Skipping PPL??

[Jeps]

Hi all,

I have been told by a few that you can in fact skip PPL altogether and from GFPT (and a pass in BAK of course) and move straight on to CPL study. Is this still the case? (If it is pardon my ignorance) and would you recommend doing it (Those who have actually done it?)

Ta!

J

[Lasiorhinus]

You certainly can. But you will miss out on being able to hire a plane and go for a fly around the countryside, until you have a CPL.

If you're completing an integrated 150-hour CPL course, then skip the PPL and get straight into CPL flying, and do your Night, or Instrument Ratings while you're getting to 150 hours.

[NTremotepilot]

I skipped the PPL. The timeframe I had set for myself it just wasn't possible. The big downside is not being able to log hire and fly time towards your command hours, e.g, taking mates on your solo nav's. It works out a bit cheaper, one? less exam and one less flight test.
I believe, and stand to be corrected, that you will automatically be issued with a PPL on completion of your CPL.
I can assure you, no employer will hold you in prejudice for not having done a PPL, not in my experience so far anyway.

[tmpffisch]

The big downside would come in building hours. Also if your first flight test is the CPL test, skipping GFPT and PPL, the ATO hasn't ever flown with you before, and I imagine would want to test EVERYTHING, making for one very long test!

[Ando1Bar]

It's very unlikely you'd skip the GFPT. If you did, a dual flight would be required after every three hours solo.

The main disadvantage as already mentioned is you cannot carry friends/family when flying cross-country.

Not doing a PPL doesn't make it a harder CPL flight test, the ATO still needs to tick his boxes no matter your history.

[WannaBeBiggles]

It's only 1 exam and believe me the knowledge you gain in your BAK and PPL studies will help you with your CPL subjects.

As many have mentioned you will also not be able to take mates along for command building exercises.

Another downside is you WON'T be able to do NVFR rating (correct me if I'm worng) as you won't have a license to endorse, or at least exercise the right of a NVFR.

Also, if your class one medical lapses you won't be able to exercise the rights of private license as you do not have one (again, correct me if I'm wrong).

And lastly, you won't be able to do your IREX exam until you passed your CPL flight test.

[Lasiorhinus]

(correct me if I'm worng)


With pleasure :E

You will certainly be able to do a Night VFR rating, complete all the flight training and test for the issue of the rating, but it will not be issued until you hold a Licence.

You will certainly be able to fly an aircraft in a private operation, as
CAR 5.105 What does a commercial pilot (aeroplane) licence authorise a person to do?
(1) A commercial pilot (aeroplane) licence authorises the holder of the licence:
(a) to fly a single pilot aeroplane as pilot in command while the aeroplane is engaged in any operation;

To sit the IREX, you must at least hold a pass in the CPL(A) or PPL(A) written examination - not necessarily hold a license.

[WannaBeBiggles]

or at least exercise the right of a NVFR. ;)

if your class one medical lapses you won't be able to exercise the rights of private license

I was not allowed to sit IREX until I passed my PPL flight test, I had 12 cancellations for the last nav to be allowed to do the flight test, though CASA were kind enough to mark the pass of the flight test in the system as soon as they got the paperwork from the CFI and issued me with a copy very quickly so I could go sit it.

[Gearup2]

The experience you will gain during that PPL flight test (exposure to a testing environment outside your usual instructors) also the experience you will gain when building command hours with extra weight on board friends family ect. A PPL is worth getting if your working towards a CPL Just my two cents :ok:

[LeanRod737]

As someone who went straight through from GFPT to CPL, i wouldn't recomend it. i regret not being able to fly around the country with friends. I echo gearup2's thoughts. it's certainly a great learning experience to do so.

[Tinstaafl]

Doing the PPL has the advantage of allowing you to take others with you, as has been said. It also means that you can sign the MR for the daily inspection, something a student isn't qualified to do - unless the rules have changed in the last 10 years.

Those two benefits allow the possibility of doing some of your command flying as overnight trips to somewhere further afield than the typical 3 hour navexs. Ayers Rock, Birdsville races, Wilpena Pound, Kakadu all make for interesting trips with great learning opportunities.

I've also seen one or two cases where a student got stuck overnight** due weather or a fault. It meant having to find licenced pilot able to sign the MR the next day.

The time used for the test can be included within the 150hr CPL so it doesn't necessarily have to add extra flight time to your course. In some schools, the examiner is part of salaried staff so even his/her time may not cost extra.

The experience doing the test can have more intangible results too. A CPL test isn't much more than the PPL test with more polish & skill expected. Doing a PPL first can help reduce CPL exam nerves. After all you will have (partly) 'been there, done that'.



**You do fly with an overnight kit, don't you? Socks, undies, toothbrush, cash/credit card, clothing you'd be comfortable wearing at a restaurant or pub for dinner, and the like.

[ReverseFlight]

I skipped PPL as well on my way to CPL. I would have skipped GFPT also if not for the 3-hourly checkride requirement, which would have severly limited my nav-building.

[startingout]

i skipped my ppl on the intergrated 150 course i did... worst choice was doing that... got me into my cpl a week faster but other then that, i never had the chance to go where i wanted really, always had to be checked up by instructors on the morning of the flight... no overnighting... so didnt get to experience sunshine coast flying only flew in victoria (well did a trip to adelaide but that was the only time). You get bored quickly flying the same routes round victoria, there is a stage where you know every little town you fly over that a map is no longer useful. :ok:

[VH-XXX]

And then you got a job and you could NEVER go anywhere where you wanted ever again!

If you think you know every small town in Victoria by air, think again! I could get you lost in 30 minutes at 100 knots.

[mudpig]

I think the votes are unanimous.
Jeps, definately do the PPL flight test. The gains far outway the week you'll make up in time. The most valuable point is flight time under testing conditions. There is a huge difference between requirements for a GFPT and CPL test. That goes without saying. The point I'm trying to make is you will gain alot from the PPL flight test. A big one is you'll be seated next to an ATO for a lot longer than an hour (such as GFPT). PPL test will put you in good stead for CPL test as they're both Nav's for a start. That extra amount of time will allow much more feedback from the ATO which may make a difference come CPL testing time.
Good luck:ok:
MP