Learn To Fly

Flight Training

Warnervale Air offers a staff of fully qualified flight instructors. All instructors are employed on a full time basis, unlike many other flying schools. At WVA you can learn to fly, brush up on old skills, get endorsement on several aircraft types, or add valuable ratings to your current licence. The instructors at Warnervale are friendly, courteous, highly trained (usually at Warnervale), and will go out of their way to ensure you of the best possible flying training available. If you are thinking of learning to fly, then CONGRATULATIONS, and welcome to Aviation. Flying is safe, fun, and very rewarding. You will gain confidence in yourself, learn new skills, and meet a lot of people. Aero Clubs are dotted all around Australia and are full of friendly people who share a common passion. Our local club is the Central Coast Aero Club.

Some useful information about learning to fly is here on this page but if you have any other questions please don't hesitate to inquire here.

A Brief Outline

FIRST SOLO

Initial training takes you to a stage where you are capable of flying a simple circuit pattern. That is take-off, fly around the aerodrome and come back and land, by yourself. A short theory exam is involved before you go solo. This 'First Solo' is something you will remember for the rest of your flying career and indeed your lifetime. Ask any Qantas Captain, or Jet Pilot, and I'm SURE they'll tell you they still remember their solo vividly.

GENERAL FLIGHT PROGRESS TEST (GFPT)

After you have passed the BAK exam and have had the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) minimum requirement of 20 flying hours experience, you can sit for the GFPT test. Passing this test allows you to carry passengers. That is someone other than a flight instructor. You can take-off and fly within the training area of the aerodrome or within 10 nautical miles radius of the aerodrome you departed from. You may only land at the aerodrome you departed from. You are now well on your way to obtaining a Private Pilot's Licence.

WARNING!

Learning to fly is highly addictive. It may cause extreme happiness and could affect your sanity. You may be subject to withdrawal symptoms if you don't fly regularly.

PRIVATE PILOTS LICENCE – PPL(A)

This is a qualification that you should be aiming for from the start of your training. The PPL(A) entitles you to fly an Australian registered aircraft almost anywhere in Australia and to fly an Australian registered aircraft round the world, if you choose. Training for this is conducted in a Cessna C-172 type aircraft, a four seat aircraft more suited to the Navigation phase of training. The PPL(A) phase of training covers the navigation component, including safe operation in controlled airspace. CASA requires an additional 20 hours minimum navigation experience for the PPL(A), however the average is more like 27-30 hours for the vast majority of students. The PPL(A) allows you to use your training in a truly practical sense, (imagine visiting Aunt Mary in Dubbo via air instead of battling the road traffic). It also opens the door to other ratings, endorsements and enhancement of your skills, such as night flying, tail wheel aircraft endorsement, aerobatics, retractable undercarriage etc. In conjunction with the Central Coast Aero Club we have fly-outs to other aerodromes a few times a year, enabling you to see this vast continent of ours, meet other pilots, and generally enjoy your new-found skills. There's nothing quite as much fun as meeting other aviation enthusiasts from all around Australia in a social situation.

COMMERCIAL PILOTS LICENCE - CPL(A)

This licence enables you to be paid for flying aircraft. Do not, however, believe that it will guarantee you a job in the aviation industry, as usually it will not. The CPL requires a minimum of 150 hours if you complete an integrated course or 200 hours if you choose to go at your own pace. Most pilots need more than the 150 hours, the average is close to 200.

Some Useful Tips

Our CFI has taken the time to prepare some valuable notes and advice that may help you with your training.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CASA) regulates the various licences and ratings you may seek throughout your flying training. CASA lists the MINIMUM requirements, not the averages that the student pilot requires.

Your abilities are unknown before you start your training, and therefore nobody can quote the hours you will require and hence the costs. The flight tests you will complete are skills tests. These skills are TAUGHT not inherited. You must be prepared to undertake whatever training you may require to attain the standard you aspire to. Ensure that your training is productive. DO the reading and study that is necessary and fly regularly.

Most students choose to train part-time, flying once a week or even once a fortnight. If you fly two, three, or even more times per week, each lesson will be more relevant and will eliminate the revision that less frequent flying requires.

Do NOT be coerced into paying in advance!!.....Pay as you go !!!. If you pay 'upfront' you may be locked in to a situation with which you are uncomfortable. When you pay as you go, you are free to change flying schools if you are dissatisfied with the organisation you are with.

Do pursue the skills that will give you the solid foundations required for any job in the aviation industry. Maybe some aerobatics, formation flying and an Instructor Rating will gain that first job for you and give you some valuable skills to carry throughout your flying career.

Do call in to the flying schools that interest you, and get a feel for the school and the training you require.

Most Importantly Enjoy your flying !! It's Safe and it's FUN

Careers

Warnervale Air or any other flying school cannot guarantee you a job in the Aviation Industry. A successful career in the Aviation Industry takes a lot of hard work and dedication. Warnervale Air is well resourced to provide you with the necessary skills to pursue a flying career and many of our students have gone on to successful careers in the Aviation Industry. We now have ex-students in the RAAF and also major regional, domestic and international airlines and CASA.