Aircraft Hire/Training In Melbourne
 

Hi all
I am a low hour PPL (CASA haven't sent my licence through yet). I will by holidaying in Melbourne over the Christmas break and I would like to hire an aircraft (and probably an instructor/safety pilot if my licence doesn't come through by then) for a scenic flight around Melbourne. I want to do the flight planning and flying from the left seat and be able to log the hours as dual.

So can anyone suggest a school that might be accommodating that have a late model C172/C182?

Can anyone recommend a decent sight seeing flight that is around an hour or 2 duration?

I have spoken to MFS but they seem to want to treat it as a charter job, and they only use a twin for charter jobs, which could get kinda expensive.

Wow, that is low hours. Firstly, congratulations on your PPL and best wishes with your future flying.

Try Oxford Aviation at YMMB who have modern 172/182 with G1000, although they are not the cheapest.

Safe Flying:D

oxford $254 dual + gst.

Good route to fly is from YMMB-Cowes VOR - torquay - YMAV Avalon - YMPC - Williams Town (request city orbit from YMEN Essendon Tower) - Brighton Jetty - YMMB

Yarra valley flight training are a good school to deal with, Bob Boyds ph is 0457 391 416, or lilydale flying school on 0397391211, both are a nice spot in the Yarra valley to start a scenic from and they have a mix of pipers and cessnas,
Cheers Metalman

Just reread your question, a lap of the city is great, I've done a few flights south on the east side of the dandenongs, across to Phillip is and then north past moorabbin and the city, great view of the place I reckon!

I would expect your licence to come through in 2 - 3 weeks. If it hasn't maybe get a letter from your instructor or a Phonecall might help things along with a school you don't know. Even with a PPL, my guess is that a flying school that doesn't know you is going to want at least a couple of flights before they hire an aircraft, so doing a dual flight might be the pragmatic way to go.

There are many options in Melbourne and I'd be tempted to go near where you will be staying. So, Barwon Heads if you are on the west coast. MOORABBIN in the SE suburbs, Tyabb on the peninsula, Lilydale or Coldstream in the far east suburbs. You might like the novelty of operating out of Essendon too.

MFS are a pretty good bunch, I suspect you got the wrong person. Which makes me wonder if you should as to speak with the CFI about getting a lesson. When I was younger I used to do things like this when I was traveling. I've logged dual hours in many places around Australia as well as several overseas countries. It's fun. But regulation and insurance will conspire to make it difficult to get solo hours on a short term visit.

Mojor Tom
$254.00 Dual plus GST is a fantastic rate for a newish C172 are you sure?
I understand that a 30 year old Warrior at MB is priced around $270.00 plus GST.
CAE Oxford are'nt famous for thier competitive hire rates.
Don't think they hire to Joe public either!

Try Royal Victorian Aero club as well.

Take Cessna LSP, just don't bend it! Do as Major Tom suggested, but personally I'd do it in reverse order, up to the city, request a city orbit, then Williamstown, etc. etc. That brings you back in via GMH. That means that your flight starts "busy" and gets less busy as you progress.

I would advise against hiring a late model aircraft such as LSP at Royal Vic. They will make you do an engineering paper on it (because of the 15? fuel drains) and a full blown familiarisation before you go anywhere. You'll spend more on that than for your whole trip. I'd go with an average old 172 unless you're looking to blow a lot of cash as if you can't complete a quick check ride in one of those you'll be in trouble.

If you have a licence by then I'm more than happy to be your safety pilot and show you around the area, but if you haven't got one yet you're obviously going to need an instructor which isn't a bad thing as you won't need to pay for a check-ride.

Major Tom is on the money. Moorabbin, Tyabb / Tooradin, Cowes (Phillip Island), coastal Mornington, Sorrento/Portsea, Ocean Grove, Torquay and maybe a little further, back over Geelong and Avalon, City orbit and home again. With a few stops here and there you'll fill up the best part of a day if you want.

Not $270 hr for a Warrior.
Check out MFS brand new Warriors for hire

Aircraft Hire Rates

Thanks Nitpicker RVAC Warriors are about $310.00 dual GST included.
:ok:

Really?? Wow. The MFS ones are brand new, most with EFIS.

Thank you all for the replies.

Firstly regarding the licence, I rang CASA today and I was informed my application was on the processing officers desk and was getting done today, apparently the person who was handling it previously has had alot of time off with illness recently. I hope they get well soon. However I wont be holding my breath as I heard a similar story about 3 weeks ago when I called the first time.

Secondly, thanks major-tom for the suggested flight, I have had a look at it and it does look like a nice flight so I am using that for my initial planning but I will plan to YWBE instead of YMPC to avoid R330B which is an RA3 which is active on the days I have planned to fly, I do like Sunfish's idea of starting busy so I might reverse it. (on a side note you guys have a lot of ala's and military down there)

I will be staying in the city so I'm looking to fly out of Moorabbin as I don't have to travel too far. I have spoken to a few schools including what has been mentioned here, The CFI at Melbourne Flight Training has been really helpful in taking the time to answer all my questions and has agreed to let me log this as command time and also use it as a company check ride for any future hire. Judging by their website they seem to be a professional mob with mainly career instructors and their prices seem reasonable, so unless someone here tells me otherwise (feel free to PM me if you want to keep it private) I think I will be going with them.

The best instructor is the one you like & trust most. If you have a rapport with the guy at MFT - go with it.

It might be a newly minted PPL, but it is a PPL. You know how to fly (I hope). You already more experience that a bunch of WW2 pilots did when they went to war. The instructor is there to satisfy the insurers, calm your nerves in an unfamiliar place / be tourguide and maybe do a bit of coaching. The bay is nearly a continuous loop. Keep following the beach and you'll get back to your starting point! A calm late afternoon flight / early morning flight that avoids the thermal bumps on a clear day will be magic. You could call in at Tyabb / Tooradin or Bacchus Marsh which will give you a bit more experience with unfamiliar strips. If you plan 2 shorter trips (rather than a single 2 hour one) you've got a fighting chance of doing the second one solo.

Buy a VTC (or bring your iPad with Ozrunways) and study it a bit for familiarity. You can buy a VTC at Skylines if you don't get one at your home base.

If you have learned at Bankstown, then Moorabbin will be easier, but it might be worth familiarising yourself with the taxiways from ERSA.

You might like to think about an Essendon landing for the experience. It will almost guarantee you a nice over the city flight on either the way in or the way out too!

This is wrong. Its $415 for a 172.

I would chat to Vortex air. They have a warrior online. Reasonable prices too. Enjoy :-)

Aero

Thaks poonpossum I thought Oxfrauds rate as advised by Major Tom was a bit light.

I need help again. I am planning a city orbit as part of my flight but for the life of me I can't find any info. I have checked ERSA under YMML, YMEN and YMMB but found noting regarding a city orbit, googled but the most relevant info I found was this from back in 2006. Had a good look at the Melb VTC and found nothing really useful except for the ctaf just south of The Yarra. Had a look throught the Melbourne VFG and again, no info. I even rang ASA who put me through to MEL CEN but all they could tell me is if I stay below 1500' I'll be right (Isn't the city rC class from the ground up) So, am I missing something? I was sure a city orbit would need notification and set procedures similar to Sydney's Harbour scenic 1 and 2 which has plenty of info as does Victor 1.

Extract from the above link.

From my experience, the above description is exactly what you need to do to conduct a city orbit.

The Yarra CTAF is for helicopters (unless you have a super-dooper stoll aircraft) so no need to worry about them and yes, class C is from the ground-up, so 1,500 or 2,000 is essentially irrelevant to you, just do what you are told.

You might sometimes hear "clockwise orbit" rather than "Right-hand" - but both work.

Feel free to PM me with any queries about the local area and I can happily assist you.

Enjoy.

$415 for a 172! Holy moly, my first hire as a PPL was $120 for a Warrior. That wasn't that long ago either!

1980's a PA 28 was $35 and a Bonanza only about $75