Converting to Aus PPL

[bcareers]

I'm a qualified South African PPL who is based in London.
I will be relocating to Sydney early in 2003 (partly because of the UK weather!) and need to renew my license by May 2003.

I was wondering if it was worth renewing my SA PPL or should I convert to an Australian PPL as this will be easier to maintain in future. (I'm older than 40 so this will be an annual event)

Could anyone suggest the best way to approach this and recommend good flying schools in the Sydney area.

Thanks


:)

[On Track]

Once you obtain an Australian PPL it will be permanently valid, and you will be able to fly as long as you have a current Class 2 medical.

And, in the normal course of events, to keep your medical current you will have to visit the quack only once every two years.

You will also have to do a check flight with an instructor every two years. It's commonly known as a BFR (biennial flight review).

[Wagit]

If you have a current Britsh or South African PPL. You can apply for a Special Pilot Licence based on your overseas qualifications.

If you get onto the CASA web site and look in the Civil Aviation Regulation CAR 5.196 onwards it explains how to obtain this licence.

[Tinstaafl]

The disadvantage of the Special Pilot Licence is that it is only valid while the foreign licence on which it is based is valid.

That means that as long as the foreign licence would let you jump in & fly then you may do so on the Special Pilot Licence. If, however, there is anything to do with the foreign licence that would disallow you to fly then the Special Pilot Licence is invalid. That includes things like recency, medicals, any renewals that are required to keep the foreign licence etc etc.