ThirstyDursty

Hi and welcomeRA Aus training to get my Recreational Pilot Certificate (RPC), cost me around $10000 with X-Country endorsement. It was about $200 per hour, but you can expect from $200 to $250/hr as the norm. Lessons were generally 1 hour each. I did them at the rate of 1 lesson every week or fortnight as funds permitted.

 

To upgrade to the CASA Recreational Pilot License (RPL), to fly the larger aircraft, would require some more training, a flight test and maybe some more familiarization in the larger aircraft, plus a class 1 or 2 medical at the very least. The benefit of going RPC then RPL would be significantly lower costs for the bulk of the training, ie the hire rates for the smaller aircraft.

 

I own a 2 seat Jabiru LSA 55, which I purchased for just under $30K.

 

My fixed costs work out at around $175 per fortnight, which includes insurance, hanger fees, rego, licence fees, and any other costs that I will have to pay whether I fly her or not.

 

Then my running costs are about $50 per hour of flight time, which includes servicing costs, prop replacement, engine overhaul or replacement costs, and any other costs associated with flying the plane.

 

Then I have my fuel costs, which are under $30 per hour, I have a fuel burn of about 12L/hr.

 

You're looking at a larger aircraft so I'm thinking the costs could be somewhat higher.

Awesome thank you. Thanks for the tip re: RPC to RPL. Cost is one factor...what about time? Would it be significantly faster to just go straight to RPL? Or do you get 1:1 recognition/overlap of content...that you just do the gap at the end? I guess one benefit of doing straight RPL might be more hours in an aircraft similar/class to what you plan to operate? Not sure if that impacts insurance...although I’m sure all new pilots are paying through nose for insurance...till hours are way up

 

Good insights. Nothing scary there. I’m well aware this is a money pit about passion.

 

 

Hi new here

 

Always wanted to learn to fly. We are pretty well off now. So thought it was maybe time.

 

But still deciding if I can afford it. no one can...but they do.

 

Any insight into costs...especially ongoings is what I’m after. Then I will probably commit to training. Obviously many recreational flyers don’t own...but rent...so multiple participation models.

 

My interest is family (5 of us) travel to remote areas and Ariel photography as well.

 

Training seems to be about $10k

 

A Cessna 206 ~$150k-500k

 

Not sure insurance, or other running and hangering costs or landing fees etc.

 

Just interested and trying to do my homework.

 

$20k a year? For 100hours?

 

Maybe I need to sit down with a pilot ‍✈️