RPL or time to pack it in?

[HarbourMaster]

I'm contemplating converting to a NZ recreational pilots licence. I'm over 40 and hold a CPL, but only fly for fun. My medical has expired and the CAA want more than $300 every two years now even for a class 2 medical, not counting the fee to the Dr for the actual medical.

Cost for a new RPL application is $230, which is a one off fee. Apparently I just need to do a medical to satisfy a NZTA passenger endorsement, which my current medical examiner would only charge $30 for.

Wierd thing is that it now costs about $300 /hr to fly our club's singles. I don't seem to have a problem with that, but I just can't deal with having to pay $300 to rubber stamp my medical.

Your thoughts folks? Thanks.

[mattyj]

If you give it up, anecdotally I've heard that would make you one in over a thousand nz cpls who have dropped out in the last 12 months or so

Worst in quite a few years apparently

[1a sound asleep]

Cost of private flying has increased 4 times relevant to average incomes in the last 15 years. If you have plenty of money fine.

[HarbourMaster]

Four times!? and I thought I was just becoming a bit tight with money.

Thanks for your replies. I'm still indecisive though.

[Cravenmorehead]

That is a scary figure, 1 of a 1000 every year chucking it in, if indeed it is true. Keeping a CPL or even a PPL current is akin to being an avid sailor I feel, very expensive indeed. You have to have deep pockets. Even doing commercial work like glider towing and meat bombing for costs is a little unethical, as it takes away an opportunity from a young aspiring pilots who could be getting funded by parents as they make their way through the maze that being a pilot has always been.

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

If you have to ask here, then you have probably answered your own question! :E

Dr :8

[c100driver]

The RPL is a good option as it keeps you flying should you change your mind.

:{The medical issue is just bull*hit as the $313 is a direct cost to run the CAA medical unit divided by the number of pilots. Guess that with less pilots the cost will still have to be covered by the remaining pilots in the system.

Whilst the ATPL/CPL/PPL are "lifetime" licences the CAA require you sit a law exam if you have not used the licence for 5 years.

[aerobatologist]

The figures for private flying licenses in NZ make for grim reading indeed. Quoting from NZ CAA figures (http://www.caa.govt.nz/Safety_Reports/2014_q1_Safe_Sum_Rep.pdf) [page 23]:

PPL with Valid medical in 2011/Q2 : 3,603
PPL with Valid Medical in 2014/Q1 : 2,948

RPL with Valid medical in 2011/Q2 : 143
RPL with Valid Medical in 2014/Q1 : 180

RPLs peaked in 2013/Q1 with 248 licenses - so it trended up for a couple of years when new, but now it's dropping.

So for the PPL, NZ has lost 655 of them in just under 3 years. This coincides with the new fees being introduced, but also other factors like the global financial crisis, so there are multiple causes at play here. With such a number of PPLs packing it in, the clubs and training orgs are having a hard time of it - they need to put their prices up to remain in business or pack it in themselves.

CPLs and ATPLs have stayed fairly level for the same period, but I'm predicting that with the drop-off of the PPL-to-CPL pipeline then there will be a scarcity of CPLs in the coming few years and NZ will be relying on importing them.