying and this forum I was wondering if someone could give a simple explanation of the difference between General Aviation and Recreational Aviation? What are the pro's and con's of each? I meant to ask my instructor the other day but it some how got lost in all the other questions I had for him :) Cheers, Bigfella Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeadInTheClouds Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Basics: RAA: - Not administered by CASA, it's own organisation - 2 seats only, <600kg MTOW - No NVFR, IFR or use of CTA (CTA with exceptions though) - max altitude 10000ft - Hourly rates tend to be cheaper than GA GA: - CASA administered - No limit on seats, not limit on MTOW I guess - NVFR, IFR and CTA with appropriate training - Hourly rates tend to be more expensive than RAA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bigfella Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Thanks HeadInTheClouds, Simple question, simple answer, perfect. So the fact that I'm doing my training in a 4 seater Piper Warrior puts me under the GA classification. Cheers, Bigfella Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeadInTheClouds Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Thanks HeadInTheClouds,Simple question, simple answer, perfect. So the fact that I'm doing my training in a 4 seater Piper Warrior puts me under the GA classification. Cheers, Bigfella It certainly does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pookemon Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 - No NVFR, IFR or use of CTA (CTA with exceptions though) The CTA side of things I find interesting. From my reading you can get a CTA endorsement - but you must have your PPL (GA) CTA endorsement - and you can only use it if the A/C has an approved engine (i.e. certified AFAIK). However - there are RAA flight schools that operate at towered aerodromes (with approval). Does this mean that the students can learn to fly, effectively with the CTA endorsement until they are licensed, then they have to fly elsewhere? Or are they OK as long as they only fly the schools A/C? Oh and RAA has NO aerobatics (60 deg bank turns are the closest you'll get) while GA has that option (with appropriate training of course...). And if you start GA you have the option of doing the 150 hours CPL where as an RAA pilot is restricted to the 200 hour (I think). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeadInTheClouds Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 However - there are RAA flight schools that operate at towered aerodromes (with approval). Does this mean that the students can learn to fly, effectively with the CTA endorsement until they are licensed, then they have to fly elsewhere? Or are they OK as long as they only fly the schools A/C Yep, and I am one of those students. Although here it isn't an issue as the instructor has a CPL (Obviously) with CTA and so as long is he is in the aircraft flying in CTA is fine, solo has to be done when the tower shuts for the day or before it is opened though. I think you can get an exception for training which will apply to an aircraft where students can fly solo while the tower is operational, but I think that means a class 2 medical and sitting the GA Radio exam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nathan_c Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Im flying at one of those schools as well, the requirement is to have a class 2 medical, however I sat the RA AUS radio exam with a few extra aerodrome specific questions tacked on (for the cta), not the GA radio exam. The exemption allows the student to fly only the schools aircraft in the CTA that the exemption is for (for example Archerfield), but you are not allowed to enter any other CTA zones. It also allows you to hire the aircraft once you have your certificate and fly the aircraft solo (or with a passenger if you so choose) as long as you maintain that class 2 medical. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
av8vfr Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Basics:- No limit on seats, not limit on MTOW I guess From memory most pax is 8 I think and MTOW 5700kg.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeadInTheClouds Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 From memory most pax is 8 I think and MTOW 5700kg.. I was talking absolute limit i.e. airliners but hey, that works to! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Hamilton Posted March 24, 2012 Share Posted March 24, 2012 From memory most pax is 8 I think and MTOW 5700kg.. Head In The Clouds, Maybe it's the lack of oxygen up there in the clouds. On a PPL, you can fly any aircraft on which you are endorsed. If you have enough money, you can always buy an endorsement on an A-380, as, apparently, several pilots ( not in Australia) have so done. Don't confuse the limits on cost sharing on private flights with limitations on a PPL, two different animals. Cheers, 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeadInTheClouds Posted March 24, 2012 Share Posted March 24, 2012 Head In The Clouds,Maybe it's the lack of oxygen up there in the clouds. On a PPL, you can fly any aircraft on which you are endorsed. If you have enough money, you can always buy an endorsement on an A-380, as, apparently, several pilots ( not in Australia) have so done. Don't confuse the limits on cost sharing on private flights with limitations on a PPL, two different animals. Cheers, ...That wasn't my post you quoted... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
av8vfr Posted March 24, 2012 Share Posted March 24, 2012 Head In The Clouds,On a PPL, you can fly any aircraft on which you are endorsed. If you have enough money, you can always buy an endorsement on an A-380, as, apparently, several pilots ( not in Australia) have so done. Don't confuse the limits on cost sharing on private flights with limitations on a PPL, two different animals. Cheers, My bad, I referred to the heading "RA v's GA" and I was trying to recall the basic GA limitation (without B737, A320, B-52, etc endorsements) of a standard PPL. If you have the coin, health, time and willingness then fill your boots...lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shags_j Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 Flew at Archerfield yesterday for the first time since I switched to RA. So strange having ATC direct me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derby Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 Hi All, I was told the max pax is 6 including you. Rory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Hamilton Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 Hi All, I was told the max pax is 6 including you.Rory Derby, For cost sharing on a private operation, six total is the limit, including pilot(s), but that has nothing to do with other private operations, of the "privileges" of a PPL. If somebody told you different, you can go back and update their aviation knowledge base for them. Cheers, PS: Head In The Clouds, Sorry about that, I'll be more careful in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derby Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 Hi Bill. Thanks for that. You learn somthing every day . Chears Rory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guernsey Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 Hi Bill.Thanks for that. You learn somthing every day . Chears Rory I agree....I learn something every day and forget several things every day...HELP I'm going backwards. . Alan....well I think that's what my name is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now