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What is a recreational
aircraft?
A
recreational aircraft is a powered aircraft intended for use for
recreational, educational or experimental purposes, which is registered with
RA-Aus. RA-Aus has been given the authority to administer recreational
aircraft by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).
The
aircraft must be single engine only, and can have one or two seats, a
maximum take off weight of no more than 600 kilos and a stall speed of 45 knots or less in the landing configuration.
Is learning to fly difficult?
If you
can drive a car, or ride a bicycle you probably have sufficient coordination
to learn to fly. Like many activities, it comes down to practice, enthusiasm
and a desire to learn. At Temora Flight Training, our instructors emphasise
safe flying techniques, which when combined with Temora Aero Clubs' friendly club
members and fun activities like fly-aways and social get togethers make your
recreational flying enjoyable.
How
do I get started?
If you
have always wanted to fly, there is an inexpensive way to try.
Simply
contact us and book a Trial Instructional Flight (TIF). One of our instructors will take you up for about 25 minutes to give
you an introduction to flying in our Tecnam Sierra. You even get to take the
controls for yourself to see how you like it, all for only $85. This
experience also includes a briefing about flying prior to jumping into the
aircraft.
The
TIF follows the same sequence as a normal instructional flight:
Pre-flight briefing
You will usually spend a little time in a classroom being convinced, in
simple non-technical terms, that you do not have to be some kind of
supernatural being to be a pilot and that an recreational aircraft is much
the same as any other flying machine. The aircraft essentially works all by
itself and you are there to control it – make it take you where you want to
go. It is just another machine to learn to control like a push bike, car or
boat.
Aircraft pre-flight inspection
You will be shown around the aircraft and while it will be clear that the
machine is inspected prior to flight, you will not be involved in any
technicality at this stage. You will be shown how to get in, adjust the seat
so you are in optimum control position, how to strap in, and the equipment
in the cockpit will be briefly outlined to you, as well as the actions to be
taken in an in-flight emergency. Much the same as flying as a QANTAS
passenger.
Flight procedures
Your flight will be in the vicinity of the airfield and for usually about 25
minutes total. During the flight you will be exposed to the sensation of
being both in an recreational aircraft and aloft in a very personal form of
aircraft. You will be shown the airfield from the air, the local scenery and
points to orientate yourself by. You will spend quite a large portion of the
flight in control of the aircraft, under the guidance of the
instructor.
No need to be alarmed about this – it is a simple matter of
being shown how to raise and lower the nose, plus bank and level the wings.
This will give you a 'feel' for the machine in its natural environment and
you will find it surprisingly easy. You will only be asked to do things the
instructor knows you can easily accomplish and absorb.
Nothing odd or abrupt will happen. Your instructor will give you advanced
notice if the engine note is going to change or if the aircraft is going to
change attitude plus what it will be doing. You will not be subjected to
aerobatics or unusual attitudes – you are primarily orientated to a two
dimensional world and we make the transition into the three dimensional
world of flight understandable, progressive and comfortable.
Post-flight debriefing
Your instructor will answer any questions you have and underline a few of
the main points of the exercise in which you have just participated. Your
options on where you go from there will be explained to you, partly verbally
and partly with literature. Then it is your decision. There is very little
'hard selling' in recreational aircraft flying – nobody should be pressured
into learning to fly – you should WANT to, deep down within yourself. In
fact part of the problem after a TIF can be making yourself wait for your
next flight!
If you are still unsure then you can obtain 3 hours actual flying training
from the school, within the 28 day trial period, before committing yourself
to full membership of RA-Aus and applying for the RA-Aus Student Pilot
Certificate.
After the TIF
If you
enjoy your TIF, you can continue flying training, simply by joining Temora
Aero Club and you can undertake up to 3 hours dual
instruction (in a 28 day period) after which time you will need to join Recreational Aviation Australia (RA-Aus). Joining RA-Aus makes you a part of the
fastest growing aspect of general aviation, which is recreational flying. As
a member of RA-Aus you will join an organisation rapidly approaching 10,000 members as the fastest growing sector of recreational flying. You also receive 3rd party insurance coverage,
passenger insurance (if your passenger is an RA-Aus member), a full colour monthly magazine that includes articles from pilots all over Australia,
reviews of aircraft, ads for new aircraft for sale, and a classified section
with second hand aircraft for sale, along with a host of other benefits.
Membership at Temora Aero Club is $22 and allows you the use of the Tecnam,
club facilities and the chance to meet new friends who are just as
passionate about flying as you.
Age and Medical
 You can actually start your
pilot training at any age but you must be at least 15 years of age before
you can commence the "Solo" part of your training. So, you could in fact
complete a substantial part of your training before your 15th birthday, and
then progress on to the solo and further components of your training as soon
as you turn 15. As for the more mature person, the good thing is that there isn't any
maximum age to fly a recreational aircraft as long as you are medically fit
to do so. While we all know that as we get older our bodies are just not
what they used to be, take heart from the fact that there are 75 year old students, yes, students who
have never before sat at the controls of a light aircraft, who have
commenced their training at 75
years of age.
So, are you healthy enough to have a car drivers license? If you are then
generally speaking you are healthy enough to fly a recreational aircraft.
You may also find that even if you only have vision in one eye or diet
controlled diabetes you may still be able to fly with some restrictions
relevant to the level of disability. Did you know that there is even
currently a pilot who is totally blind, and that hasn't stopped him, however
of course he is required to have another pilot with him and a
specially modified aircraft. So if you think that there may be a medical
reason why you can't learn to fly then it may well be beneficial to contact
the RA-Aus.
What do I have to do to get a Recreational Pilot Certificate?
 Anyone
over the age of 15, who has a health standard equivalent to issue of a
drivers licence, may be trained for a Pilot Certificate under Recreational
Aviation Australia’s rules.
To
complete the pilot certificate course, Recreational Aviation Australia
requires students complete a minimum of 20 hours of flight training with 5
hours of these to be solo, although you should be aware this is only a
minimum requirement and the majority of students often require more than the
minimum hours to complete a course satisfactorily. It all comes down to
safety and competency at the controls. There are 5 multiple choice exams;
Pre-Solo, Air Legislation, Radio, Basic Aeronautical Knowledge and Human Factors,
along the way with a pass mark of 80% required. There is also a practical flight test. If this all sounds a little
daunting, remember all flying training is paced to suit you and your
lifestyle. You can proceed as quickly or as slowly as you feel comfortable.
Once
you have your Pilots Certificate you can fly around the local area to a
distance of 25 nautical miles around Temora.
Can
I take my family or friends flying?
Yes,
after accruing a minimum of 10 hours flight time as pilot in command of an
aircraft (solo flight time), and after a flight test with an instructor, you can hire the
Tecnam and take your family or friends flying in the local area.
What
about flying to other places?
To gain
a cross country endorsement, you will need 10 hours of dual cross country
navigation training, with a further two hours of solo cross country along
with a Navigation and Meteorology exam. Once that is under your belt, and
you have sat your flight test with an instructor, you will be issued with a
cross country endorsement for your licence.
Is
there anywhere I can’t fly?
 At this stage, you can
only operate a recreational aircraft in non-controlled airspace. For
example, in the Sydney area this means you can fly around the outer suburbs
of Sydney, including a spectacular run up the coast outside Sydney at 500ft.
However, you can’t fly into Sydney Kingsford Smith airport or Bankstown
airport. There are still a number of other airports around the Sydney basin
you can fly into, including The Oaks, Warnervale,
Wollongong, Wedderburn and others.
Most
capital cities have areas which are under full control and which you can’t
fly into; however, this still leaves many areas you can fly into, which should get you
close enough to the city for easy access. (Legislation is being enacted to
allow a controlled airspace endorsement which will allow RA-Aus pilots to
fly into controlled airspace).
Basically, controlled airspace is the only limitation, and unless additional
height is required due to terrain, you should avoid flying over 5000 feet.
This
will still enable you to fly to locations as diverse as Ayers Rock, Alice
Springs, airports around major cities in all states and territories and a
multitude of private and council owned airports and strips.
I Want to get my PPL/CPL
If you want to get your private pilots licence
(PPL) or commercial pilots licence (CPL) then why not start in a
recreational sports
aircraft?
To get your Private Pilots Licence (PPL) at a greatly reduced cost, train in a
light sport aircraft and get your Recreational License with Cross
Country Endorsement. You can then convert to a PPL at minimal cost. All
hours achieved in a recreational aircraft goes towards gaining your PPL. You do
not have to do instrument flying, load charts or more complex
navigational requirements that you would hardly ever use. Cockpit
instrumentation and controls of recreational aircraft are similar to General Aviation aircraft, with some minor differences.
SAVING YOU :
- up to $50 per hour,
- no landing fees at Temora,
- no holding time in circuit or on the ground
unlike GAAP and controlled zones,
- no flight plans to be made to air services,
- relaxed atmosphere.
- no PPL medical required, just a drivers license
medical standard (subject to some limitations)
What if I already have a PPL?
 If you
currently hold a PPL or higher licence, all you require is a minimum of 5
hours flying experience in the Tecnam, which includes a minimum of 1 hour
solo and any dual training deemed necessary by our Chief Flying Instructor
(CFI) to gain a RA-Aus Pilot Certificate.
If you
have a PPL, you can then fly a recreational aircraft into controlled airspace
provided it has a transponder on board.
David (pictured here)
recently enjoyed completing a conversion to Recreational Aviation Australia
licence. David has many thousands of hours on Vickers VC10, Boeing 737, 747, 767, 777 and Concorde and very much enjoyed his flying in
the Tecnam Sierra. "It feels bigger than it looks in the air, a thoroughly
enjoyable aircraft to fly" was his comment, past the big grin. The next
question was how much is it? and who sells them? A very happy pilot.
How
much does it cost?
You
need to be a member of Temora Aero Club, which is only $22.
Dual
instruction in the clubs' Tecnam Sierra is $165* per hour. Ground school tuition is
$30* per hour. Once you gain your licence, you can hire the Tecnam for $115*
per hour solo.
There
are various books for the theory portion of your flying training, along with
other equipment used for navigation purposes. Please contact us for more
detailed information as the equipment and books will vary.
RA-Aus
membership is $160* for a pilot member.
*Prices
can change without notice.
How much is a recreational plane?
As you
may have seen on our other pages, there is an enormous variety of aircraft
available. These range from approx. $10,000 for the parts required to build
a plans built aircraft to a sophisticated factory built imported aircraft at
$150,000+. Fortunately, there are price ranges in between to suit almost
everyone, and if you don’t feel confident in tackling building your
aircraft, chances are you can buy a new or second hand aircraft of the type
you want.
How
much does it cost to run a recreational aircraft?
 A
typical recreational aircraft will run on unleaded, premium unleaded, or
Avgas and will use approx. 12-20 litres per hour.
An
RA-Aus Pilot Certificate gives an owner accreditation to perform basic
maintenance on their aircraft they own and operate, provided it is not used
for training. This maintenance can include oil, filter and spark plug
changes, changing tyres, wheel bearings etc.
There
are also a number of Level 2 maintenance technicians, who can perform more
complex maintenance on aircraft including training aircraft. These
technicians typically charge about the same rates as most mechanics, so your
aircraft shouldn’t cost much more to operate than your average car.
What
sort of aircraft can I own?
 The
beauty of recreational aircraft is the diversity in materials, costs, speeds
and complexity. If you are familiar with metal work, you can buy a set of
plans from as little as $25-$150 and by sourcing your own materials, and
building at your own pace, you could end up with an aircraft like the Hummel
or the Zenith. Depending on your options, you can spend as little as $10,000
to $40,000 on parts and spend from 1 to 10 years building your aircraft.
You can
also buy a kit from a manufacturer, who provides parts already shaped and
fitted, so you can simply assemble your aircraft like a giant Lego puzzle!
These include aircraft like the Sonex or Jabiru.
If you
prefer working in wood, you can build an aircraft like the KR-2 from plans.
These sorts of aircraft often have fabric or metal covered surfaces. These
kits will range in price up to $40,000 again, depending on your choices of
engines, instruments and other options.
Alternatively, there are composite aircraft, which are supplied as kits and
required assembly like a Jabiru or a Europa. These aircraft typically range
from $58,000 up to $120,000 and take up to 2 years to build.
 Provided you complete 51% of the building process, these aircraft are legal
for you to fly and maintain with your RA-Aus licence.
Then,
there are numerous factory built ready to fly new and second hand aircraft like the Sting,
Polaris, Tecnam, Jabiru, Tecnam, Zephyr, Zenith, Foxbat, Eurofox, Skyfox,
Gazelle, Lightwing, Rans, Texan, Storch, Allegro, Lambada, plus lots more, which will
cost from $30,000 to $150,000 and are ready to fly. |
