RAA is by far the cheapest option to learn to fly. If you wish to go further afterwards it is an easy conversion across to GA, whether it be for a PPL or higher.
Some GA schools don't accept the hours however legally they count so don't be put off by that, quite often it's a financial hunger. Given a good instructor, RAA training is as good if not better than GA. An aeroplane is an aeroplane after all.
Shop around and ask around. An experienced and dedicated instructor is worth gold.

I spend a lot of time at Moorabbin and some of the GA flying that you see there is REALLY scary; big bounces, bent undecarriages, prop strikes, planes in ditches, mid-air collisions, fatalities, taxiing collisions, helicopter crashes, engine failures, dodgey radio calls....... In fact I think that Moorabbin would have to be the prop-strike centre of excellence for the last 10 years since the influx of overseas students!

Not really a valid argument that one, about any airport / airfield.

Thank you guys for all these great suggestions and advice. I think I will weight between go for a PPL straight and go a RA first.

I will make a list of questions I want to ask and visit MFT once more, ask them to show me around and try a trail flight.

Tooradin also sounds good, but just a little bit far, 70+km, probably have to be 1.5 hour driving if I go princess hwy. Also I noticed on their website that they will ask people to come fly in 6.00am and they finish the day around mid-day as there are some sea breeze coming in the late of the day. Just thinking about driving to somewhere 1.5 hours away at 4 or 5 o'clock in the morning already make moorabbin much more attractive.

However, reading VH-XXX make me concern that if moorabbin is really that bad with all those oversea students? Having family and kids, safety always comes first to me, I understand accident happens in every airfield, but just wondering if moorabbin does have this bad situation more often or still generally good?

P.S: read the MFT newsletter yesterday and saw a notice about some people stopped the aircraft on the runway to switch from tower freq to ground freq. The management required they clear the runway as quick as practical and keep on tower freq until clear the runway, it also pointed out that they understand it might be some "non-local" pilot. I guess they are talking about oversea students?

I am a bit surprised to read that as even I haven't start my flying course, I know the runway should be cleared as quickly as possible and keep on tower freq until cleared, it is kind like some common sense. Cannot imagine why someone will get this wrong.

VH-XXX is being a bit dramatic, to put a probably overly negative comment in perspective! That said: I agree with him there are dangerous situations at both locations.

My perspective is that there is more cowboy-ism away from the major airfields and that applies in equal amounts to GA and RA pilots. The problem is that when a GA pilot does it, he's just an idiot. When someone sees and RA pilot doing it, we're all idiots. Not to mention that at many of these airfield RA outnumbers GA 5 to 1 so yes, you are five times more likely to see an RA pilot being a cowboy there.

The truth is that flying training is safest of all flying with the exception of jet airliners and possibly gliding. Yes, lots of bent aircraft from hard landings, prop strikes, etc. but almost no injuries or fatalities, simply because it is all in such a controlled environment. There is no "get there-itis"; weather not good enough? You are not going on that nav. Crosswind too strong? No solo circuits for you today, my friend!

Where abouts around Melbourne are you? There are other GA/RA fields around the place that may be closer for you.

That's interesting about the crosswinds, I hadn't read that, I'll have to check.

Correct Bas, just making a point.

I don't think any particularly airport around Melbourne stands out as being unsafe, accidents tend to increase with hours flown and nowhere in particular has come up of late as being unsafe.

Thanks baswell. I got your point.

I live in prahran, so should be 30 minutes drive to moorabbin, but tooradin are a bit too far..

That is nice and conveniently close to Moorabin indeed. :)

Again: no personal experience, but there are also schools at Lillydale and Coldstream that seem to be less far away than Tooradin.

Whatever time you spend extra driving to these, you'll probably save in non-existent, expensive taxi and holding time compared to Moorabin.

Probably a good idea to go for a drive and see them too...

Thanks VH-XXX. No concern with safety now.

A few have mentioned it before but it's so important. Feel comfortable with your instructor. There are different grades of instructors. Nothing against Grade3s(I was one once) but it means you'll have to change to a more senior instructor when up for solo checks. This often doesnt go as smoothly as it could. Having been on both sides ( as a Grade1 doing other solo checks) people can get the yips with a different person next to them and not fly as well as they did last lesson. A grade 2 or 1 can do all your solo checks.

You can do a lot towards your smooth progress. Turning up to your lesson well preparred, on time with your sh*t together will go a long way.

You need a flight review every two years. This can be just a straight review or you can combine it with a new aircraft rating so it can be used to fly something new. You need to maintian at least 3 take-off and landing every 90 days. But for safety(especially if your taking the family with you) bank on doing a bit more than that.

Do the CASA medical now, even if you take the path that doesn't need it (not familiar with that one). It's valid for 4 years and will give you the peace of mind that you can actually hold the medical and not give you an unpleasant surprise when you try to change your licence over.

Ask questions. The only silly question is the one you don't ask and nobody has ever died from embaressment.

Enjoy.
DT

Prahran to Tooradin
 

Roger

I lived in Prahran when I started my flying training. I had to go to Tooradin a few times (pick up a/c, job interviews, etc). It only takes around 45 min to get to Tooradin from Prahran.

Dashtrash, thanks for the advice, I do understand having a instructor which I can get along with well is almost the most important thing, and I will definitely ask a lot of questions.:rolleyes:

Sykes, you are surprisingly fast! I haven't been to Tooradin myself, it is the google map which told me it is 70.6km and 1 hr 5 min if I go monash freeway. The time google maps indicates usually will be shorter than the real time spent based on my previous experience, so I thought it might be 1.5 hrs.

how can you make it in 45 minutes..awesome.

Wonder if he floes like he drives. It takes ~38 minutes from Wgl rd/ Monash fwy intersection!

First useful part of PPL, rates and figures. 70kms @ 100 kmh = 1km every 33 seconds so roughly 40 mins if it were 100kmh speed limit, so allow extra time for taxiing and climb (traffic and different speed limits).

FFS
 

Obviously Google maps is more accurate than me actually going there around a dozen times... :hmm:

LOL :} XXX I didn't speed when I was going there. Maybe you're one of those drivers who drive at 80km/h on a freeway? :} :} :}

Hi Skyes, did not meant to question your data, LOL, just wondering probably you pick the quickest route. Speeding is not wise. If we want go fast, we can always do it on the sky, right?

Just an update. I have been to MFT today, talked to Glenn and asked a lot of questions. Fill up the form and have my first flight lesson booked next week! YAY!

Thanks to everyone who give me advice. :ok: