Newbie & Flying Training Advice (Merged)
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: down there
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First up, your school marks dont count for much unless you goto the rnzaf which is the best option out of all of them.
Would recommend southern wings over ardemore or massey any day. The above bullet comment is harsh but true, further south the better. option of basing out of Invercargill is a huge bonus with the cheap living costs and abundance of part time jobs.
Would recommend southern wings over ardemore or massey any day. The above bullet comment is harsh but true, further south the better. option of basing out of Invercargill is a huge bonus with the cheap living costs and abundance of part time jobs.

Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Auckland
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Hi yes I am Auckland based. In fact, i live 5 minutes away from Ardmore. Could you give an estimate of how much Im gonna have to pay if i were to self fund myself for my PPL. I was hoping that I could just loan the whole massey course because I like the structure that they have . Is there any way to achieve that at all?
asmusian: I was hoping that I could just loan the whole massey course because I like the structure that they have .
I guess you could go to a bank and borrow the PPL money or even the whole lot for that matter.
What's to like about their structure? You do realise the licence you get is the same no matter where you go? Some schools turn out a better product and very often for less money than other schools. I'm not sure if your two choices fit in this category.

Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Auckland
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HI 27/09 from what I understand, with schools like ardmore you have to book the courses separately? whereas Massey has a 3 year structure planned out for you. I dont know if thats how it goes but thats what i got from research.
Regarding the financial matters. I keep hearing from different sources that its impossible to loan out the whole thing nowadays, still dont know how that works.
Regarding the financial matters. I keep hearing from different sources that its impossible to loan out the whole thing nowadays, still dont know how that works.
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Melbourne
Age: 34
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CPL course Melbourne VET Loan Part time
Hello,
I turn 30 soon, reside in Melbourne and am currently employed full time.
I've always wanted to fly and am considering heading down the pathway to a CPL (note - I have no flying experience).
At the moment, the only organisation in Melbourne that offers part time training with VET loan approval, is SOAR aviation. Most others only offer VET loans for full time training.
May I please have some advise and info, regarding any other organisations that offer VET loan approval for part time CPL courses in Melbourne.
Also, can anyone shed some light regarding the relevance of the aircraft used by SOAR aviation (through SAFT), i.e. the FOXBAT A22, as their training aircraft.
SOAR quotes aprox $80k for the CPL, out of which $75k is covered by VET.
Thank you.
Regards,
K
I turn 30 soon, reside in Melbourne and am currently employed full time.
I've always wanted to fly and am considering heading down the pathway to a CPL (note - I have no flying experience).
At the moment, the only organisation in Melbourne that offers part time training with VET loan approval, is SOAR aviation. Most others only offer VET loans for full time training.
May I please have some advise and info, regarding any other organisations that offer VET loan approval for part time CPL courses in Melbourne.
Also, can anyone shed some light regarding the relevance of the aircraft used by SOAR aviation (through SAFT), i.e. the FOXBAT A22, as their training aircraft.
SOAR quotes aprox $80k for the CPL, out of which $75k is covered by VET.
Thank you.
Regards,
K
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Dunda
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If you have to do part time it's your only option. Remember though, VET is a rip off to begin with. Soar charges $270 dual for an absolute basic LSA burning 20L of MOGAS.
80k is a lot of money when you'd have to buy 206 time afterwards.
If you're working why not self fund as much as you can, get a bank loan when you need to and negotiate a good rate for upfront payment? Save yourself a good 30k
80k is a lot of money when you'd have to buy 206 time afterwards.
If you're working why not self fund as much as you can, get a bank loan when you need to and negotiate a good rate for upfront payment? Save yourself a good 30k
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Broome
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If you want to get properly shafted, then go to Soar, otherwise steer clear!
All you have to do is figure out how a course costs $80k when the aircraft being used are useless cheap ass little s**tboxes that pose absolutely no real world purpose?
All you have to do is figure out how a course costs $80k when the aircraft being used are useless cheap ass little s**tboxes that pose absolutely no real world purpose?
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Melbourne
Age: 34
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Thanks. I was wondering the same when I was browsing the costs of some of the other schools, which use better training aircraft and charge about ~$65,000 for the non structured pathway.
What are your opinions with regards to the employ-ability of a fresh 33 year old with just a CPL, and bridging that gap between 200 hours to 1500 hours for the ATPL.
@patty50 - Why do you think the VET is a rip off? Isn't it the cheapest loan one can ever get.
What are your opinions with regards to the employ-ability of a fresh 33 year old with just a CPL, and bridging that gap between 200 hours to 1500 hours for the ATPL.
@patty50 - Why do you think the VET is a rip off? Isn't it the cheapest loan one can ever get.
Getting work
I notice your age, and you obviously have a number of years of life experience behind you. Provided your a decent bloke.
YOU WILL HAVE NO PROBLEM GETTING A JOB AND GETTING TO 1500 HRS.
You are in the fortunate position of being well ahead of the pack, provided your a decent bloke.
That's a fact!
YOU WILL HAVE NO PROBLEM GETTING A JOB AND GETTING TO 1500 HRS.
You are in the fortunate position of being well ahead of the pack, provided your a decent bloke.
That's a fact!
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Melbourne
Age: 34
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This is what I needed to hear from someone, before I take the plunge and spend my cash (given, I still do have a fair bit of research and decision making to do). I do not have friends that are familiar with aviation (neither am I), and there aren't many that have that positive outlook, when it comes to embarking on the journey to being a full time pilot.

@Glasgow_Flyer
Is that privately owned or are you part of a training school?; reason being, I could then pick your brains about training costs, if you are part of a training organisation. If not, still good to have that info tucked away for when I may need it a few years? from now.
Last edited by septerra; 4th Jul 2017 at 11:49.
Join Date: Apr 2006
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Join Date: Jul 2017
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VET student loans have a 20% fee and then go up by CPI. So by the time you finish you're just about 100k in the red with 200ish hours.
Compare that to a cheap PPL plus $104/hr hours building with some 182 time at the end before your test.
Insane Soar is allowed to charge that much for a plane that costs $75/hr to run.
Run the numbers but at the end of the day it's your money not mine.
Compare that to a cheap PPL plus $104/hr hours building with some 182 time at the end before your test.
Insane Soar is allowed to charge that much for a plane that costs $75/hr to run.
Run the numbers but at the end of the day it's your money not mine.
Join Date: Apr 2010
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VET student loans have a 20% fee and then go up by CPI. So by the time you finish you're just about 100k in the red with 200ish hours.
Compare that to a cheap PPL plus $104/hr hours building with some 182 time at the end before your test.
Insane Soar is allowed to charge that much for a plane that costs $75/hr to run.
Run the numbers but at the end of the day it's your money not mine.
Compare that to a cheap PPL plus $104/hr hours building with some 182 time at the end before your test.
Insane Soar is allowed to charge that much for a plane that costs $75/hr to run.
Run the numbers but at the end of the day it's your money not mine.
Thank you. I can self fund my way to a CPL, in say, over a four year period or similar, destroying my savings so far, towards a deposit for a house. However, this is a sacrifice I am willing to make, if it means:
a) I'm going to save a fair bit of coin by avoiding VET.
b) In which case, I may as well go to a school that train students on better aircraft at a lower rate (based solely on forum opinions, as I'm not informed or qualified enough to make the comparison).
Page 5 - Bulletpoint 5
https://docs.education.gov.au/system...let_2017_0.pdf
Join Date: Jul 2017
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The additional benefit of the self funding is you have much more flexibility and control.
Can go on trickier cross countries, rent the plane for a few days and off you go. You can fly high wing, low wing, glass, steam. Likely makes you much more employable having a variety of experience than if you have 200 Foxbat hours around regional Victoria.
Can go on trickier cross countries, rent the plane for a few days and off you go. You can fly high wing, low wing, glass, steam. Likely makes you much more employable having a variety of experience than if you have 200 Foxbat hours around regional Victoria.
Join Date: Apr 2010
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Three tips to become a successful pilot.
Don't get in a relationship, don't have kids, don't buy a house.
Be careful going into GA in debt. Jobs are not only low paying but the industry is volatile with companies going under every so often. If you can, try and take a few years unpaid leave if your coming from a different industry if your in that position. Some companies offer extended leave provided you have been there a while and on good terms. I wasn't aware it was an option until I dug a little deeper, I was given 2 years unpaid leave (Retail Head Office Job).
Don't get in a relationship, don't have kids, don't buy a house.
Be careful going into GA in debt. Jobs are not only low paying but the industry is volatile with companies going under every so often. If you can, try and take a few years unpaid leave if your coming from a different industry if your in that position. Some companies offer extended leave provided you have been there a while and on good terms. I wasn't aware it was an option until I dug a little deeper, I was given 2 years unpaid leave (Retail Head Office Job).
Join Date: Apr 2010
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What's your opinion on using the FOXBAT as a training aircraft, which SOAR does?
After a bit of number crunching, it seems that SOAR would be the only option available to me, i.e. part-time but VET loan available, the downside of which is their use of 'non-traditional' training aircraft, which I've been told are not ideal and are likely to be looked at unfavourably when it comes time for job search. Any other options for VET loans for part-timers in Melbourne?
I mistakenly believed I could have self-funded my way to a CPL, but that'll just lead me to a dead end when the money runs out, which it will, even if I did blow my savings for a house deposit.
After a bit of number crunching, it seems that SOAR would be the only option available to me, i.e. part-time but VET loan available, the downside of which is their use of 'non-traditional' training aircraft, which I've been told are not ideal and are likely to be looked at unfavourably when it comes time for job search. Any other options for VET loans for part-timers in Melbourne?
I mistakenly believed I could have self-funded my way to a CPL, but that'll just lead me to a dead end when the money runs out, which it will, even if I did blow my savings for a house deposit.