Your Start in Aviation
A Recreational Pilots Certificate (RPC) is the starting point for most aspiring pilots. Recreational Pilots Certificates are issued by Recreational Aviation Australia (RAAus). Recreational Aviation Australia (RAAus) is the country’s largest administrator of pilots, maintainers and aircraft.
Training for a RPC is done in an aircraft registered to RAAus by an RAAus certified instructor. Currently the maximum take-off weight for RAAus aircraft is 600kg. You will be learning here in a small two seat recreational aeroplane ideally suited (and designed for) pilot training. We use the Aeroprakt "Foxbat" aircraft, a Ukrainian built aircraft that is easy to fly with great visibility and the correct attributes to make you a great pilot.
RAAus Pilots Certificate
The requirements for issue are as follows: The student undergoing the training for this certificate and the holder of a RPC must be a current financial member of RAAus. The holder of a RPC must be 15 years old or older. In order for the Pilots certificate to be issued, the student pilot undertaking the training must have completed at least 15 hours of training with an instructor and at least 5 hours of solo training. This training can be spread out over a period of time, ideally lessons could be once per week or more but once per month will work.
Limitations of a RPC
A RPC is an Australian only licence. The training for this licence may be recognised by a foreign country but the certificate is not.An RPC allows for flying within 25 nautical miles of the departure airport. this limitation can be lifted with the addition of a "Cross Country Endorsement".
You cannot carry a passenger without a passenger carrying endorsement. A holder of a RPC and aircraft registered under RAAus are both only permitted to carry one passenger.
You cannot fly a RAAus aircraft into controlled airspace in Australia without both a controlled airspace endorsement and a minimum of a CASA issued RPL
Moving past these limitations
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) recognise the RAAus RPC as a valid training path towards Recreational, Private and Commercial pilots licences and will issue a Recreational Pilots Licence to holders of a RPC on request via an application form. Ariel Aviation can assist with this process both for our students and for folk who have gained an RPC elsewhere.
The path to both private and commercial pilots licences can be started with a RAA pilots certificate. In fact there is no cheaper alternative to flying for any category of pilots licence than the path starting with a Recreational Pilots Certificate.