There are many options for flight training out there, and prospective pilots may be left wondering “where should I start my aviation journey?”
It is a good question – and an important one if you are potentially going to be spending thousands, or tens of thousands of dollars toward achieving your dreams.
Some flying schools are focussed on full–time, academy style classes which often have strict intake periods and are geared toward fast tracking candidates through to a Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL). This can then lead to an Air Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL), allowing for a career in the airlines.
These schools are often ‘Part 142’ schools (although not always), where the theory component is integrated with the flight training. This means that you will be sitting through classes on-site at the school or affiliated institution for all your training – there is no option available for self-study on the theory side. They will often be affiliated with a higher education provider and provide a bachelor’s degree or certificate as part of the course.
A consequence of this is that the total cost to achieve the CPL qualification can cost far more than at a school that offers ‘Part 141’ training – often up to almost twice the cost of an equivalent Part 141 school.
It is important to note – these schools generally cannot guarantee an ‘airline job’, unless it is through a dedicated airline cadetship program, so beware of any who offer these false promises!
A Part 141 school offers the exact same qualification, with the same ability to lead to a career in the airlines, or indeed any other sector of aviation, but the theory component is more flexibly delivered and usually is handled in-house at the flying school. Students have the option of self-studying much of the theory or can include structured theory classes or even one-on-one tuition as their situation dictates.
As a very rough guide, a Part 141 school CPL will cost somewhere in the region of $75-$85,000 and the same qualification at a Part 142 school will cost somewhere between $120-$160,000 (be sure to check with the school you are enquiring with).
There is no right or wrong way to go about the process – some students thrive in the formal course structure offered by the Part 142 academy style schools, and are happy to accept the higher overall cost, others much prefer the more tailored, one-on-one solution available at Part 141 providers and enjoy a significant cost saving.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD I FLY?
This is a very common question that we are asked by most students when they first begin their training. The answer is different for everybody and really comes down to both your time and financial resources.
Put simply, the more often you fly, generally the less the pilot’s licence will cost overall. This is because flight training is competency based, meaning that you can only progress beyond certain milestones when a minimum level of competency is consistently demonstrated. Recency really helps with progress, so generally you will require les hours to attain your pilot licence if you fly more often.
Of course, nobody has unending time or financial resources (not many people anyway!), so the frequency of your training is dependent on what fits best around your schedule.
As a general guide, you should aim to fly a minimum of one lesson per fortnight – this would have you achieve you Recreational Pilot Licence (RPL) in around 18 months. An hour or two per week is great if you can fit it in – and the most efficient way to achieve your licence is to dedicate a block of time to your flying and fly 4-5 days per week. This can accelerate your pathway to RPL and have it achieved within a month or two.
At the CCAC we will tailor the flight training and theory tuition to suit YOUR schedule.
RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH!
Whichever way you decide to go – we would advocate doing your research. A quick google search will give you some clues as to which provider/s you will be most happy with. You can then drive out and meet with a few schools to determine which of them you would feel most comfortable progressing your aviation goals with, whether that be for a recreational, private or commercial licence.
WHAT IS THE CENTRAL COAST AERO CLUB?
We are both a not-for-profit community-oriented aviation club, and a highly professional Flight Training, Charter, Scenic Joy Flight and Aerospace Maintenance organisation.
The CCAC’s Flight training arm, Warnervale Air is a Part 141 provider.
We employ 11 flight instructors and pilots to train students from first lesson, through to Commercial Pilot Licence, Flight Instructor Rating, Night VFR, Instrument and Multi-engine ratings.
Both our flight training and aviation theory syllabi can be studied in a highly customisable way. We have specialised in this tailored solution style of training for decades.
We recognise that everyone’s situation is different; we have students who fly once a fortnight, choosing to self-study the theory content at their own pace (with regular checks by our professional flight instructors to ensure they are on the right track), and we have students who are flying and studying full-time, and who attend our group theory classes to minimise the time it takes to achieve their aviation qualifications.
We also conduct on-demand charter services throughout Australia and are the primary aerial tourism operator on the Central Coast.
The national regulator has recognised our 50-year commitment to safety by awarding us with National Aero Club of the Year 2022.
The Central Coast Aero Club is conveniently located midway between Sydney and Newcastle (within 1 hour of each), on the beautifully scenic Central Coast, just off the M1 motorway at Warnervale.
For an obligation free discussion about how we can help you attain your aviation goals – contact us on:
Phone: 02 4392 5174
Email: contact@ccac.com.au
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