Can anybody become a Commercial Pilot?

Yes! Learning anything new requires you to put in a bit of hard work, and a lot of enthusiasm, and flying is no different. If you are considering a career in flying, enthusiasm and determination are the two main things you will need.

What's a Commercial Pilot's Licence?

A 'CPL' is the first stage of your flying career. A CPL is what you work towards after getting your Private Pilots Licence (PPL). The holder of a CPL is entitled to carry fare-paying passengers and can fly anywhere within New Zealand. A CPL is the basic Licence required before you can apply for flying jobs, although there are further qualifications that you will need for most commercial work. These include 'ratings' such as an Instrument Rating, Multi-Engine Rating, and Instructors Rating, to name a few.

Are there any age limits?

Anyone of any age can learn to fly. However, you must be at least 18 years or over to get a Commercial Pilots Licence.

What are the medical requirements?

The medical assessment for a Commercial Pilot is carried out by a Civil Aviation approved Doctor. If you are of good average health you probably won't have any problems getting a CPL (Class 1) medical. Wearing glasses doesn't prevent you from getting a Class 1 medical except in some exceptional cases.

How do I get a CPL?

If you are starting from scratch the first thing you need to do is get a Private Pilots Licence. A PPL requires a minimum of 50 hours flight training, along with some theory exams. The minimum requirement for a CPL is 200 hours flight time; so after you have gained your PPL you need to build up a further 150 hours flight time. Approximately 40 hours of this will need to be advanced flight training in preparation for your CPL flight test. The rest of the time can be made up of a combination of recreational flying and training either for pleasure e.g. aerobatics, or for the advancement of your flying skills. The theory for the CPL covers the same subject areas as for a PPL but in more depth. There are 6 theory exams at CPL level: Navigation, Meteorology, Aviation Law, Aircraft Technology, Principles of Flight, and Human Factors in Aviation as well as the Flight Radio Telephone Operators Licence which you gained before sitting your PPL.

The Flying Training

At Flight Training Manawatu we train students in Cessna 152's - the world's most popular trainer. It is a high wing aircraft and we use C152's because they are simply great training aircraft that are well suited to the Feilding aerodrome. We also choose to train in these aircraft because the rest of our fleet are of a similar type making the conversion to a 4 seater simple. We are able to train CPL students in all the areas required for their flying career. We have the aircraft and experience required to train students for Instrument Ratings, Multi-Engine Ratings, and Instructor Rating, along with any other Ratings a student may be interested in. Our instructors are all professionals who maintain a high standard, and love to share the benefit of their knowledge with their students. They are committed to providing you with the best possible training.

How long does it take to get a CPL?

That depends on you. There are no regulations concerning how long you should take to do your training. If you wish to fly and study full time towards your CPL you could gain your Licence in as little as 6 months. On the other hand if you are working and you want to fit your lessons around other times and budget commitments, there is no reason why you can't spread the training over a much longer period. It's entirely up to you.

Do I need any special qualifications or equipment?

There are no pre-requisite qualifications for any pilots Licence. Similarly there is no special equipment required. You will need some books and a small amount of navigation equipment for your study and you can get these as required during the course of your training. The greatest asset you can bring to your flying is enthusiasm and determination to succeed.

How much will my CPL cost?

The training for a CPL compares favourably with a number of professional qualifications in this age of user-pays. If you are interested in studying full time, your qualification can be completed in a relatively short period of time. This can be advantageous from the point of view that your living costs while studying will be less and you are able to begin looking for work in your chosen field relatively quickly. Costs will vary depending on the length of time taken to complete the course, and the school chosen. The costs of obtaining further ratings and qualifications are available on request and in many cases the training for these ratings can be included at least in part within the 200 hour requirement, thereby helping to keep the cost to a minimum.

Is there a difference between private flying schools and Aero clubs?

If you are considering a career in aviation there are several different types of schools that can offer commercial training. There are of course advantages and disadvantages with each of these. The standard requirement to obtain your CPL is set by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) with specific requirements for the training syllabus. Therefore a CPL gained at any school means the holder has met an independent standard set by the CAA. At Flight Training Manawatu we are able to offer professional training within a friendly environment at a community airfield. We pride ourselves on maintaining a very high standard of training and aircraft and providing very competitive flying rates. We believe that training with Flight Training Manawatu offers the student both a professional training service and an enjoyable learning experience, with good future employment opportunities.

We welcome your enquiries and would be happy to discuss your personal requirements.

There is a lot to consider if you are thinking of beginning a career in aviation and this write-up can cover only the basic information necessary to introduce you to what is involved. We encourage you to call in and discuss the possibilities in more depth with one of our staff. If you ring beforehand, we can more easily assure you an uninterrupted appointment.

Have a browse of the website for more information or please feel free to call in, or telephone, and talk to one of our staff. See the Contact Us page for our email address and how to find us! - We're here to help you.