PRIVATE PILOT’S LICENCE

OVERVIEW

A PPL takes your aviation skills to the next level, allowing you to fly anywhere in Australia and in many other countries around the world. This licence is truly unrestricted, except that you can’t fly for hire or reward. You may however cost share with passengers up to 6 seats. This is the perfect licence for those that wish to have unlimited freedom in the air, without desiring to be employed as a pilot.

BUILDING ON YOUR EXISTING SKILLSET

At this point you can confidently fly an aircraft and handle almost any emergency our instructors can throw at you. The practical training associated with the PPL is primarily focused on navigation. Throughout the training you will fly to various locations across the state of NSW, all the way from picturesque Port Macquarie down to the wind farms of Canberra and across the epic canyons and cliffs of the Blue Mountains. You will learn how to successfully and safely navigate, manage your aircraft’s fuel and how to negotiate some of the busiest airspace in the country. We take you into each type of controlled airspace so you can get familiar with talking to air traffic control. These navigation flights are a mix of instructional and solo exercises, so you can consolidate what you have learnt. This is a perfect opportunity to take advantage of the many fly-outs the Aero Club organises throughout the year, including the Birdsville Races, allowing you to combine the social aspect of the club with your training.

THE THEORY

As with every qualification in aviation, there is some theory to go along with the practical. There is an exam that needs to be passed prior to undertaking the PPL flight test. The CCAC runs a PPL theory course multiple times throughout the year to take the stress out of the study. Our instructors have years of experience teaching and will be there with you every step of the way.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ISSUE OF A PPL

    • Minimum hours: 40 (including at least 10 hrs solo flight time, 5 hrs solo cross-country flying, plus 2 hrs instrument flight)
    • Typical hours: 60-70
    • Be at least 17 years of age
    • Hold a Class 1, 2, Basic Class 2 or Class 5 Medical
    • More information available on CASA website

AVERAGE COST FOR A PPL

Based on the average hours required to earn an PPL, the cost including all flight hours, briefings, textbooks, charts and landing fees is approximately $20,500 in addition to the cost of the RPL A (approx $16,500K). 

So from initial lesson to PPL would be around $37,000.

As this is quoted based on the average hours taken to complete the PPL (65 hours), any hours above the average will attract additional fees. (Be wary of schools that give quotes based on minimum hours, virtually no one reaches the required standard in the minimum hours)