Originally Posted by
Okihara
I for one would be very interested in knowing just how many pilots who choose to fly VH- aircraft settle for just an RPL and not PPL/CPL. To me this 'license' is utter nonsense and has been introduced to squeeze the wallets of prospective pilots on their way to PPL/CPL. Nobody in the GA community seems to take it seriously anyway, least of whom flight schools themselves who teach at RPL level but won't let you hire their aircraft with that license alone. Now if RAAus is upgraded to 1500 kg, it'll just turn the RPL into a drunken farce.
I'd suggest: cut your losses, salvage whatever esteem is left by scrapping the RPL and at the same time increase the RAAus MTOW to give overweight recreational pilots a slim chance to fly with full tanks.
I disagree. The RPL is a step forward. It offers much more freedom than the old GFPT. I have 2 friends that fly regularly using an RPL. Neither of them would be able to fly using a GFPT, as there is no resident instructor on the airstrip.