Aviation Pointers
From time to time there will be statewide and local events for your notification. This section is aimed to provide easy to find general information that’s open to the public.
Upcoming Locations for AGM and Annual Conference
If you have an event you wish to promote, please contact your National Committee members for publication.
Learning To Fly ~ Where do I start…
Learning to fly can be a little daunting sometimes and when you have an ambition of flying, you don’t really know where to start or who to go to, to find out all this information.
Here are the answers to some of the most commonly asked questions to help you on your way, courtesy of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.
Careers In Aviation
The CASA Pilot Career Guide 2021 provides a comprehensive overview into the possible avenues for pursuing a career as a pilot.
When you first gain your Commercial Pilot’s Licence, you will typically look for work in the field of joy flights, parachute drops, day VFR charter such as traffic reports, and possibly flight instructing (with the addition of a flight instructor’s rating).
The next step is typically a Multi-Engine Command Instrument Rating (ME/CIR) which can lead to charter work or regular freight runs.
After you have gained more experience, you may be in a position to apply for regional airlines or national airlines. Pilots wishing to apply for these positions typically have their Air Transport Pilot’s Licence (ATPL).
More information on Virgin entry requirements is available from this link.
More information on Qantas entry requirements is available from the Qantas Careers website.
Recreational Pilot Licence
Gliding
Gliding in Australia is based on a club system. There are nearly one hundred clubs located throughout the country in all states, the ACT and Northern Territories. The sport is self-administering under the auspices of the government regulator CASA. Gliding has well-developed systems and structures, with roots extending back to the 1930s. It is a mature sport and used as a model for other recreational aviation.
Most clubs operate every weekend, weather permitting. You can find the club nearest to you by choosing the Find a Gliding Club menu link. Gliding clubs provide training and coaching, club aircraft and facilities, and launching services. Many also provide on-site accommodation. Much of the day to day running of gliding clubs relies on volunteers, which helps keep the cost of flying low compared to other types of aviation.
Like most sports, gliding relies on various activities, people and disciplines working together. Activities can broadly be split into three main categories. Airworthiness involves the maintenance, servicing and repair of aircraft and equipment. Operations including teaching new pilots to fly and maintaining safety standards. Sport, the more exciting side of the flight, covers cross country training, racing, competition and coaching.
Many club members enjoy an opportunity to participate in the maintenance and engineering tasks, other pilots concentrate on teaching and coaching and all club members enjoy simply being on an airfield surrounded by gliders and aviation.
Most clubs organise social activities throughout the year and many members become lifelong friends. Clubs are family-friendly as well. All family members, from the youngest to the oldest, are all welcome to soak up the atmosphere and become a part of gliding in Australia.
Contact Gliding Australia
Courtesy of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.
Hot Air Ballooning
The Australian Ballooning Federation (ABF) administers recreational ballooning to standards approved by CASA. Recreational ballooning refers to pilots who hold a private balloon certificate issued by the Australian Ballooning Federation but do not carry fare-paying passengers.
When in overpopulated areas, balloons must fly at least 1000 feet above ground level. When over other areas balloons are not required to observe a minimum height.
Courtesy of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.
Recreational Aviation
Ultralight or recreational aircraft have advanced significantly since their emergence in the 1970s, from rather basic fabric and wire aeroplanes to the sleek composite types we see today. The performance of modern recreational aircraft easily equals, and in many cases betters, the lower end of the general aviation aeroplane spectrum. Recreational pilots are increasingly using this type of aeroplane for extensive cross-country trips around Australia.
Recreational Aviation Australia (RA-Aus) and the Hang Gliding Federation of Australia (HGFA) administer ultralight and weight-shift microlight (WSM) operations and pilot certificates. Microlights (commonly called trikes) rely on weight shift rather than the conventional three-axis control. This means that there are no tailplane or control surfaces such as ailerons, rudder or elevator, so the aircraft is controlled by the pilot shifting the aircraft’s centre of gravity in relation to the wing.
Courtesy of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.