Learning to Fly
Want to learn to fly, well, any one who has passed a medical, certified by your own doctor, can learn to fly and experience the joys of flight. In order to complete your first solo and be a Pilot in Command, you must have reached 16 years of age.
Note: Warning, Flying is addictive, once experienced, you walk away with a lasting and contagious feeling of satisfaction.
All pilots are required by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to belong to a delegated organization. You have a choice to join either, RAANZ or SAC, your Instructor will assist with the completion of the Application Form.
The best way to start is with an Introductory Flight. You will be in the pilot’s seat and have your hands on the controls of the “all metal, factory manufactured light aircraft”. One of our experienced Instructors will accompany you and show you around the aircraft before taking to the sky’s. The instructor will demonstrate the basic operation of the aircraft and give you the opportunity to do most of the flying.
Structure Chart
Novice Pilot Certificate
A Certificate will be sent to you when your completed Application, Fit and Proper Person and signed Medical Certificate forms have been checked and approved. This certificate is required before your first solo flight.
You will require a Pilot Logbook to record all flight times. At this stage, all flights have to be authorized by an Instructor. It is highly recommended that you either download a Microlight Training Manual from the delegate organization’s website or purchase the manual from them. After hours theoretical training sessions are available on the regular basis by experienced pilots and instructors in the club rooms.
This Certificate is valid for one year.
Intermediate Pilot Certificate
This certificate can be gained when you have completed a minimum of 25 hours total flight time, have passed the written and passed the multi choice exams, completed your solo flight and have had a flight test with a Senior Instructor.
The privileges of this certificate are solo flights within 10 nautical miles of your take-off point.
The written exams consist of subjects covered in the Flight Training Manual, namely;
- Aviation Law and Publications
- Meteorology
- Aircraft Technology
- Flight Planning and Navigation
You will only be issued with a Flight Radio Telephone Operators endorsement on your Pilot Certificate, once you have passed a written FRTO exam and your instructor is satisfied with your ability in the use of the radio. At Onerahi Airport, the FRTO endorsement is important as you are flying in a Mandatory Broadcasting Zone (MBZ).
This Certificate is valid for one year
Local National Pilot Certificate
This certificate can be gained when you have completed a minimum 40 hours total flight time, completed a minimum of 4 exercises of 5hrs total, consisting of a 2 hr solo cross country, a 3 leg 1hr flight with high level, low level, mountain, weather diversion legs, passed the written exams and a flight test with a Senior Instructor.
The privileges of this certificate allow you solo flights within 50 nautical miles of your take-off point.
This Certificate is valid for 2 years.
Advanced National Pilot Certificate
This certificate can be gained when you have completed a minimum of 45 hours total flight time, completed the cross country syllabus of a minimum of 4 exercises of 10 hrs total, consisting of a 4 hr solo cross country, including a 3 leg 3 hr flight with high level, low level, mountain, weather diversion, controlled airspace legs, passed the written exams and a flight test with a Senior Instructor.
The privileges of this certificate allow you solo flight to anywhere in New Zealand from your take-off point subject to Airways clearance.
This certificate is valid for 2 years.
Passenger Rating
This can be gained as an Intermediate or National pilot and requires 35 hours solo flight time and must be checked out by a Senior Instructor.