Unlock Your Potential Become a Pilot
Learn to fly at Chinchilla Aerodrome and experience the joy of flight
Complete Your Recreational Pilot Certificate (RPC) with Kangawallafox Flight School
Training Rate
Dual Instruction - $330/hr
(Aircraft $231 + Instructor $99)
Lessons are charged at the Dual Instruction rate, multiplied by the aircraft engine operating hours for the lesson.
Our students receive a FREE pilot logbook and theory training material (saving over $200).
Minimum Cost for RPC (adult):
RAAus membership & joining fee -
$325 + $30
20hrs Dual Instruction -
$6,600
RPC Flight Test -
$495
RPC application form -
$54
TOTAL - $7,504
Prices include GST. Some students may require additional training to achieve the flight test standard.
A student pilot must be at least 15 years of age before they can fly solo, but training can start before this age.
A student pilot can complete up to 3hrs of training in a 3-month period using a free temporary RAAus membership. RAAus membership is then required to continue the training.
The minimum flight training required to attempt the RPC flight test is 20hrs.
Multiple-choice theory exams will be completed during the flight training process. These exams are required before a student can attempt the RPC flight test.
RPC holders can act as pilot-in-command (PIC) of a recreational aircraft within a 25NM radius of the departure field (46km). A passenger endorsement is required to carry a passenger. RPC holders can apply for a passenger endorsement once they have accrued 10hrs solo flight time.
A cross-country endorsement is required to fly further than 25NM from the departure field. Training time for this endorsement is in addition to the initial RPC training time. The minimum flight training required for the endorsement is 12hrs. A cross-country flight test can then be completed, which is typically 2hrs.
There are no minimum hours that must be flown each year to hold an RPC. An RPC holder is required to complete a Biennial Flight Review (BFR) every 2 years, to continue to utilise the privileges of their RPC. A BFR is completed with a flight instructor, to ensure the pilot is continuing to fly safely.
VFR – Visual Flight Rules: Flight during daylight hours using the horizon and ground features as the primary reference.
NVFR – Night Visual Flight Rules: Flight at night using the horizon and ground features as the primary reference.
IFR – Instrument Flight Rules: Flight using the aircraft instruments as the primary reference.
*Endorsements/ratings require additional training ($) before they can be issued and used. Examples include NVFR, IFR, cross-country, controlled airspace, retractable undercarriage, adjustable pitch propeller, tailwheel undercarriage, turbine engine, twin engine.
PPL automatically comes with cross-country and controlled airspace endorsements.
MTOW – Maximum Take-Off Weight: The maximum weight an aircraft can be loaded to for take-off, includes the weight of the empty aircraft + fuel + pilot + passengers + baggage.
A GA licence generally requires a medical to be completed with a GP or Designated Aviation Medical Examiner (DAME). Different classes of medical allow different privileges. Example:
Class 5 self-declaration – VFR only, 1 passenger;
Basic Class 2 – VFR only, 5 passengers.
RAAus requires applicants for the issue of an RPC to declare they have a health standard equivalent to that required for the issue of a private motor vehicle driver licence in Australia. Certain conditions may require a GP assessment e.g. Epilepsy; Diabetes (Type 1 or 2); A heart condition / disease or paralysis; Mental illness (medicated or otherwise); Becoming 75 years of age or older; Any other medically significant safety related condition.
A person who is colour-blind can still achieve an RPC/RPL/PPL, provided they are fit enough to hold a driver’s licence. Some limitations may apply to a PPL e.g. limited to day VFR flight.
An RPC pilot can apply for an RPL to be issued from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). There are requirements on flight experience, an Aviation Security Induction Card (ASIC) and a medical may also be required. Once an RPL is issued by CASA, the pilot will need to complete a Flight Review with a GA flight training school before it can be used.
“Persons undertaking flying training and other types of flying in recreational aeroplanes are advised that there are risks involved. These risks cannot be specifically quantified however; recreational aeroplanes used for pilot training are constructed, operated and maintained under exemptions from the regulations. These exemptions are from the regulations that apply to CASA registered aeroplanes. Whilst similar rule sets apply to our organisation and replace those that we are exempt from, it must be accepted that the overall safety of recreational flying is generally below the well-known commercial air transport standards in Australia.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Each lesson time slot is 2hrs:
30min ground briefing - 15min pre-flight check - 1hr flight - 15min post-flight briefing.
Yes, payment is not required in advance. Students are charged for aircraft engine operating hours at the Dual Instruction rate and payment is required on completion of each lesson. Each lesson is generally 1.0hr but may be 0.9hr or 1.1hr depending on weather/traffic.
Some students like to complete 2 lessons per day and can be finished in a few weeks, others do a few hours a week and complete the training over a few months. The total cost may increase if the training is completed over a longer period, as the student may need refresher training in some areas. 3 to 4 months would be OK. Many students complete the first 3 lessons, then decide if they’d like to continue. This way they don’t have to pay the RAAus membership fee until they’ve decided to progress with the training.
Yes, RAAus is entry level and many people that wish to fly larger aircraft convert over to RPL/PPL and their RAAus experience makes the transition cheaper, as they don’t need to complete as many hours in a more expensive GA aircraft.
The biggest cost in flight training is paying for aircraft hire. RAAus aircraft generally use premium unleaded fuel (MOGAS) and consume 18-20L/hr. GA training aircraft generally use AVGAS and consume 32-38L/hr. AVGAS is more expensive than MOGAS. The higher fuel price combined with the increased consumption makes the cost to operate GA aircraft higher.
The training plane used at Kangawallafox Flight School is available for private hire. Training flights take priority over private hire, but essentially if it’s not booked for a training flight then it can be hired for private use.
Students training with Kangawallafox Flight School receive a FREE 12-month subscription to GoFly Online. This platform has all the theory material and practice exams to complete the RPC. It also has videos of all ground briefings and in-flight lessons to help students prepare for the training.
Yes, the training aircraft has a maximum take-off weight limit of 600kg. Adding the weight of the plane, plus fuel and instructor weight, this generally leaves around 120kg for the student.
Additional medical requirements are involved at age 75.
Controlled airspace surrounds large airports and military bases around Australia. An RAAus pilot is not currently permitted to enter this airspace (except for special situations), though this may change in the future. Majority of airports in Australia are not subject to controlled airspace. As an example, an RAAus pilot can land at Toowoomba; Caboolture; Redcliffe; Caloundra; Hervey Bay; Bundaberg; Gladstone; Proserpine - but is not currently able to land at Archerfield; Gold Coast; Maroochydore; Rockhampton; Mackay.
BOOKINGS
Kangawallafox Flight School
Chinchilla Aerodrome, Chinchilla, Queensland, Australia