Hour building in Australia

[besidethesea]

I'm after some advice please...

I qualified for an EASA PPL in the UK this summer and am working my way through EASA ATPL groundschool right now, with the intention to complete all ground exams in early March next year.

I need to build circa 65 hours on my PPL in order to start the CPL course thereafter.

I am interested in hour-building in Australia and am looking for recommended operators of self-fly-hire SEP aircraft, as well as preliminary advice on potential routes to fly, and any licensing / insurance / visa issues that I need to be aware of.

If anyone has relevant experience I'd be most grateful for any advice.

Thank you in advance.

[redsnail]

For the licence and other such fun and games. Look here (http://www.casa.gov.au/scripts/nc.dll?WCMS:STANDARD::pc=PC_90024#validation). In particular, you'll want the Certificate of Validation section. Note the timings and who you need to contact. The CAA being one of them. So that'll be the licence sorted out.

I threw some "best guess" details into the Australian Department of Immigration website and it suggests these (http://www.immi.gov.au/Visas/Pages/Find-a-visa.aspx?Purpose=Visit+Australia&Nationality=United+Kingdom&ApplyFrom=United+Kingdom&Age=26-30&Stay=Temporary&Length=Up+to+6+months&Family=All) visas. You may wish to do this yourself to use the correct info.
This is the official "word from the horse's mouth" website and it is free to search.

So you'd be looking at March-April arrival? I would contact Minovation (http://www.minovation.com) for ideas etc. The CFI was a PPRuNer and she converted her UK CAA lic to Australian years ago. She'll have some ideas. They are based in Western Australia. I would consider flying up the WA coast line and have a play in the Kimberley. I used to work there. Incredible scenery and the worst of the Wet Season should be over. Come back via Alice Springs. :ok:

[redsnail]

If you don't fancy Perth (Western Australia), head to Sydney, in particular, Camden and see Phoenix/Liverpool (http://www.phoenix.org.au/about-us/) Flying School. Have a chat to Rene (he's Swiss). He's responsible for my CPL and for my first job in aviation.

[whiskey1]

Yes, agree with Redsnail, Minovation in Perth were very professional and helpful.