PRIVATE PILOT LICENSE (PPL)

To be able carry passengers around Australia you must hold a valid Private Pilot’s License, or PPL. To qualify for your PPL you must hold a Private Pilot Navigation Course and pass the PPL exam.

Australia is a very large country with every conceivable type of terrain, weather conditions and airways procedures. At Red Baron Flight Training (RBFT) we believe most navigation courses do not adequately equip pilots with the necessary skills required to be able to fully utilise their license. Many are only given rudimentary skills and allowed to go out and learn by their mistakes. Most pilots survive this process, but, at best, it is inefficient and costly, and, at worst, it is disastrous.

When developing the RBFT pilot navigation course we put aside the standard course syllabus and minimum flying hour requirements and sought to identify the skills a pilot must have to fly around this country safely and competently. Having identified them we arranged our syllabus in such a way that each navigation lesson and exercise built onto the previous ones.

The RBFT PPL Navigation course is divided into three distinct phases.

PHASE ONE
The first covers pure navigation techniques and consists of five lessons, the last of which is a consolidation exercise. Each lesson is conducted outside controlled airspace using a minimum of procedures so you can learn to navigate properly from the beginning.

PHASE TWO
Introduces low-level navigation techniques, the use of radio aids and operations into unfamiliar airfields. These lessons are also conducted outside controlled airspace and include three dual instructional flights and one solo consolidation flight.

PHASE THREE
Consists of two longer navigation exercises – one dual and one solo – using all the techniques learned in phases one and two, and introducing controlled airspace procedures and situational realism. At the conclusion of phase three you are ready for your license test and ready to navigate confidently anywhere in Australia.

Prior to commencing navigation training it is necessary to study Flight Rules and Procedures, Meteorology and Navigation Theory, and pass the PPL Exam. Theory courses for the PPL may be undertaken at TAFE [add reference] or private tuition can be arranged.

RBFT PPL applicants be a graduate of either the RBFT GFPT course or hold a valid GFPT from another school and have passed the RBFT Advanced Aircraft Control Course.

PPL SYNOPSIS

ENDORSEMENTS AND RATINGS

Once you have your PPL, you have the option of adding endorsements and ratings.
Endorsements can be either for a particular type of aircraft or for a class (ie. where a number of aircraft with similar handling capabilities are grouped for endorsement purposes).

ENDORSEMENTS
Endorsements qualify you to fly particular manoeuvres or types of aircraft; for example a tail-wheel endorsement allows you to fly and aircraft with a tail-wheel – like the Pitts Special.

Some endorsements are made up of a group of smaller endorsements: eg. a basic aerobatics endorsement is made up of endorsements for loops, rolls, wingovers and spinning.

RATINGS
Ratings cover broader areas of study and/or activity. The four types of ratings are:

• Command Instrument Rating (CIR) - for flying in cloud, day/night, in non-visual meteorological conditions
• Night (VFR) Rating - for flying at night (including dusk) in visual meteorological conditions
• Instructor Rating - for training other pilots (a commercial licence or higher is a prerequisite)
• Agricultural Rating - for crop spraying, for pest control and fertiliser spreading (commercial licence or higher required)

To obtain a rating or an endorsement, you will need to complete extra training and pass a CASA approved assessment. Some ratings also involve a theory exam. All ratings and endorsements are recorded in your log book and licensing material.

COURSE COST

Click Here to visit our rates page

top of page