About The University Flying Club

Reach for the throttle and plunge into the clouds!  The University Flying Club Inc is a small club for graduates, students and staff of education institutions interested in aviation.

The club owns a Grumman AA5B Tiger, located at Jandakot Airport in Perth, Western Australia. 

Club members include people who are:

• Interested in learning to fly
• Those who are actively learning to fly 
• Those who do not fly but are interested in managing and growing the club
• Those who are old-timers and use the Grumman for recreational purposes
• Those who are aviation enthusiasts and use the club as a social environment

The club provides the following benefits to it’s members:

• A vibrant social atmosphere with activities such as, flying competitions, night-flights, annual dinners, camps, quizzes and fundraising for the RFDS (Royal flying doctor service).
• Cheap flying rates for aircraft hire
• Scholarships to students to learn to fly (when funding is available)

Join us

Club membership is available to current students, graduates and staff of any university or TAFE. Also persons nominated by a current member and deemed suitable by the committee.

Learning to Fly

Learning to fly is an expensive but an exciting hobby. To become a private pilot requires commitment and a lot of passion. Obtaining a full private pilot licence takes approximately 40 hours, and costs approximately $10000 for a full licence. This depends on the persons natural ability, how often they fly and the amount of preparation they put into each lesson.

After a private pilot licence is obtained, the person is permitted to fly anywhere within Australia with passengers (as long as it is non for profit)! Some pilots may obtain a commercial licence or instructors licence after their private pilot licence. Other pilots may get ratings to fly aerobatically, at night or in poor weather conditions.

Some pilots obtain a GFPT without obtaining a full private licence. This means that they have passed the General Flying Progress Test (which takes approximately 28-33 hours) and they are permitted to fly passengers (or solo) within a restricted zone around Jandakot. Obtaining a GFPT costs approximately $5000

Australia has also recently approved a recreational licence, where pilots who are flying for purely recreational purposes can obtain a licence in less hours and fly VL (very light) aircraft only. The University Flying Club is interested and investigating the recreational sports field options. To the best of our knowledge, the recreational licence is not yet offered at any flying schools at Jandakot.

Below are the steps in obtaining a pilot licence. This is a general guide with approximate costs. Costs will depend on what aircraft you train in and how many lessons you require. The flying school you go through will take you through the steps. Your flying school should provide you with an outline of lesson plans.

Steps to obtaining a PPL (Private Pilot Licence)

Getting Started: Approx $250

You will need a medical examination ($130 at time of writing; about to reduce to $70 to CASA to process the certificate), a pass in aviation law and be issued with a student pilot licence (SPL) ($65) and an ASIC (Aviation security identity card) (card ($145).

Taking lessons: Approx $180 an hour (inc landing fees, GST, instructor, aircraft hire etc)

Your first few lessons will be in the training area where you will learn to use the radio and handle the aircraft. You will then do circuit training, where you will take off and land on a runway repetitively to get a good grasp on landings and take offs. When you have done this to a satisfactory level, you will do your first solo. After you have had some solo experience, you will return to the training area and practice more advanced manoeuvres such as forced landings, emergency procedures and stalls.

Theory Exam (Basic Aeronautical Knowledge)

Approx: $65

You will need to sit a written basic aeronautical knowledge exam before sitting your GFPT (or PPL if you decide not to do your GFPT). Different flying schools will recommend you do this at a different time during your training.

The GFPT: (General Flying Progress Test)

Approx: $65 (exam fee) + $180 (aircraft hire and instructor)

This is optional, and you may or may not choose to sit it. You will take lessons and a "mock" GFPT to prepare for it. If you choose to sit your GFPT, you will sit a flying practical exam where an instructor certified by CASA will assess you on a variety of manoeuvres. Once you have passed, you are allowed to carry passengers or fly solo within the training area. You may wish to stop training here, or go further to obtain a full PPL. Some people choose not to sit the GFPT to save money and continue on with their licence.

Learning to Navigate

This requires about five lessons of longer duration.

The final PPL examination. Test cost: $65 , cost of licence:$130, +aircraft hire rate

You need a minimum of 40 hours to obtain a PPL. An approved testing officer will require you to do a round trip with two or more landings/turning points. You must be able to demonstrate competent planning and management of flight, observing rules and procedures, navigation, radio work and airmanship.

After passing the PPL Test, you will be issued with the licence which enables you to fly anywhere within Australia, solo or with private passengers in daytime visual meteorological conditions. You will no longer require your instructor's permission to undertake a flight as pilot in command.

Flying with the University Flying Club

If you wish to use the UFC aircraft, you will pay UFC for the hire of the aircraft and pay the flying school of your choice separately for the instructor. UFC is not a flying school and members must use an instructor who is certified with a flying school. Instructors cost aprox $75-$90 an hour, depending on the grade (level) of the instructor. It is very important you have an instructor you can communicate and feel comfortable with. At the moment, the UFC only has a Tiger Grumman, which is not a suitable aircraft for ab initio training. However, many students choose to train in it after their GFPT. We hope to get a cheap trainer in the future.

More information

CASA has more detailed information on the steps and costs of obtaining a private pilot licence. The information can be a little overwhelming, so we suggest you talk to a flying school of your choice, such as The Aeroplane Company.