SCPL

[inxs]

Anybody remember what the minimum hours (in total) for issue of the old Aust. SCPL was ???

[Arcturus]

I believe it was 1000 hrs Total Aeronautical Experience. Due to only half of co-pilot time counting, I had about 1800 hrs Grand Total when my SCPL was issued back in '68 for a Twin Otter command, then a single pilot operation.

[18-Wheeler]

Yeah a thousand total and at least two hundred command rings a bell.
I've still got my one tucked away somewhere.

[Brian Abraham]

Shouldn't this thread be in the "History & Nostalgia" Forum? :p

[halas]

There was 60 night as well if l remember.

halas

[Aye Ess]

And it was DARK blue.....ooooh yeah.....Dark Blue. Suddenly we looked down on the light blue kids with their CPL.

[Exaviator]

'68 for a Twin Otter command, then a single pilot operation.

Arcturus, was that for TAA in TPNG? If so we were probably there together!:ok:

[inxs]

Thanks guys, for all that info - I had a hunch the question would bring out some Early Birds :D:)

[18-Wheeler]

If you're interested I can take some photos of my Aussie and PNG ones and post them here.

[Whiskery]

Very good Brian A. I always enjoy subtle humor. :ok:

[Tmbstory]

In days long ago, if you did not work for an Airline you were issued with a Senior Commercial Pilots Licence, with a Command Endorsement and a Command Instrument Rating, the Co- Pilot was issued with a Co- Pilot endorsement and Co- Pilot Instrument rating.

Eventually the Powers to be saw sense and changed to an ATPL Licence.

Both Licences allowed you to Fly Aircraft that you were endorsed on and above 12500LBS AUW.

I had my Australian SCPL for about 20 years.

Tmb

[Capt Fathom]

In days long ago, if you did not work for an Airline you were issued with a Senior Commercial Pilots Licence, with a Command Endorsement and a Command Instrument Rating, the Co- Pilot was issued with a Co- Pilot endorsement and Co- Pilot Instrument rating.


The memory is fading, but I'll have a go. (A little disjointed and long winded, but hopefully you'll get the idea)

If you worked for an airline (there were only two originally), the Captain had a First Class Instrument Rating and an ATPL. The FO had a Second Class Instrument Rating and a Second Class ATPL.

Remember, Airlines wanted to keep GA pilots in their place, and they didn't want GA pilots having equivalent qualifications to them! We got lumbered with the Class One, Two, Three, and Four Instrument Rating for aircraft less than 12500 lbs.

The whole reason for the First Class / Second Class IR, and First Class / Second Class Endorsement was to keep the airline pilots of the day up on a pedestal, and separated from the rest of us.

If you flew an aircraft less than 12500 lbs, you only needed a Class One IR, and a CPL.

If you flew for Bush Pilots for example, at that time, one of the few operators that had aircraft above 12500 lbs (DC3) flying RPT runs, the Captain needed a SCPL and a First Class IR, (there were exceptions!), the FO needed a CPL and a Second Class IR. Because Bushies didn't have an Airline License, the pilot's couldn't get an ATPL. That was for Airline Pilots only!

Strangely enough, a Second Class IR did not allow you to exercise the privileges of a Class One.

It was a very messy system. Finally all that was done away with, and more operators were welcomed into the Airline fold.

The Command / CoPilot Endorsement was introduced, along with the Command / Copilot Instrument Rating.

.....and we all lived happily ever after.

Please feel free to correct any misrepresentations! Years in GA can skew one's perception! :uhoh:

[Tmbstory]

Capt Fathom:

Sounds like a fairly good recollection to me.

Regards

Tmb

[LeadSled]

Folks,
Perhaps not surprisingly for pprune, there is a lot of rubbish about the SCPL on this thread.

The SCPL was an ICAO license, not an Australian invention, the criteria for getting an SCPL were somewhat less than an ATPL.

About the only odd practice in AU (but not the only one) was that, once you ceased to be an "airline Captain", the license reverted to an SCPL, whereas, elsewhere once you had an ATPL, you kept it.

When ICAO phased out the SCPL, so did Australia.

Tootle pip!!

PS: Fathom is pretty close as to the "privileges" of the SCPL/ATPL

[Exaviator]

The SCPL was an ICAO license, not an Australian invention, the criteria for getting an SCPL were somewhat less than an ATPL.

You are quite correct LS. At that time two of the requirements for a Class 1 ATPL were that you had to be command checked on an aircraft over 12500 lbs and CURRENTLY flying for an Australian Airline.

The latter requirement being the main difference between the Australian and other nations ATPLs

I, and others that had command positions on the DHC-6 with TAA held all of the other ATPL requirements, but because the aircraft was below 12500 lbs we were issued with Senior Coms.

When I moved off shore in 1969 my SCPL was exchanged for an ATPL issued under the U.K. auspices.

[Arnold E]

In days long ago, if you did not work for an Airline you were issued with a Senior Commercial Pilots Licence, with a Command Endorsement and a Command Instrument Rating, the Co- Pilot was issued with a Co- Pilot endorsement and Co- Pilot Instrument rating.

Eventually the Powers to be saw sense and changed to an ATPL Licence.

Both Licences allowed you to Fly Aircraft that you were endorsed on and above 12500LBS AUW.

Pretty much as I remember it