Your Recreational Pilot License RPL allows you to fly single engine aircraft up to 1,500 kg as the pilot-in-command with passengers and without supervision during daylight hours in good weather. While there are some limitations, you decide when and where you want to fly within a 25 NM radius of your departure airport.
You need to be at least 16 to get an RPL. For each category rating you want to obtain you need to:
You need to have either a Class 1 or 2 medical certificate or a recreational aviation medical practitioner’s certificate to take the RPL flight test and to go solo.
Minimum hours required by CASA
Realistic hours to obtain your RPL
Even though CASA state minimum hours required, they are exactly that – MINIMUMS, not what you should be achieving the RPL by. You may achieve your RPL in the realistic hours, or you may go over them. Each individual is different and will learn at varying rates.
After flying solo for the first time, you need to accrue 2 hours of solo time in the circuit area prior to moving onto the next section of your RPL training.
During this phase, you will go back to the training area and learn competencies such as steep turns, practiced forced landings, instrument flying as well as becoming proficient in other circuit competencies such as short field and flapless landings. Once found competent and safe to fly an aircraft out to the training area and conduct various sequences, you will be sent area solo. Listed below are the pre-requisites for being sent area solo;
Before using your RPL, you need to:
Don’t want to be confined to one area? No problems… let’s get you out into the big wide world with a Private Pilots Licence!
I already hold a pilot certificate issued by RA-Aus. How do I obtain an RPL?
A pilot certificate is equivalent to an RPL. To get your RPL you need to complete an application form, and follow the instructions on the form to provide evidence of your pilot certificate, submit a recent photograph and provide appropriate proof of your identity. You also need to undertake a flight review before you can use your licence.
Your new licence grants you a single engine aircraft class rating and design feature endorsements if you held them under the RaAus system. You are also granted a recreational navigation endorsement if your pilot certificate authorises you to conduct cross-country flights and if you meet the minimum flight times.
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