Flying in Oz on JAA license

[RonAir]

Going on holiday to Oz in Aug, what will I have to do to be able to charter a plane to fly myself/family about (JAA fATPL)? Thanks for any guidance..

[worked to death]

Hi Ronair,

can't imagine too much trouble if it's only private flying. Try emailing your query to www.casa.gov.au (http://www.casa.gov.au). I'm guessing, but you would probably need a medical and a check out with the place your hiring the aircraft from.

[DeltaT]

You wil get a PPL in Auz, still expect a quick check out from the club you hire the aircraft. Check with the Auz CAA, you may not even need the Auz PPL in hand, ie flying on PPL privilages on the basis of overseas licence where ever you go there, if thats the case make sure to print the CAA letter to show the aeroclub where you hire the plane

[Charlie Foxtrot India]

You need to apply to CASA for a Certificate of Validation or a Special Pilot Licence. You will then need to do an AFR with an instructor prior to hire. If you want to visit any security controlled aerodromes, you will also need to apply for an ASIC.

[Clearedtoreenter]

Used to do a few of these. The licence /medical is the very least of your problems. If the 'special licence' is still avialable, you just turn up, fill out the form, pay your dough (was $50 but CASA have gone user pays so now its probably $3million), show your JAA licence and medical and then the Special Licence remains valid, as long as you have a medical if I recall correctly, for VFR private ops for ever. You then just have to persuade someone to hire you an aircraft. Most seemed to find some of the Aus procedures a bit stange, (like GAAP's) but were generally on their way quickly.

What has killed it all off is the stoopid ASIC card, required to make sure you are not a security risk (Ha!). If you apply for it like today, you MIGHT get it by August. The last person we had paid his $200, got it all signed off by suitable respectable people, supplied original doc's etc, applied with 3 months notice but still missed out in time for his trip. Of course, you can fly without one, but cannot legally use security controlled airports - which are basically anywhere with RPT ops. Not that anyone will be there to look at your $200 plastic... but on the off chance they do, you might have difficulty getting access to airside to a few places where they have built big fences with security gates - although at many places, people still just jump the fence, if there is one at all, or a kind local might tell you the secret code, if he likes the look of you....

Anyway, the details, forms etc of the special licence (if it still exsits), ASIC, are (were?) all on www.CASA.gov.au (http://www.CASA.gov.au)

[Charlie Foxtrot India]

Certificates of Validation/ Special Pilot Licences are now done through Canberra so instead of the regional offices processing it in 24 hours, you now need to allow about a month. They also need to verify your licence details with the country of issue, so the delays aren't all at this end.

It's nowhere near as easy as it used to be (and Australian tourism and GA has lost a lot of business as a result); but it can be done if you plan well in advance and liase with the organisation you are going to hire from so you have an aviation contact here who can guide you through the process, and who paperwork can be sent to.

It's well worth it once you have jumped through the hoops!