LTF News Archives

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6 Ways to Maintain Pilot Proficiency and Safety

Posted on May 9, 2017September 7, 2021 by Kai

Once you achieve the Recreational Pilot Licence (RPL) or Private Pilot Licence (PPL), as well as any endorsement or rating on top of that, you must apply yourself to the tasks required to maintain pilot proficiency and safety.

Commercial pilots do this by flying a lot of hours, but unfortunately, a lot of RPL and PPL pilots don’t have this luxury, which means their skills diminish over time. Here are six ways to make sure this doesn’t happen to you.

1. Know yourself

For the sake of common sense and for safety, a pilot should keep analysing their performances and keep practicing. More than anything, they should be aware of their limitations. It’s your responsibility to assess where you’re with your skills and knowledge at all times and compare it with where you aim to be. If you ever find there’s room for improvement, take the time before your next flight to prepare for it.

2. Show safety in your attitude

Flying is an attitude and a way of thinking. It’s about one thing above all else, and that is a concern for safety. To maintain pilot proficiency and safety means turning up focused for the flight. It’s what will keep you on track to maintain your relevant skills and qualifications down the line. Even better is if you can start putting this attitude into effect while you’re still on the ground.

3. Watch the weather

You can download the relevant weather from www.bom.gov.au or NAIPS on a regular basis to see how it is expected to develop during the course of the flight. When you know what to expect from the weather you will automatically start solving related problems prior to the flight. It will set up your in-flight decision making for success and quicken your response time when adjustments are called for.

4. Refresh your knowledge

Maintaining pilot proficiency and safety requires a high level of skill. It’s about doing what you can when you’re not physically in the cockpit, and preparing yourself for the next flight. For example, when a pilot doesn’t fly a particular aircraft for some time, particularly if it is a complex aircraft, they should study critical aspects such as speed, RPM settings and emergency procedures before flying again.

5. Seek out other pilots

Refreshing your accumulated knowledge in aviation should always be self-directed, but this doesn’t mean you can’t reach out to other pilots to get support and advice. If you’re in doubt, ask an instructor at your flying school to test you on the spot or give you ideas about who to contact.

Although things like a check flight will normally be conducted by the flight school automatically, you must be disciplined throughout your training, so that you can later recognise when this is necessary and follow through.

6. Build up your ratings and endorsements

Another way to maintain your proficiency is to go and get a new endorsement or rating. This can take your flying to a whole new level and benefit all areas of your competency to fly. While this training will add to your existing skills, it will also force you to go over what you have learnt already.

Bonus tip! Enjoy the ride!

Pilots have no shortage of things to learn and all of this needs to be maintained in the long term. Hopefully, your competency rewards you with better, easier flying experiences over time. Many pilots come to love the many small details in their regular procedures that allow them to exert an amount of control over a flight, which changes the technical success of every journey.

Pilot-Proficiency-and-Safety — Once you have achieved your licence, you will need to continue to to maintain pilot proficiency and safety.

Want to fly with us? Email [email protected]. You can also visit https://drift.me/learntofly/meeting to book a meeting and school tour. For more great flying tips and the latest flying videos, click below and subscribe to our YouTube channel!

Training Beyond the Private Pilot Licence (PPL)

Posted on April 25, 2017September 7, 2021 by Kai

After completing your Private Pilot Licence you might wonder, “what’s next?” As strange as it may sound, many pilots are still keen to do more training after achieving their initial goals. Realistically, if you want to fly regularly or as a job, learning is ongoing. Let’s take a look at training beyond the Private Pilot Licence.

Fly more aircraft types

Why limit yourself to flying just the one aircraft type? Why not fly aircraft that are bigger, faster, have more than one engine, or maybe even can land on water?! There are ratings and endorsements that can open up a whole new range of aircraft to you. These include a Tailwheel Undercarriage Endorsement, Multi-Engine Class Rating, and more.

Having the capability to fly more aircraft types increases your skill level, and gives you a lot more options when organising recreational flying trips.

Tailwheel-Training-PPL — A tailwheel endorsement opens up a range of new aircraft options.

Fly at night

Flying at night is an amazing experience. If you live near a major city, seeing the sparkling lights from above is absolutely spectacular. Completing a Night Visual Flight Rules (VFR) course. will allow you to fly at night, in otherwise good weather and visibility conditions.

Fly in more weather conditions

One of the most important areas of training beyond your Private Pilot Licence will allow you to plan and conduct flights in far more weather and light conditions. Instrument flying is a great skill to have, not just for your own flying abilities, but for added convenience when planning flights. It allows you to fly in inclement weather conditions, cloudy conditions, and at night.

Flying under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) alone can be quite restrictive, especially in areas with changeable weather like Melbourne. A Private Instrument Flying (PIFR) course can be customised to your needs, making it a great option.

Flight activity endorsements

There are some seriously fun flight activity endorsements that you can add to your repertoire.

Formation flying is an experience that even the most seasoned pilots get a huge thrill from. Taking off, flying, performing manoeuvres and landing with another aircraft right next you is surreal. Flying in formation is also a very good tool for honing your precision skills, with precise control movements required for accuracy.

Another popular endorsement is aerobatics and spinning. Aside from being a huge amount of fun, this type of flying is again great for your skillset. Knowing how your body reacts and how you can recover from high G situations and unusual attitudes is actually very important.

As you can see, there is no shortage of options for training beyond your Private Pilot Licence. Additional endorsements will enhance your ability to get the most out of your PPL, and also help you to keep your skills sharp.

PPL-Formation-Flying — A formation flying endorsement is an exciting way to hone your precision control input skills.

Find out about our extensive range of ratings and endorsements for PPL holders! Email [email protected]. You can also visit https://drift.me/learntofly/meeting to book a meeting and school tour. For more great flying tips and the latest flying videos, click below and subscribe to our YouTube channel!

6 Ways to Improve Flight Training Efficiency

Posted on April 12, 2017September 7, 2021 by Kai

We are always thinking about ways to help our students get the most out of their flight training course. We believe it’s so important for students to be able to motivate themselves as they work through their training hours. Part of this is applying efficient learning tactics that keep everything progressing at a healthy rate. We are always looking for ways to improve flight training efficiency.

Efficient flight training results in less money and time spent, as well as an overall boost in learning gains over a period. So from every angle, there’s a benefit to the student who finds ways to learn more efficiently. Here are five to get the ball rolling!

1. Preparation

Make it a goal to come prepared. Student pilots who do preparation before their training get more out of their lessons. It makes sense that you have tried to improve your theoretical understanding of flying in between training sessions, you can more or less just work that into practice when you arrive on your training days.

Preparation can mean:

Doing practice radio calls
Studying theory
Knowing the flying pattern
Learning procedures at the training airport

Ask your instructor for details about your next lessons, and for ideas on any extra study that could help you get the most out of it. They will be happy to help!

2. Flight Simulation

Technology has a lot to do with efficiency. If your flying school has a Flight Simulator, you should be making use of it. For the first few lessons of flight training in particular, a Flight Simulator can help you get used to flying procedures. Learning these procedures in the simulated environment first means that time spent in the real cockpit can be used to test this knowledge rather than build its foundation, and it gives you more of an opportunity to hone other aspects of flying.

3. Teamwork

Find a peer to connect with over the course of your flight training. The enthusiasm generated between fellow enthusiasts becomes self-perpetuating and the interaction, both in the air and on the ground, can be highly motivating. If you’re generally quite hard on yourself, this is a great way to get another perspective on the training process and a greater boost from each of your achievements along the way.

4. Reflection

As a student, you should be thinking about the process of flying while on the ground as one of the ways to improve flight training efficiency. This will help you to focus your mind during flight, and get used what to expect and how the flight should progress. It will also help you to get ahead of the aircraft when transitioning to different stages of the flight, such as from take-off to the climb and then cruise.

5. Look for schools offering value

Look for a good flying school with high standards, and when comparing different schools think about them based on the value they offer you. Value doesn’t just mean finding the cheapest course. It combines quality of instruction, aircraft, facilities and of course, pricing. Find out if the school you’re looking at has instructors with a passion for mentoring others, and are not only accruing their teaching hours in order to get into other jobs. High standard flying schools all have one thing in common: they’re there for you, the student!

AL42-Diamond-DA42-Simulator-Learn-To-Fly-Melbourne-Hero — Making good use of flight simulators is a great way to improve flight training efficiency.

Find out how we can improve your flight training efficiency! Email [email protected]. You can also visit https://drift.me/learntofly/meeting to book a meeting and school tour. For more great flying tips and the latest flying videos, click below and subscribe to our YouTube channel!

4 Important Tips to Help You Prepare For Your First Solo Flight

Posted on March 31, 2017September 7, 2021 by Kai

The time is here! Your very first solo flight! Just like the time you first drove your car alone after getting your licence, the feeling of flying solo can be exhilarating, but very overwhelming. There’s also a higher margin of error, as your instructor will not be next to you to guide you. But, once you’ve read these few tips to help you prepare for your first solo flight and completed all the solo flight training requirements, you’re ready to feel the independence that comes from flying solo!

Go easy on yourself

Remember, you are still learning. Just as when you were first learning how to drive, your reflexes were much slower, you weren’t that good at changing lanes or braking smoothly or at the dreaded parallel parking. That first solo drive must have been nerve-wracking, and you might have wanted to stop the car in the middle of the road and take off running.

Learning how to fly is much the same. You might get frustrated at the time it is taking you to master a new skill or learning how to land safely. But it is important to remember that calm and collected pilots make safe pilots. Stress and anxiety can affect our decision-making powers, thus putting us at risk of making even more mistakes! Remember to take a deep breath before each lesson and remind yourself that you’ve got this, even if it seems like it is taking forever!

Listen to your instructor

Your first solo flight will typically involve successfully taking off, completing a circuit pattern and safely touching back down on the ground without the help of an instructor. To prepare for your first solo flight, you will complete this exact same flight many times with your instructor sitting next to you. Use that time to soak up as much information you can, and use your instructor’s experience.

It’s very important that you listen to everything your instructor tells you, and that you are open to their advice and suggestions. Flight instructors have seen many pilots before you, all with different learning styles and different strengths and weaknesses. When an instructor identifies a weakness in your flying, this is the best opportunity to listen, learn, and make it into a strength.

Mental rehearsal and practice on the ground

In the days leading up to your first solo flight, practice flying mentally. This involves sitting on a chair and visualising that you are flying the circuit and thinking of how to fly the plane. It’s not even a bad idea to do this after every flight lesson, in order to make your movements muscle memory. This will save you time trying to figure out what comes next when you actually fly solo when it comes to procedures, radio talk and check as these things will already have become automatic by then. This method of training is also known as “chair flying”.

You can also prepare for your first solo flight by using a flight simulator. A flight simulator allows you to understand the controls and mechanics of the cockpit and repetitively practise taking off, manoeuvring, and touching down without ever leaving the ground. This is a safe way to gain the skills and expertise required to be able to fly solo.

Trust yourself

Finally, once you have successfully completed your solo flight training and your instructor deems that you are ready to take the aircraft on your first solo flight, it is important to trust yourself and trust the skills you have been taught. Get some good sleep every time before a solo flight and don’t let the negative thoughts take over. You know what you are doing and you have practised hours upon hours for this, both physically and mentally.

It might seem daunting at first, but once you step into the cockpit, you are likely to remember everything you have been taught and you will successfully complete your first solo flight like a bird flying in the sky—naturally and effortlessly. You’ve got this!

Prepare-for-your-First-Solo-Flight — As you prepare for your first solo flight, just remember… You got this!

Want to experience flying solo? We have a range of courses to get you there. Email [email protected]. You can also visit https://drift.me/learntofly/meeting to book a meeting and school tour. For more great flying tips and the latest flying videos, click below and subscribe to our YouTube channel!

What is the Difference Between RPL and PPL?

Posted on November 3, 2016August 15, 2022 by Kai

It’s a common misconception that you must choose to between completing a Recreational Pilot Licence (RPL) or a Private Pilot Licence (PPL) when you start flight training. But they’re actually two milestones on the same flight training journey. But what is the difference between RPL and PPL?

It’s less about which licence you choose, but rather how far you want to take your flight training. Each licence and endorsement you earn along the journey will give you different skills and expand your freedom when you’re up in the air. It can be helpful to know what each licence entails so you can start planning your own flight training journey.

First stop: Recreational Pilot Licence (RPL)

A Recreational Pilot Licence (RPL) is the starting point for your pilot training. Whether you are training for fun or for a career in aviation, the Recreational Pilot Licence will be your first major milestone.

The RPL program will teach you basic flying techniques including climbing and descending, take-off and landing, dealing with emergencies etc. Every flight lesson will start with a classroom briefing on the techniques before they’re put into practice. You’ll need to pass several theory exams as well as complete practical flight training.

With a Recreational Pilot Licence, you’ll be able to fly as a Pilot in Command of a single-engine aircraft under the maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 1500kgs, within a boundary of 25 nautical miles from the departure airport. This distance limitation is the main difference between RPL and PPL.

Next stop: Private Pilot Licence (PPL)

After completing your RPL, you can continue on to get your Private Pilot Licence (PPL). The PPL training focuses mainly on navigation. During the PPL training, you will learn how to navigate to and from different airports. You will go through the following steps:

1. Take-off, navigate around the ranges and control steps
2. Fly to a different airport and land
3. Take-off and navigate back to the original airport

Similar to the RPL program, you will need to pass several theory exams as well as complete practical flight training.

Once you have received your Private Pilot Licence, you will be allowed to act as a Pilot in Command and be endorsed to fly anywhere in Australia. You will also be able to carry up to five passengers and fly all over Australia.

If you decide that you want to continue towards a career as a pilot, your next step will be Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) training syllabus.

It’s up to you how far you take your flight training, and you don’t need to have your journey planned when you first start out. Now you know the difference between RPL and PPL. But be warned, once you’ve gotten a taste for flying through the RPL it’s hard not to catch the bug and want to keep going!

PPL-Navigation-Flight — The main difference between RPL and PPL is the distance you can fly. A PPL allows you to see some pretty amazing sights around Australia!

Complete your RPL or PPL with us! Email [email protected]. You can also visit https://drift.me/learntofly/meeting to book a meeting and school tour. For more great flying tips and the latest flying videos, click below and subscribe to our YouTube channel!