alexbrown2005

Hi All, Would anyone have any information on the airstrips at Fraser Island? I've flown to Orchid Beach before, but I'm talking about places like Tobey's Gap or Eurong. I can't find any information on any of them other than a satellite image. Cheers!

Thank you both :) It seems I've gone from Archerfield to Gympie to Toowomba. And that's not even on a Nav!

Hi guys, I know I'm not a GA pilot (yet. I only hold the RA-Aus certificate and, as of today, a pax endorsement), but my best mate and I are planning on going to the US to build hours, after I do gain my PPL in July. The problem is that the companies in Florida all use Piper Warriors (well, it's either that or a Cessna 150). So I'm asking if any of you folks know of any flying schools that will get me up to speed on the Warrior in preparation for an FAA flight review? Cheers in advance.

Cheers, thanks. Well, I would extend my services as a "professional" aircraft cleaner, if it helps :p

Hi guys (and girls), No doubt some of you know my desires to get my CPL (and if you don't, I want to get my CPL) - but rather than wait - and hence not fly - until July to get my Nav endorsement and RPL/PPL, I was wondering if there were any local pilots in Brisbane or the Gold Coast that would allow me to jump in their aircraft (with them onboard, of course) and go for a fly - even if it is just around the Hinterland or something. Sub-question: if another pilot is on board that holds a Nav endorsement, can I fly outside the 25nm radius? I figure it would work out cheaper than going to a flight school, and paying for aircraft rental and fuel and all that good stuff. And, hey, I'd be able to meet new people and make new friends in recreational aviation. Obviously, I wouldn't fly for free - I'd pay for fuel and landing charges and whatnot, but if, say, people were going out for a Sunday fly in a nosewheel type aeroplane, would there be a possibility of me coming along (after we've met over a beer, as is common in this fine country) and logging some time? Cheers :) Note: by "logging some time", I don't mean sitting there observing, I mean hands on flying - people who pad their logbooks to get their first job are what's killing this industry.

Cheers folks. I'm definitely going to do it now :D

I recently obtained my RA-Aus Pilot Certificate after a bit of a runaround, and I have ambitions of gaining my Nav endo and CASA PPL over the uni holidays in July. The other day, at work, I stumbled upon the idea of getting an RA-Aus Instructor Rating in order to further my own knowledge of aviation, as well as pass on my passion (and, believe me, when I'm not at uni or work, I'm dreaming of being in the air) to other students, while also going for my CPL next year. The way I see it, if I have instructor hours of any type in my logbook, that can only be beneficial. It's important for me to mention that I'm NOT doing it simply for the hour building (namely because I've been reading and RA-Aus instructors don't fly that many hours). I realise one has to have 100 hours command of RA-Aus aircraft, but what if I upgrade to a PPL and CPL over time? Does the number of command hours required increase, and if so, how many hours would I have to do in RA and how many hours in GA? Cheers.

I fly because I've always loved aviation. I took my first commercial flight at six, to Los Angeles. While, over time, my dream of flying did take a back seat to school and university, it never once died. I took a TIF last year, and was hooked. I dropped my Law degree and am now in my last year of an Arts degree, with 28 hours under my belt. I've always been keen to fly for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. And one day, I will.

That's a shame, because it's a great thing to fly (if a bit costly).

Avianca Flight 52 is a good example of when things go wrong and pilots simply can't say, "I NEED to do this NOW" to ATC. Seriously though I understand what you're saying, GAFA.

Well, seeing as I want to do this for a career (and I'm deadly serious about it, it's what I've wanted to do since I was a kid), I would want to be a better pilot! As for the tailwheel advice, I might just heed that.

That's a fair call, GAFA, but, looking at it now, the experience of learning to fly in Class D airspace should make it a little easier when learning CTA on the PPL side of things.

GAFA - I don't believe it. I could've flown GA all along! That's what I'm paying now! Oh well. You live, you learn. The PA38 isn't a bad little aircraft, actually. I did a 30 minute flight out of YAMB during my time in the Air Force Cadets. I mean, I couldn't really judge much after 30 minutes, but nevertheless.

Camel, what school is that? I don't care where it is and, hey, I'd be up for a long drive after the university semester finishes! I'd FLY, but even RA-Aus aircraft would be too costly to hire over a long period of time. Well, in one hit, anyway.

Mate, I've told my current school of my goals and I'm making sure they train me to that standard. I'll tell the same thing to all the other schools I head to :) Thanks for the welcome. And you're right - I am in great company here! The advice I've been given is amazing.

Ah, but are they cheaper than $215/hour at Gympie? :p I'm barely affording to fly as it is! But I might keep them in mind when going for the post-RA Nav part of my training. At the moment I've got my eye on a school down at YBLT (yeah, it's a 2000 kilometre drive!) that charges the same rates for a C172 that I'm paying right now for a C162 ($299/hour).

I'd expect flight schools to abide by CAR 5.84 (3), but nevertheless thank you for prompting me; I'll definitely bring it up when I drive up to have a chat to the CFI next Friday (I hate using the phone, I'd much rather talk face-to-face about these sorts of things). And thank you for swatting my concerns, Adam. I can only hope you're right - I mean, CP's ARE human too and all humans do things a little differently.

Thanks all, this has really helped :) As for the Chief Pilots down the track - I'll have the exact same CPL + MECIR as the other applicants. I just hope they see it that way too.

Guys (or girls), that's absolutely amazing! So basically if I tell the flight school I'm going to for my Navs that I want to fly at least 15 hours, with 5 solo, and with experience in busy airspace, I should be RELATIVELY prepared (apart from the instrument time, etc)? I fly in Class D CTA at Archerfield anyway, so I'm used to SOME form of controlled airspace. See, in my mind, more hours is bad, because Chief Pilots down the track will denounce you for having taken longer (at least, that's what a CP over on PPRuNE tells me).

No, I'm changing schools for my Nav and my PPL. The schools in Brisbane are FAR out of my budget so I'll be doing a runaround. The exams are all recorded in my logbook. May I ask how you went about it, ayavner?

Thanks. So once I get my Pilot Cert., I can convert to an RPL and do Nav training to PPL from there, theoretically?

Hi guys, I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this (and I'm sure this has also been done to oblivion). I'm planning on going to CPL in the future, and the reason I'm training via RA-Aus is because I'm a poor university student. I didn't plan on going to CPL when I started, but, hey I love flying too much and I want to do it for a career. Does anyone know if RA-Aus Certificate holders HAVE to go via the new RPL pathway when they convert to PPL, or can they do it the old way by getting their RA-Aus Navigation endorsement, applying for a CASA SPL (& ASIC) then doing the last bit of training in a 172? I just don't see a need to do more training and a flight review, to prove to an ATO what I already know. As for the red tape - if I can go the old way, I can simply apply for an SPL and an ASIC *now* so that I have it at the ready when I do convert to a PPL. Again, sorry if this has been done to death, but I'm still terribly confused and the CASA website ain't helpin'! Cheers.

Good to hear! I flew their P92. Good little aircraft (but, again, I'm used to the Garmin G300 of the Skycatcher).

Oh, look, over the G20 it was ridiculous, but otherwise it's pretty good. I generally fly CTAF or the first couple hours of Class D, so I'm not in peak hour traffic, but even when I have flown in the afternoons (1300, 1400), it's still pretty quiet. For a metropolitan GA airport, anyway.

G'day mate, and welcome! I'm currently learning under RA-Aus too, with ambitions to fly commercially later on. I fly at Pathfinder Aviation, out of YBAF, and they're a great school! So far I've got 23.5 hours with them and their aircraft are fabulous. The instructors and the CFI are all very welcoming. I remember how nervous I was on my TIF and they were fantastic in helping me through. I've also flown with Airsport Queensland, out at YBOA, and while their aircraft aren't as technologically advanced as the Cessna 162, it's still a great place to fly also. A bit cheaper than YBAF as well, if that helps, not to mention the scenery ;) Mahl Oakes, up at YRED, is also a really nice CFI. While I haven't flown with him, I did have a discussion regarding changing schools after the storm last November destroyed two of Pathfinder's aircraft, and he was very welcoming to my situation and the conversion (which I never did end up doing). I'm also aware of a school up at Jacob's Well, but I haven't been there as yet. Hope this helps :)