View Full Version : Learning to fly in Central/South America
Shane2
13th Jul 2006, 12:39
Hola a todos
Just discovered this website tonight.
I am Australian and a student pilot as well as a student of Spanish. Next year I am planning to spend about 3 months on both - visiting South America and Central America, attending Spanish language schools and improving my flying skills. I will fly into Santiago, Chile, visit Peru, Nicaragua and Guatemala. Possibly Bolivia?
Any ideas on reputable flying schools (in any of these countries) with a good safety record would be most appreciated.
I fly out of Jandakot, Perth, Western Australia, the busiest GAA in Australia with about 390,000 movements in 2005. Am doing my GFPT (sort of like a restricted private pilots licence). Would also be interested to know what the set up is in Central/South America. How is the PPL structured? Do you have such an animal as a GFPT?
Many thanks in anticipation of your replies.
Hasta pronto. Charlotte
Hola Charlotte,
we've been discussing this recently in another thread:
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=230479
PM if you need more info on the Argentina situation.
suerte!
Panama Jack
14th Jul 2006, 06:54
In Nicaragua, there are only two very small schools, both of them in Managua.
Falcon Flight School, owned and operated by the ex-Director of Civil Aviation has a Cessna 150 and a Piper Aztec on the Aerolub side of the Managua International Airport (MNMG). Telephone numbers are 505-276-0962 (home) and 505-883-0475 (Cel) Ask for Captain José Antonio Bonilla. Last time I heard, rate was around $130/hour dual for the C-150. I have a friend who received the first Private Pilot licence issued in Nicaragua in over a decade who trained there and was satisfied with the instruction received.
Golden Wings Flight School, owned by La Costeña pilot David Enrique Díaz has another Cessna 152 out at the Los Brasiles Airport-- just leaving Managua on the on the highway towards León. Rates are a few dollars cheaper here. Telephone numbers are 505-244-0781 and Celular 505-875-3517.
In Guatemala there are a few more opportunities as well as a considerably more rebust General Aviation scene than in Nicaragua. I flew with an instructor named Ivan Rivas about 10 years ago-- you might want to ask if he is still around. I don't know who rents airplanes currently, but the Aeroclub de Guatemala has friendly folks who can be helpful-- and they have a nice website too! Check it out at www.aeroclubguatemala.com
Your GFPT sounds a little like the Recreational Pilot Licence issued by the US FAA. Neither are ICAO licences, as categorized by ICAO Annex 1, and therefore would not be recognized in other countries. Private Licences are pretty much similar from one state to another, as ICAO establishes the standards for them for the most part. Once you get one in one country, more often than not, it is an administrative procedure to get your licences validated (recognized) for private flying purposes in other countries.
...
Private Licences are pretty much similar from one state to another, as ICAO establishes the standards for them for the most part. Once you get one in one country, more often than not, it is an administrative procedure to get your licences validated (recognized) for private flying purposes in other countries.
Yes this is the case in Argentina, some paperwork, a pysical and a check ride are required to validate a foreign license. That brings a curiosity, a person flying his own airplane or an executive pilot, would be technically illegal arriving straight in these countries before doing the validation ?
Panama Jack
14th Jul 2006, 16:15
If I understand your question correctly el @, you are asking whether a pilot flying his own airplane to say, Argentina, would require an Argentinian validation.
The answer is "no", since he would have a licence from his country, and is flying an aircraft registered in that same country (example, a pilot with a US FAA Pilot Certificate flying an "N" registered airplane). Legally, he is allowed to operate this aircraft anywhere in the world, including Argentina.
The requirement to get an Argentinian licence validation is if he wants to fly an Argentinian registered aircraft.
In a way, silly, and in fact fact I understand that ICAO recommendations are that all ICAO states accept foreign pilot licences at face value, however I don't know of any ICAO state that does.
Clear as the sun. Thanks PJ!
Shane2
15th Jul 2006, 07:21
Many thanks for the info and I checked out the other thread. Have been checking out some details with a very helpful school in Santiago. Some things are cheaper in Oz (172 hire) and others cheaper in Santiago (small planes eg c152 equivalent). Also I pay $18 landing fee (Au$) and $3 for every touch and go. No charge in Santiago. I will look up the details for Nicaragua and Guatemala. I only fly for the challenge, not looking for anything more than a PPL in the end. If you get a PPL in Latin America you do a conversion when you get back to Oz.
Charlotte