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Will I be covered by insurance when I am at Learn To Fly?

Learn to Fly has insurance cover for the following:

  • $5 million Liability Insurance which covers all of our flying operations.
  • $15 million Hangar Keeper’s Liability Insurance which covers all ground operations including incidents and accidents happening within the school and on the apron.

Students and Trial Introductory Flight customers should contact their insurance provider for advice on any personal insurance cover they may wish to take out for their flight or flight training.

How safe are small aircraft? Is flight training safe? Will I get airsick?

There is a certain amount of risk in everything we do. Flying an aircraft has some degree of risk, and for that reason, they must be treated with care and respect. If you learn to fly safely with experienced and professional instructors then you will go a long way towards reducing that risk. Your safety and that of the aircraft and its occupants is the most important objective for our instructors. All of our aircraft are maintained to the highest Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) standards. Statistically, flying is actually safer than driving a car on the road!

Airsickness is completely dependant on the individual. Some people will have a tendency to feel airsick initially, but as time passes and you feel more confident in the aircraft the chance of feeling sick is significantly reduced. If you have previously suffered motion sickness it’s best to let your instructor know.

How to get to Moorabbin Airport from Melbourne City?

The Moorabbin Airport area is served by frequent bus and train services. The bus service has a pickup and drop off point adjacent to the Moorabbin DFO shopping complex. It is a 5-minute walk from the Moorabbin DFO bus stop to Learn To Fly Melbourne’s base at 22-24 Northern Avenue.

There are also two railway stations – Mentone and Cheltenham – that are local to Moorabbin Airport. Buses depart from both stations to the nearby DFO shopping complex. Always check timetables for schedule details, particularly for weekends and evenings. All timetables can be found at https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/timetables

Is flight training expensive? How much does it cost to become a pilot?

The cost of becoming a pilot depends on the type of training you want to do, and also the aircraft that you want to fly. If you just want to fly for fun then you may only need a Recreational Pilot Licence (RPL) or Private Pilot Licence (PPL). If you want to fly for a career then you will need to hold a Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL), which requires building at least 150 flying hours.

Becoming a pilot can be an expensive process, but it shouldn’t prohibit you from achieving your dreams. We want to make flight training accessible to as many people as possible, which is why we provide flexible and transparent pricing options. We offer package options for our courses that contain all of the theory and practical flight training required to complete the required syllabus. On eligible courses, you are able to pay in interest-free monthly instalments via SplitIt. Note that there are ancillary items you may need to purchase in addition to the package inclusions. We also offer Pay As You Fly options for many courses, where you can pay as you progress.

Some courses also allow you to utilise our state-of-the-art flight simulators, which can dramatically reduce your costs by reducing the amount of time you may need to spend flying in an actual aircraft. We recommend chatting to one of our flight training specialists about which payment option is best suited to you.

Are there any time limits on finishing a flight training course?

Since flight training is competency-based, there are no times limits imposed on completing courses. Overseas students flying in Australia will however need to be aware of time limits relating to their visa. Some components of theory, licences and endorsements do have expiry or maintenance periods but this can be easily managed during your flight training.

Is there much home study? Do you provide online theory training?

How you decide to manage your time between studying at flight school and studying at home is up to you. Experience shows that those who are able to spend more time studying at flight school tend to absorb more knowledge.

If you’re spending enough time at flight school then you may not need to study much at home, but if you aren’t then we recommend that you study fairly regularly at home so that you retain what you have learnt and are ready for your next lesson.

In addition, we provide online training via our student portal. We offer the following theory courses

  • Recreational Pilot Licence (RPL) Theory Course
  • Private Pilot Licence (PPL) Theory Course
  • Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) Theory Course
  • Instrument Rating Theory Examination (IREX) Theory Course

How long does it take to obtain a pilot licence? How often do I need to train?

A Recreational Pilot Licence (RPL) typically takes 30 – 35 hours of flight time. A Private Pilot Licence (PPL) typically takes another 30 – 35 hours of flight time. A Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) will take 150 (Integrated) hours or 200 hours (Non-Integrated) of flight time from scratch.

The time it takes you will depend heavily on how frequently you are able to fly, how flexible your schedule is, and your overall commitment to study. We have the aircraft and instructor availability for you to complete your licences as fast as you are able to pass each of the required competencies.

The more you are able to train, the more successful your training will be. Experience has shown that students who study and train more regularly are able to retain and build on their knowledge more easily. The more time you spend at your flight school (even if you aren’t flying), the more you will learn. Whilst we understand that everybody has different time commitments in their lives, we recommend that you train a minimum of once a week.

I want to become a pilot, how do I get started?

We believe you probably have an ambition or dream to learn to fly, however, you don’t know if you like it or have an aptitude for it or not until you fly once. A Trial Introductory Flight (TIF) is a good starting point. If you are uncertain about learning to fly, or if you just want to get airborne to “feel what it is like” before you commence training, a Trial Introductory Flight is an air experience flight; a way of sampling flight training without making any commitment to joining the school.

After the TIF, if you are happy to continue and become a pilot, then the first thing to ask yourself is whether you want to fly for fun, or for a career. The answer to this question will determine the training you need to do and the licences you need to hold.

The Recreational Pilot Licence (RPL) is your first step. This course teaches you the basics of flying and builds towards your first solo flight. Once you achieve your RPL you are able to fly CASA-approved aircraft up to 25nm from your departure aerodrome and carry up to 3 passengers.

The Private Pilot Licence (PPL) introduces navigation training, and PPL holders can fly CASA-approved aircraft anywhere in Australia with up to 5 passengers. The RPL and PPL do not allow you to take on paid work as a pilot.

If you want to work as a pilot and be paid to fly, you will need to complete the Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) course. If you commence a CPL course from the beginning, then the training will take you through RPL and PPL syllabus before moving onto CPL syllabus. If you already hold a PPL you can start the CPL syllabus.

Learn To Fly offers beginner courses like the Learn To Fly Starter Set and Learn To Fly First Solo programs that allow you to get a taste of flying before committing to further training. All of the training in these courses can be applied as prior learning for students who do wish to proceed further.