Flight Training

FLYING LESSONS - FOR FUN

Your first step in "Learning to Fly for Fun" will be to undertake a Trial Instructional Flight (TIF) with the GAS Flight School. (Approx cost $125).

The TIF flight lasting about 30 minutes will give you a good feel and understanding of what is involved in handling an aircraft. Your GAS flight instructor will demonstrate some simple manoeuvres such as flying straight and level, climbing and descending and allow you to take the controls under supervision.

If you decide to proceed with flight training you will need to satisfy the following requirements:

• Be 16 years of age or older to hold a Student Pilot Licence.
• Provide photo identification and other details to the GAS Flight School, Chief Flying Instructor (CFI) which will be forwarded to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to allow them to undertake a security check.
• When you have passed the CASA security check you will be issued with an ARN (Aviation Reference Number).
• You will then need to pass a medical examination conducted by a CASA approved doctor. On successful completion of your medical the doctor will give you a certificate showing that you have passed. You are required to keep this certificate with you whenever you are flying to validate your Student Licence. The medical certificate (Class 2) is valid for 4 years if you are younger than 40 and two years if you are over 40.

QUALIFICATIONS

Formal education qualifications are not required to obtain a Pilot Licence, although a background understanding of maths and physics is helpful. Average skills both physical and mental are generally adequate but self discipline is the essential ingredient to proceed successfully through the structured program of ground study and flying.

STUDENT PILOT TRAINING

The CASA training syllabus sets out in full all the ground and flying training you must complete. To obtain your Private Pilot Licence you will need:

• A minimum of 40 hours flight time (although most students require 50 to 60 hours to reach a satisfactory standard).
• To pass two theory exams.
• To pass your PPL flight test with an independent approved Instructor.
• To budget approximately $14,000(includes GST) to cover all your flight time, briefing time, exam fees, student manuals, medical etc etc.

You can undertake lessons at your own pace - although a minimum of one flying lesson per fortnight is recommended - more often is even better to obtain best value from your flight training dollar. The Goldfields Air Services (GAS) Flight School has no membership fees, up front fees or minimum charges applying. You simply pay for each lesson at completion of the flight (EFTPOS available).

FLYING LESSONS - FOR CAREER

Learning to fly for a career builds on all the experience you have gained in becoming a Private Pilot

A higher education standard is generally required if you wish to progress through the various stages of study and flying to become a competent Commercial Pilot and some university study in maths and science is helpful if your aim is to be an Airline Pilot.

A higher medical standard also applies to Commercial and Airline Pilots, so if you are undertaking flying training with a view to becoming a professional pilot you should request an examination for a Class 1 medical certificate when you apply for your Student Pilot Licence.

The "Commercial Pilot Licence" is the first of the professional licences you will require to become a commercial or airline pilot. The Commercial Licence is based on Visual Flight Rules (VFR) and the knowledge required is more extensive than that required for the PPL.

GAS Flight School conducts Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) training. A offers 150 or 200 hour flight time syllabus is required to obtain your CPL (approx 60 hours is obtained gaining your PPL). Of the 200 hours required at least 100 must be as pilot in command, 20 hours must be cross country and 10 hours of instrument time.

After obtaining your Commercial Pilot Licence whatever area of professional aviation you are involved in will dictate the type of extra licences required to fulfil your duties. For example:

• An agricultural pilot (crop sprayer) requires an Agricultural Rating.
• Flying instructor - requires an Instructor Rating.
• Mustering livestock - requires a Low Flying or Mustering Endorsement.
• Charter & Airwork pilot - generally requires a twin endorsement and Instrument Rating.
• Airline Pilot (Australian & International) requires ATPL (Australian Air Transport Licence).

Goldfields Air Services has employed a great many commercial pilots in over 30 years of operating from Kalgoorlie-Boulder airport. A vast number of these pilots have gained invaluable experience and flying hours with GAS and have gone on to be employed by airlines in Australia and overseas.

Goldfields Air Services Flight School offers an array of endorsements to both Private and Commercial pilots including Constant Speed and Retractable endorsements, type twin endorsements, Night VFR Ratings and AFR's.