Hi Terry!
I live in Geelong, so Bacchus Marsh could be an option. I enquired at Point
Cook, and the price for a C150 is $205 for flight instruction, and $140 for
solo flight. Seems perhaps Bacchus Marsh may be cheaper. Barwon Heads was
around the same, with Geelong being slightly dearer from memory.
Point Cook wa the place that suggested getting the PPL via the Jabiru, and
the rates for it were $175 per hour for flight instruction, and $123 for
solo flight. Judging from what you said, this seems a bit dear. I will
contact Bacchus Marsh Airfield tomorrow, and ask them a few questions. I
know 1 a month is not really enough, but if the rates are good enough, I can
afford more. Can't see me getting more than 2 a month on a regular basis,
but I guess you are living proof that it can still be done! 140 hours seems
like forever to wait for your licence, but I guess it's worth it in the end.
I plan on using every bit of spare cash like tax cheques and commissions
from work (about $1000 every 6 months on average) to help get extra lessons.
How many hours do you have now? Perhaps we could go up together once I get
licenced! To be honest, I'll be stoked when I just get my SPL, and can fly
with a passenger in the training area! :-) It's been a dream to get up there
for so long, and I've decided I'm just going to do it, no matter how long it
takes. If I wait until I save up enough to do it all at once, I'll never get
started. Much like you said.
Crash Lander
"d&tm" wrote in message
...

"Crash Lander" wrote in message
...
Hi guys and gals!
Just heard about this group from a regular here (I think he's a regular
here!), and thought I'd take the opporyunity to ask a question that's
been
bugging me.
I am going to start flying lessons within the next few months, come hell
or
high water, and have started investigating what is involved. Due to
budget
constraints, the lessons will be fairly thinly spaced, probably only 1
lesson a month, but maybe 2 or 3 in the first month. (Gotta love a decent
tax refund cheque!)
I live in Australia, so this question relates to regulations in
Australia.
(Obviously! :-))
I have been told by a guy I know who flies for Cathay Pacific, that I can
learn to fly in an 'Ultra Light' and still nd up with a PPL. By Ultra
Light
he means something like a Jabiru, and not a hang glider with a lawnmower
engine bolted on the back. He indicated that it would be much cheaper,
and
I'd only need about 5 hours in a Cessna to complete the licence.
One flight school I rang, actually suggested I use their Jabiru to learn
in,
and I'd end up with a full PPL at the end, puely with lessons in the
Jabiru!
Is this correct? Can it be done in this type of a/c from start to finish?
(Talking only to PPL here, no IFR ratings or night ratings or anything
like
that.) If so, it seems like the way to go for me. The flight school said
the
average cost would drop from around $12,000 to around $8,000 in total!
The
flight school said the Jabiru, or Gazelle for flight instruction is $30
cheaper per hour than a C150, and $60 cheaper per hour than a C172 or
PA28!
If I can end up with a PPL from the Jabiru or Gazelle, am I then still
licenced to fly the Cessnas, or am I only qualified to fly the smaller
Jabirus or Gazelles?
Sorry for the dumb questions, but a guy needs to start somewhere.
Thanks in advance,
Crash Lander

Hey Crash
You ought to try posting in aus.aviation for aussie specific questions.
rec.aviation is also great for general learning questions. Where in Aus
do
you live? Like yourself i was cash limited as well as time limited. On
top
of that weather interupted alot of my lessons which i could only do on
weekends. end result I soloed at 19 hours after about 1 year and got my
PPL
after 140 or so hours and 5 years but hey I had a lot of fun along the way
and if I had waited until I saved the money I probably wouldnt have
started
yet.
Yes you can learn in a Jabaru or gazelle but I dont think the savings are
great as some claim. Where I learnt a C150 is now about $110. The
cheapest Jabiru rate I have seen is $100
Once you learn how to fly a a basic single engine plane it only takes a
couple of hours to get approved to fly different types. A PPL give you a
license to fly any single engine less than 5700 kg without special
features
like retractable undercarriage and constant speed prop. but no-one is
going
to hire you one and less you get approved in the specific type.
Where do you live Crash? ( I fly out of Bacchus Marsh in Victoria - great
people and about 4 C150's)
terry
ppl