PPRuNe Forums - Cost effective BFR

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Cost effective BFR

Hi,
I haven't flown since 2011 and want to get back in the air but unfortunately have a limited budget. Can anyone recommend the most cost effective way of getting a BFR? I reckon I'd be a bit rusty with navigation and radio calls at towered airports - and I am sure a few things have changed i.e. airspace wise, but it'll come back to me. I kept practicing on the sim to keep my aviation brain active :)

I was considering joining a club such as Point Cook and hiring a flying instructor privately (since they aren't a school and don't have instructors).

Can anyone recommend anyone who is able to do this? What should I budget for this in terms of hours in the air?

Cheers

Andy

If you haven't flown since 2011 you have quite a bit of work to do. Not on the flying side, legislation. I wouldn't know where to recommend you start!

You will be spending quite a bit of money if you want to do it properly!

Wouldn't it be more straightforward to pick a (respectable) school at YMMB and tell them that you need to get back on track?

Maybe consider purchasing an Air Law theory manual from Bob Tait or the like? Do a heap of self study re reg’s, get an online scanner and get your ear back into the RT. The flying side will probably come back faster than the other stuff. Go and check out the possible flying school and talk to the instructors and some of their students to make sure they are suitable. Avoid the academy epaulet wearing mobs, they tend to find it difficult to do anything other than follow a set syllabus and not good at refamiliarisation training.
also consider doing an endorsement, tailwheel or aeros can be a good way to get back into it. The sign off will usually cover the flight review. Not necessarily a cheap experience, but better than doing lots of hours in something you’ve already flown.

Quote:

Originally Posted by downunderscouser (Post 10361240)

Lots of free stuff on CASA's website to brush up on the new stuff - the more time you spend here the more $ you will save. e.g.
https://www.casa.gov.au/standard-pag...l-flight-guide
https://www.casa.gov.au/education/standard-page/ontrack
https://www.casa.gov.au/education/st...age/out-n-back

Quote:

Originally Posted by downunderscouser (Post 10361240)

.... I was considering joining a club such as Point Cook and hiring a flying instructor privately (since they aren't a school and don't have instructors). ...

Instructors independent of a school really can't do flight reviews as you'll see from reading the relevant info here https://www.casa.gov.au/standard-pag...rmation-sheets - read up on the new licensing rules here and how to transition to a Part 61 ticket.
"A flight instructor delivering training during a flight review can only deliver that training if employed by an operator with a part 141 or 142 certificate that authorises the conduct of flight training for the rating under review." CASA's opinion is that if I suggest that you hold your mouth differently then I am training.

Reg 61.745 states "taken to have successfully completed a flight review for the rating if the holder:
........
(c) completes flight training for a design feature endorsement in an aircraft of the class covered by the aircraft class rating"
For example a tailwheel endorsement - the competencies are very clearly specified in the MOS.

Quote:

Originally Posted by downunderscouser (Post 10361240)

.... Can anyone recommend anyone who is able to do this? What should I budget for this in terms of hours in the air?

Cheers

Andy

Happy to advise privately.

I assume you will be flying privately so can't help but feel that other posters above are overcomplicating it a bit?

I reckon the most recent CASA VFRG would be a good start. Then do a navex for your BFR.

Let’s be honest... has that much *really* changed in 8 years in terms of legislation etc?

For instructors, agreed that paperwork has changed etc, but for the average punter I feel like you could literally step back in where you left off!

Ps: you beat me to it Magnum whilst I was crafting my post. 100% agreed.

The instructor gets to decide on the scope of a flight review to conform to CASA: "The requirements of a flight review are met when the instructor conducting the review is satisfied you have demonstrated competency for the rating according to the Part 61 Manual of Standards (MOS)."

Talk to a few instructors.

I am an instructor so I may be able to help a little bit on this one. An AFR leaves a lot of discretion to the instructor as to the content, although there are certain things as per the MOS part 61 that must be covered. Given your time away from flying, this would be a case of investing a lot of time on the ground covering a lot of regulations etc, and just getting an idea of where you are.

As for the flying, it’s really about demonstrating you meet a particular standard. How long that takes is dependant on a lot of things. Personally I’m not a huge fan of taking AFR students on long navigation exercises, the days of the EFB have made Nav pretty easy. You would probably benefit from an hour or so of general handling, and you would be surprised how quickly the skills come back. Then I would suggest a mini Nav using an EFB to an uncontrolled aerodrome.

Its always hard hard to make a judgement call on what your looking at time wise with having the context of your prior experience etc, but at a guess I would say your probably looking at about 2 hours ground, maybe reduced to 1 if you did lots of study before, and about 2-2.5 hours flying. That’s all a guess though.