Being a pilot is a very exciting yet high-pressure job. For adventurous people who want to experience life by sitting in the cockpit and travelling the whole world, a career option as a pilot would be ideal for them. Anyone thinking about becoming a pilot in Australia should know CASA, Civil Aviation Safety Authority, the highest government body regulating airline-related activities in Australia, responsible for issuing licenses and certificates in aviation. All flight schools must obey the guidelines issued by the CASA.
To get a casa pilot licence, you must fulfil the following requirements.
- You must hold a medically fit certificate as prescribed by CASA.
- Must pass the theory exam.
- Must finish the flight training.
- Must complete the required number of flying times.
- Must pass the flight test.
A general English language proficiency certificate is also a requirement for those who want to fly for recreational purposes. Your pilot license will be provided based on what kind of pilot career you choose. There are 5 stages of pilot training to obtain the CASA pilot licence in Australia.
- Student Pilot Licence (SPL): You can start your pilot training with this first licence. You should be a minimum of 15 years old to do solo flying.
- Recreational Pilot Licence: This licence makes you eligible to fly a single-engine light aircraft independently. The age requirement for this licence is 16 years. This course involves shorter training hours.
- Private Pilot Licence (PPL): This is like a foundation course that teaches how to fly a single-engine aircraft. The minimum age is 17 years to get this licence.
There are two types of courses with this training: integrated and non-integrated. These two courses involve the experience of different flying times. This licence will qualify you for solo flights with passengers and cargo. However, you cannot earn this licence.
- Instrument Rating (IR): Once you become a private pilot, you will earn this rating. This will make you eligible to fly under any weather condition.
- Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL): The minimum age for this license is 18 years. It is necessary to complete the integrated and non-integrated programmes for this licence which come with different flying hours. The integrated course demands 150 hours of flying, and the non-integrated course demands 200 hours of flying. You can start earning with this licence.
- Multi-Engine Rating (MER): This rating is compulsory for you if you aim to fly bigger passenger airlines and aircraft with multi-engine. This will be an added rating to your commercial pilot licence.
- Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL): This is the highest level of qualification for a pilot for which the age requirement is 21 years. This involves the experience of 1500 hours of flying time in the aeroplane category or 1000 hours in the helicopter category. This licence will put you as a commanding pilot.
As you see, the answer to how to become a pilot in Australia depends on individual interests. Your pilot licence will depend on what type of pilot you aspire to be. If you want to take it as a part-time profession, you should get a private pilot licence, while if you want to be an airline pilot, you will need to obtain an Airline Transport Pilot Licence.
