RPL and endorsements

[Guest Nhelw1]

Hi everyone,

 

Firstly I'm sorry if I've posted this in the wrong area or if it's already been answered but I have a few queries.

 

I'm currently getting close to completing my RPL, my goal was to get commercial but medical unfortunately doesn't allow me to go higher than Med type 2.

 

What I've been trying to find out is getting me mixed answers from different people from my school and around the place.

 

I want to get me RPL and a navigation endorsement to start off gaining experience in single prop planes but in time I would also like to take probably a max of 4-6 passengers. 6 is probably pushing it on a RPL

 

But. If I have a RPL, Nav endorsement and a retractable emdorsment will this give me the ability to fly single prob planes with around 4-6 passengers? And also to fly from one airport to the next for example Brisbane to Toowoomba or nsw?

 

I'm thinking long term not in the very near future because ide have to be very confident before I take any passengers but just so I'm on the right track for my goals.

 

For example. Once I've got my RPL and required endorsements I would like to save up and be able to fly or rent a good Beechcraft single prop or mooney and then Maybe a cirrus :).

 

My flying school has said to me to get what I want the best option is to start with RPL and Nav and then go from there. In time I would like to keep learning and maybe one day have a single pilot rated turbine but am I on the right track?

 

If I have my RPL and gain endorsements along the way. In time when I get older and learn more will able to do some courses to go from RPL to ppl or do I need to do it all at once? Ide love to but money doesn't allow everything :)

 

 

[Jaba-who]

Ok. A bit hard to follow but I think I have what you are getting at.

 

You can definitely start off and get an RPL and then add endorsements, and then if you want add more time and instruction and get a PPL and then add more time and instruction and get a CPL.

 

Or you can just jump in and start and do the instruction and the hours and just do the exam of any of those licences if you figure you'll just go straight to the licence you want to finally end up with.

 

 

[DWF]

You need a CASA Class 1 medical to hold a CPL. If you can only get a Class 2 medical then the highest pilot licence you can aspire to is a PPL.

 

 

 

It sounds like you are flying GA rather than RAAus so your first step is to get an RPL (the old GFPT). With a basic RPL you are restricted in the area you can fly, size of aircraft, etc. You can get endorsements to lift some of these restrictions.

 

From RPL I would recommend going straight for the PPL (i.e. don't mess around with RPL 'endorsements') and then get appropriate endorsements for retractable undercarriage, CSU, etc. as required (or affordable). The bigger and more sophisticated the aircraft the greater the cost.

 

As a PPL you cannot fly for hire or reward so turbines, 6 seaters, etc will mean you need a good source of income.

 

Good Luck

 

 

 

DWF

 

 

[Guest Nhelw1]

Thanks for all of that info. Cleared up the water.

 

Over the first while I'll be flying single prop engines but in time my goals to get turbine ratings and maybe one day invest into my own aircraft. (Dreams Sometimes happen I guess)

 

 

[Kununurra]

Hi great work finding out what you can and can't do before you jump in boots and all.

 

With an RPL it does not matter what your income is you are restricted to a maximum of 4 people which includes the pilot, the plane is also restricted to a maximum take off weight of 1,500kg.

 

I did my RPC first with Nav,pax,radio endorsement this gave me some time exploring by myself to gain some confidence to fly away from home base and return.

 

I then did the RPL,CSU and also RCPT so I could fly into towered airports.

 

From what I have found most private pilots fly solo more than they do with pax.

 

This has worked well for me and I have purchased a lovely 2 seat side by side aircraft RV7A,

 

The second seat is empty more times than full.

 

An experienced flight instructor told me to do up a list of must haves, and would like to haves then make up your mind.

 

Good luck with your planning

 

Cheers

 

 

[Frankus1aust]

Regarding your medical cert, CASA Med team can be negotiable if they get to know your medical condition and your overall handling. Over time if you work on your condition you may be able to graduate to Class 1. I don't know the basis of your restriction but I am a type 1 diabetic and still managed to get a class 2. It took me a couple of years and it has restrictions but in time I can get the restrictions lifted. They aren't totally inflexible.

 

 

[rdarby]

It is going to cost more to get those endorsements than just getting the PPL directly.

 

 

[DrZoos]

Not many private people "own" turbines...do you mean you want to fly other people's turbines, cause if so your more likely to be heading towards CPL

 

 

[facthunter]

There's a world wide shortage of pilots at the top so, Maybe now's the time for some. Nev

 

 

[DrZoos]

There's a world wide shortage of pilots at the top so, Maybe now's the time for some. Nev

Wonder if that's fact or fiction..or is it just a shortage in the locations where no one wants to live or work....

There are not many vacancies or programs advertising or recruiting ....

 

 

[facthunter]

It's easy to find the numbers of planes on order from the big 2 and people who order them need someone to sit up the front. They are quite happy to "entice" experienced crew from other airlines. That inevitably leads to jobs lower down. I have other info backing up that it's actually happening. They don't shout it from the rooftops though. Nev

 

 

[Jaba-who]

Wonder if that's fact or fiction..or is it just a shortage in the locations where no one wants to live or work....There are not many vacancies or programs advertising or recruiting ....

I suspect its like many profession "shortages".

There's a glut - so lots of people can't get a job so they move on to something or somewhere else.

 

The number of qualified is the same but the available pool decreases and then there's a "shortage".

 

Then people hear of the shortage and encourage people to train - but the training time is always part of a lag time.

 

The those who went off and became accountants, hotel managers or firemen hear about the shortage and race off and take the new flying jobs and suddenly that "shortage" is a glut again when the training guys get out of the flying schools.

 

And yep, there are jobs in the sticks but the family man with kids in school and wife who works can't go off to do them. There are geographic problems in all professions.

 

 

[DrZoos]

Nev , i don't doubt your reading it, i just doubt the reliability of such shortages...heard this too many times before, including while teaching...

 

Every other week we here "teacher shortages" at the same time we have a list of 60 available casual teachers ringing asking, begging for more work and so many trainees that we can find the time to do the paperwork for them all..

 

My opinion is a shortage is generally only true when wages rise and advertised vacancies appear....

 

Going back to the teaching example, there probably are examples of shortages in isolated remote areas where no one wants to live and you have massive socio-economic and behavioural problems to deal with rather than educating... but in the real word there is certainly no shortage.

 

 

[facthunter]

Believe what you wish. There are plenty of insiders who know what is happening. Real information is not the stuff that jumps out at you. Aircraft sales is the key. Aviation is on a massive expansion phase, Particularly China. Nev

 

 

[DrZoos]

I think we are saying the same thing in a different way...clearly Boeing and Airbus have record orders meaning more pilots... but does that translate to a shortage, and even if it does where is the shortage going to occur...will it simply be vacancies in the DRC, Syria and Iraq, or will those shortages flow through to western countries and QF, JQ etc

 

 

[facthunter]

No airline carries a surplus of pilots. There is also a training lag. Airlines want pilots already endorsed on the types they have preferably with a few hours up. Those who have what's wanted in other airlines, can negotiate a good deal on domicile etc They leave a vacancy," somewhere" that needs filling. It's scary thing trying to anticipate where and when a slot may appear, but the predicted demand is real.. IF the promotion is slow in an airline a senior F/O with endorsements may go to say, China from the west or anywhere. I can't imagine people wanting to go to the ME at the moment. N ev

 

 

[Robbo]

I am over flying thanks to CASA AVMED.

 

After 20 years of work in all sectors of the aviation industry now the time has come to become a checkout "guy".

 

Well, maybe not but if avmed keeping screwing me over it will be a reality.

 

Maybe....... Not.

 

 

[DrZoos]

I found with avmed you need to be persistent...demand they be accountable for their dribble

 

once you do that they tend to get reasonable...

 

the review panels are sensible, where as the DR demanding 50000000000 items in writing are fools

 

 

[Guest Nhelw1]

Hi guys.

 

Thanks for all that info and sorry for my realllly extended reply.

 

I definatly do aspire to own the plane but I am learning through schools. It's a process but I'm nearly there. Touch wood career wise I'm getting pretty close to being able to enjoy more than work.

 

I've gotten the med stuff sorted out so I'm all good to go for the PPL and then when needed CPL.

 

Thanks again for the info everyone!!

 

 

[Nightmare]

Hi guys.Thanks for all that info and sorry for my realllly extended reply.

I definatly do aspire to own the plane but I am learning through schools. It's a process but I'm nearly there. Touch wood career wise I'm getting pretty close to being able to enjoy more than work.

 

I've gotten the med stuff sorted out so I'm all good to go for the PPL and then when needed CPL.

 

Thanks again for the info everyone!!

Hi Nhelw1, If owning a plane is your goal, go for it, in the long run, it should be more economical than hiring.

 

Maybe an option is to own a RAAus plane, some being the at the cost of a car, and very economical to run. How's 15L/hr fuel burn sound to you? RAAus planes are only 2 seater but looking hard you can source some very good cross country models. They are great hour building planes at a very reasonable operating price. If you go this way, I think a factory built model with a transponder may be the way to go if you want to operate around a towered aerodrome, and of course you'd need an endorsement to allow you to operate around a towered airport, to your RPL. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

I'm RAAus with XC endorsement, and I just purchased my first plane which I think is ideal for touring. It has good cruise and fuel economy, and my running costs have more than halved from when I was hiring.

 

If you need to take more than 1 Pax, you will have the qualification to hire a 4 seater.

 

Hope this helps you a bit

 

Cheers,

 

Tony

 

 

[facthunter]

Owning a plane, unless you use it a LOT isn't likely to be cheaper than hiring. There are other advantages though. Sharing the ownership CAN work. (Syndicate) with the right people. Nev