Whether you are considering learning for recreation or to pursue a career in aviation, learning to fly will be one of the most exciting and enjoyable experiences of your life. Moorabbin Airport has everything you will ever need. Flying Schools, Aircraft, Clubs and lots of new friends....

		Anne, Husband & Children in front of 4 seater Piper Archer VH-MHV	The Fly-away gang enjoying a weekend of houseboating at Echuca.
Flying around the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) and the Tennis Centre.		Melbourne City looking East	Melbourne City looking South.

Honestly, when you were a kid, did you ever dream of being a cowboy or cowgirl? Being a movie star? An astronaut? An Olympic medalist? Of course you did! Do you still have those dreams? Probably not..... Most of us have long since realised that those dreams will never come true.

Did you ever dream of flying an airplane? Of course you did! Chances are, you're never going to be a movie star or a moonwalker. And its probably a little too late to be trying out for the Olympics. But if you can drive a car - you can certainly fly an airplane. There's plenty of time to learn to fly. You can make that dream come true at Moorabbin Airport.

It's hard to find people who regret having spent the time and energy they put into learning to fly an airplane. Even those who never earned their licence don't regret it. Flying is more than mere recreation. It's a skill. It's transportation. It can be a career or a vocation. And to a well trained and practiced pilot, precise and safe graceful flight is a source of pride and personal satisfaction. Flying has its own special moments that provide a unique sense of satisfaction and pleasure known only to those who fly. Its a skill that sets you apart from others.

Moorabbin Airport is the Headquarters of Flight Training in Victoria

From Ab-initio (First Lesson) to Airline Standard (ATPL) - Moorabbin Airport with its numerous Flight Schools can get you up and flying easily, safely and with cost effective training.

How do I start ? (FAQ's)

This is a quick synopsis of what is required to start flying lessons :
To start Flying Lessons you will need to be:

• At least 15 years old,
  
• Medically fit - pass a simple "Good Health" check with an approved Doctor.
  
• Satisfactory standard of English - reading, writing etc.

How to Select a Flying School
A list of all Flying Schools (Aeroplane and Helicopter + Theory Schools) is on this website. The Royal Victorian Aero Club offers a Young Eagles Program for kids 13 to 17 to experience aviation - Free of charge. You can ring different schools and collect brochures, prices and information, but nothing beats a good old bit of legwork. Spend an afternoon personally visiting the schools, asking questions and checking their offers and prices. Have a read of their Web Sites. Remember, you're not looking for the cheapest deal - you're looking for the best overall value, and training that suits you!

Commence with a half hour "Trial Introductory Flight" (TIF). Make sure its a nice day without too much wind. Clouds don't matter much, just make sure its not a choppy or blustery day. On completion of that, ask lots more questions. They have to listen to you and you have to feel comfortable with them. It's sort of like buying a new car really.

From there your training with an Instructor comprises of about 15 sequences and probably 20-25 hrs training to obtain your first major goal - Your First Solo Flight. This means you will fly the plane by yourself on a single circuit of the airport. This is something you will always remember and relive for the rest of your life.

Some aviation exams on the fundamentals of aeronautical theory plus some on air law, rules and procedures must be passed also. These are simple easy prac exams, they have multi choice questions, and no complicated formulas, math or physics is required, just simple arithmetic. You can use calculators in all exams, and all exams can be sat at the flying school of your choice. All schools will have practice exams that they can show you as a guideline of what to expect.

Key points to remember:

• Select a school that fits your needs - not theirs.
  
• See if they offer a "block" discount for pre-purchase of lessons or have weekday discounts.
  
• Do they offer additional theory classes - on week nights or weekends ?
  
• Have they got an accelerated course you could take during your annual holidays or school term break
  
• Is your chosen Instructor normally available at the same times each week (or is he/she a casual?)
  
• Helicopter training is mostly parallel to fixed wing aeroplanes but at a moderately higher cost.
  

Medical:
The medical is routine for people in general good health and there are many pilots who wear glasses or contact lenses. Colour blindness, hearing difficulties and even paraplegia can be examined on a case by case basis with a departmental Doctor. However, if you have concerns, have the medical before you commit any money for Ground School or Flying Lessons.

Further Training:
After your first solo flight, further advanced sequences will be taught. On completion of those you will have a General Flying Progress Test (GFPT). When this is passed, it enables you to carry passengers in the local Moorabbin Training area to the South East of the airport. This training area is quite large ~ about 700+ square kilometers and it is right beside the boundary of the airport zone.

The final stage of your training comprises learning Navigation techniques, Meteorology and additional Air Traffic Control procedures. After passing that you'll be free to fly to anywhere in Australia with a full Private Pilots Licence (PPL). And if you fill in a few forms here and there you can gain USA, UK, NZ permits to fly in those countries as well.

Costs:
The cost and time frame of training varies, mainly because of the following factors:

• Your personal aptitude and application
  
• How often you have lessons (try for 2 or 3 a week)
  
• The weather on days you do decide to have lessons on.
  
• Completion of theory subjects
  
• Type of aircraft selected ( 4 seater, 2 seater etc. )
  

Considering the above, a realistic budget for a full PPL would cost between $8,500 and $10,000 (approx) That may sound like a large amount of money, but it's around the same amount of money it would cost to race a car, own a ski-boat or spend at the snow or ski lodge membership for 10 weekends over two or three years.

Remember this - a Pilots Licence is a new skill that lasts a lifetime. And the cost of private flying can be shared between your friends and family when you travel the vast Australian continent.

Stop Dreaming - Start Flying !!!

My Story: by Anne R.
These pictures were taken of Anne, a new PPL after her first weekend fly-away to Echuca with her husband and children. You could be doing the same flight in less than 9 months. Anne has included a few of her hints and tips; Click Here (PDF 45K)

Please direct any questions on Flight Training to the relevant school of your choice.

Last Updated 5th December 2006