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P&M Aviation Australia Training

Peter and Anne McLean are the owners of P&M Aviation Australia Training. They live at their large facility on Yarrawonga Aerodrome. Peter, who has flown a wide range of military and civilian aircraft in his flying career, is also the CFI for both RAAus and Sports Aviation Federation of Australia (SAFA), at P&M, and owns the latest P&M Aviation and Air Creation Tanarg aircraft including the new HypeR, PulsR GT450, and the latest QuikR. He has over 15,000 hours of flying recreational aircraft alone, and he has flown over 64 different Trikes. Peter and Anne run a 7 day a week operation, so if you are thinking of becoming a recreational pilot, they have a one stop shop with both flying training and theory done in house. Additionally, the pilot shop is right at your finger tips. Both Anne and Peter write flying articles for a number of national flying magazines.

So why learn to fly at P&M Aviation Australia Training?

Because at P&M we are developing great Pilots to do Extraordinary things.

P&M has the most professional way of teaching, which not only makes the student welcome but also able to measure their advancement during training. The local area is just a picture postcard to fly around, with more flying days than just about anywhere else in Australia.

Here is a very basic list of what we offer:

P&M Aviation Australia Training

  • Trial Introductory Flights
  • Flight Training
  • Theory Courses
  • BFR’s
  • Accommodation Packages
  • Flying Holidays
  • Aircraft Sales
  • Aircraft Hangarage

P&M Aviation Australia Training

  • Pilot ShopPilot Supplies
  • Airservices Charts
  • Aircraft Hardware
  • Helmets / Headsets
  • Shell Oils & Greases
  • GME ELT’s & UHF Radios
  • Jeppesen Products
  • Icom & Vertex Radios
  • Garmin GPS
  • Rotax Parts

Pilot Training

Real Pilots fly Trikes

At P&M we are developing great Pilots to do Extraordinary things.

For a recreational pilot’s licence you must complete a minimum of 20 flying hours of flying instruction under RAAus or SAFA instructor and CFI. This includes a minimum of 5 hours solo flying.

To secure your place on the pilot training course you need to contact our office or the CFI (Chief Flying Instructor) and organise a time to take your first lesson. You can prepay for each lesson if you intend to use the P&M schools aircraft or pay-as-you-go if you use your own trike. However, pre-paying a course of ten lesson, can reduce the hourly cost to A$150/hour.

PAYMENT OWN AIRCRAFT SCHOOL AIRCRAFT
   1 hour (pay-as-you-go) A$180/hr A$200/hr
   5 hours pre-paid & receive your Pilot kit Free A$180/hr A$200/hr
  10 hours pre-paid & receive your Pilot Kit & Study books Free A$180/hr A$200/hr

Prices include Student Package of study materials:

  • Student Workbook Flash drive copy
  • Pilot Log Book and Log Book Case (if hours are paid for up front)
  • Aviation abbreviations and acronyms
  • Circuit approach and landing
  • Operations at non-towered aerodromes – DVD or CD
  • Radio phrasing and radio procedure
  • Radio safety procedures
  • Aerodrome Safety Manual

The other costs are your RAAus or SAFA Student Pilot Membership Fee of $160 aprox per annum.
This includes: Operations Manual, Technical Manual, and Sky Sailor or Recreational Aviation magazine subscription for 12 months.

The book Microlight Pilot’s Handbook by Brian Cosgrove is the fundamental source of information for every Trike pilot. It will remain valuable long after the course is finished. The book can be purchased through the Pilot Shop at the P&M Aviation Australia’s Facility or if you paid for 10 hours up front this book is provided free.

The HGFA or RAAus Student membership entitles a new member to engage in training it does not provide for any cover as a pilot certificate. Recreational insurance is only provided under this membership type while operating under the direct supervision of an approved SAFA or RAAus Instructor.
A student will receive a Restricted Pilot Certificate upon completion of a recognised Flight Training Course with an approved RAAus or SAFA instructor or CFI.

During the course you will be required to take three Multiple Choice Exams at P&M training facility.

Payment for pilot training must be received at the end of individual lessons, or as payment prior to a block of lessons.

You can pay by cash or by a credit card at P&M training facility.

A Pilot Training-Holiday Package is the answer to the common dilemma of sharing time for pilot training with time for relaxation, holidays and quite often time spent with your family.

If you are available for lessons for extended training visits, it is possible to progress to solo standard with an average of between 9 to 13 hours of instruction. Those flying hours are achievable over a period of one to two weeks taking into consideration weather conditions.

At the beginning, you will be in air in calm near no wind conditions. This is usually 1-2 hours in the morning and afternoon. You can spend down time in between flying lessons studying subjects for exams, with your family, your partner, friends, or just enjoying the relaxed atmosphere of Yarrawonga and the surrounding areas. But it is our aim, that by the time you have completed your training, you will have experienced flying in many conditions. In fact, one of our mottos is NO SURPRISES!
In conclusion, in one or two extended visits you could attain the solo stage, and, it is possible to attain your pilot’s licence.

A package is also an attractive option for students from Sydney or Melbourne.
For example, living in Sydney, for recreational training you must go to schools out of Sydney and travel by car to training airstrips. With hectic city traffic and motorway tolls it can take less time and money to get to Yarrawonga than to go to your nearest recreational school.
From Melbourne, you can buy a return train ticket to Benalla/Albury for as low as $45 if planning ahead, and within about three hours you could be here. So, Yarrawonga Flight Training at Yarrawonga might be your best option over a perceived nearby training ground.

A wide range of Accommodation packages are available through P&M. We cater for singles or families, in Caravan parks, Hotels, and Motels. We have a package to suit your budget. To find out more, ring Anne or Peter on 03 5744-1466 or 0415 406 413.

FAQ

Let’s start the history with two facts I bet you didn’t know…

First of all, with more than 3,000 Trikes on the register, Trikes or microlights are the largest single group of light aviation aircraft in Australia. And secondly, believe it or not, flexwing (weight-shift) aircraft like the one you’ll be flying in, originated from NASA’s manned space flight programme!  In the 1960s, when the USA was looking at ways of returning the first space shuttles safely to Earth, a NASA research scientist, Francis Rogallo, designed a collapsible delta wing which would deploy from within the hull of the shuttle after re-entry.

Although NASA did not pursue his proposal, aviation enthusiasts in the USA saw the Rogallo wing’s potential for leisure flying.  They developed his design into the first delta wing glider and the sport of hang gliding was born, spreading quickly worldwide. YFT CFI Peter McLean started the Southern Hang Gliding Club, the first club in Australia.
Almost immediately, some of the Australia’s early hang gliding pioneers tried various ways of attaching power units to their wings so they could take off without first having to climb to the top of a hill.  After all kinds of experimentation, the forerunners of the modern flexwing aircraft took to the skies in the early 1970s. Since that time, wing and airframe/engine technology has moved on rapidly.

Today’s factory-manufactured aircraft, powered by a choice of reliable two-stroke and four-stroke engines, are the result of years of design improvements within a framework of strict safety regulations administered by CASA.  In the last few years, P&M Aviation Trikes have found their way into many countries around the globe, winning numerous competitions.

Despite their fragile appearance, modern Trike aircraft are incredibly strong and have one of the best safety records in Recreational aviation.  With their large, high-lift wings, Trikes simply glide safely to earth in the event of engine malfunction – these days, with high performance aircraft engines, a very rare occurrence!

P&M Aviation Trikes are considered to be one of the best on the world market. Manufacturer P&M Aviation is based in the UK. P&M Aviation Australia make sure that all the aircraft are built conforming to CASA’s stringent regulations for aircraft manufacture and testing (including structural load tests to forces of 6g – three times that of a jumbo jet!) and the aircraft must each subsequently pass an inspection and a flight test.

Unlike many high profile recreational and general aviation aircraft, the P&M Aviation trike is fully certified, and is actually a Primary Category Aircraft, just like a Boeing 747 and an Airbus A-380.

What about Insurance?2017-07-31T22:32:02+10:00

Individual financial members of RAA or HGFA as well as RAA and HGFA schools are insured for legal liability that includes Bodily Injury and Property Damage to 3rd parties arising out of occurrence caused by an aircraft or by an RAA and HGFA member. Insurance is also available to insure your aircraft, if you wish.

What about buying my own Recreational aircraft or Trike?2017-07-31T22:31:16+10:00

You are very welcome to use the school aircraft for your training. However, using your own aircraft is cheaper. Many student pilots buy their own aircraft once they have completed a few hours on the school aircraft, so they are ready to fly solo in their own machine.

Yarrawonga Flight Training is Victoria’s preferred dealer and training facility for P&M Aviation, the manufacturer and world wide exporter of Trikes. We can help you chose the trike best suited to your needs, once you have established just what type of flying you intend to pursue. Whether you want to cover large cross country distances in the GT450 or QuikR, or go paddock bashing and beach fishing in the GT Lite. Please ask us for a brochure and price list.

Are there any age limits?2017-07-31T22:30:00+10:00

There are no age limits for recreational pilot training.  However, although you can begin the course before you are 15 years of age, you cannot be issued with your pilot certificate until you actually become 15 years old. There is no upper age limit. Weightshift Trike flying, or Triking as it’s known in Australia, is not a “boys only” sport either. There are many competent women Trike pilots, as well as couples who learn to fly together and share wonderful adventures.

What about the written exams?2017-07-31T22:29:05+10:00

You don’t need to be “academic” to take a recreational pilot training course.  As you’d expect, you do need to learn some theory, because it helps your understanding of flying as well as preparing you for your exams. However, for the recreational pilot’s licence we will concentrate on what you need to know, rather than equipping you to fly a 747!  Many students find it helpful to take some flight theory (“ground school”) classes – these are conducted after the usual flight de-briefing.  We also run group workshops on basic aeronautical knowledge, air legislation, human factors, map reading, basic weather understanding of weather charts, flight radio, navigation and route planning. For those training for their cross-country navigation flights, ground school is a little more demanding, and sometimes people want individual help with specific parts of the course.  Let us know if you need any extra help and we can tailor flight theory sessions to suit.

Will I need to pass a medical?2017-07-31T23:36:03+10:00

A special medical examination is not required. A Declaration of Fitness stating that your health is of an equivalent level to that for driving a motor vehicle is all that is required.

How much will it cost?2017-07-31T22:27:41+10:00

For students who have their own aircraft, the average cost of attaining their basic pilot certificate is around $3500. If a student wishes to utilize the Yarrawonga Flight Training school aircraft whilst waiting for their own trike to be delivered, the overall cost of training is understandably higher.

As well as the hourly rate for both of the above situations, (Pilot Training Course Prices page), costs for clothing, annual RAA membership fees, safety equipment, literature, theory lessons and exam fees need to be taken into consideration.

How long will it take to get may licence?2017-07-31T22:26:59+10:00

It’s difficult to give an exact answer, as everyone is different. Various factors affect the answer to this question such as, aptitude, previous flying experience, age, weather and your own availability. If you can only fly at weekends, you’ll probably take a bit longer than those who are available for lessons during extended training visits. From experience, for those who are unconditionally available, the average could be quoted at 9 to 13 hours of instruction to progress to solo standard. For those who are training on a part time basis… up to 12 months. But, Hey! The journey is half the fun!

How can I get Recreational pilot’s licence?2017-07-31T22:23:36+10:00

You will be required to complete the RAA or HGFA pilot training syllabus with a qualified flying instructor. For a recreational aircraft pilot’s licence you must complete a minimum of 20 flying hours of flying instruction. This includes a minimum of 5 hours solo flying. It is important to note, that some people may need more training time than 20 hours before they will qualify for a licence. You also need to pass three written (multiple choice) exams.

Quik R
Tiedown Procedure

Quik R tiedown Procedure
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