Flight Training O'seas

[The Stooge]

As a matter of interest how many of you prospective guys and girls out there would be interested in doing your flying training in Australia for where you get almost 3 of our bucks to 1 pound? That would put a CPL/
IR at about 15000 pound. Or even coming out here to hour build as a PA-44 for example would equate to about 95 pound per hour. I am quite interested in all replies. But I dont need any dickheads winding me up.

[Gunner B12]

The Stooge

Another interesting twist to this is I believe the profession of Airline pilot is on the skills list for emigration (it was last time I checked). The son of a friend of the family from the UK wants to be a pilot and I looked into it for him.

You can get a student visa to learn which also allows you to work for 25 hours a week. I took him to Jandakot airport and one school even suggested they could find him work cleaning planes and the like. Jandakot even has chalet accommodation at the airport but I don’t know what they charge.

The beauty of this is I checked with CASA and as they issue the qualification and are also the assessing body for immigration. There is no way they can knock someone back for lack of qualifications if they do this.

Admittedly if you went back to the UK the conversion costs for your licence are pretty horrendous but I believe it may still work out marginally cheaper. But once you’ve seen Perth or even quite a lot of places in Aus why would you want to go back?

[The Stooge]

Year all true, but there is a school at Moorabbin airport that has some poms there doing their CPL/IR. Which is good but I cant work out what they are going to do once they have finished in regards to converting to a JAA. Everyone may scoff but when you realisticaly look at it 1 pound is 3 bucks and that is very cheap.

[redsnail]

Gunner b 1 2,
For some strange reason I was having a look around the Dept of Foreign Affairs and Trade site. That ended up at the Dept of Immigration section. Yep, you are correct, the profession of "Pilot" attracts 60 points, ie the maximum. However, before every one rushes out with their brand new CPL, CASA (http://casa.gov.au) asseses the application and I dare say realistically you'd need some experience to go with it.
However folks, don't despair. The list is long and rather surprising as to what trades/skills/professions Australia needs.
I believe you need to be under 45, score 60 points on the skills req, pass a medical and have some money in the bank.
For more info, try Dept of Foreign Affairs (http://www.dfat.gov.au) or Jobs list (http://www.immi.gov.au/level2/01_migrate.htm)

Note, unlike in our recent history, a criminal record is not a prerequisite :D

[redsnail]

Now, if for some reason you don't feel the need to emigrate, as the previous posters have said, you can work up to 20-25 hour a week while you study. All the various visa info and requirements are in the sites that I have highlighted.
So, it isn't as hard as previously thought.

However, converting the lic back to a JAR one is horrible. Then again, spend some time in Oz, get some experience and the rules (JAR) would have changed again I am sure :)

[Gunner B12]

Redsnail

You got it right on the points and on the fact that experience is needed but if you take an instructors rating after doing your CPL I think you can turn your 25hrs to instructing whilst doing your ATPL and hence get experience. You don't need money to get in on the points test but you have to bear in mind that we are an under populated country which has easy acces to flight training so competition is fierce, Just browse the Dunnunda fourum to see just how hard.

I personally have started learning too late in life to ever stand the chance of doing this for a living but even so, what a place to learn in. I actually took my first lesson two hours ago (see the suggestions please thread in this forum) and my feet still haven't touched the ground. Come on out and give it a go.

[redsnail]

Gunner b 1 2,
I am Australian and I used to fly in Oz. I am in the fortunate position of having both UK and an Oz passport. I am now converting the Aus ATPL (4500 hours) to a JAR one.
Glad you are having fun :)

[Charlie Foxtrot India]

We recommend that people come here, do their PPL and build up 175 hours while studying for the writtens, then return to the UK and do the 25hr modular course. Much cheaper than doing the integrated course over there, and no need to convert anything.

[theodor]

Don´t look just down under, even though it is a wonderful place. South africa is on the way with at least 2 schools approved for Jar´s. FTC and 43 have both confirmed their approvels/applications to me, and at least FTC have some of it and more to come( info from Caa). Also i SA flying is cheap and I believe just as good, in addition the weather is so that you can always fly.

sun