Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL)

CPL updated

What is your dream job in Aviation?

Do you want to be an instructor, teaching the next generation of budding pilots? Or does fish-spotting, ag-flying or even watching people jump out of your perfectly good aircraft appeal to you?

Perhaps you dream big and want to captain an Airbus or Boeing aircraft of the future??? Whatever you imagine for your future career in aviation, it starts with a Commercial Pilots Licence (CPL).

A CPL allows you to fly an aircraft for hire or reward, but the journey to achieving your CPL will give you so much more. Due to the higher hour requirements and additional training, your handling ability will be one of the first areas where you’ll notice an improvement. However, to be a commercial pilot you will require so much more than just stick and rudder skills to land that dream job.

During your training, we’ll help you enhance your situational awareness both on the ground and in the air. You’ll learn how to make critical go/no-go decisions, taking into account many more variables than just weather and NOTAMs.

You will learn to see things through the eyes of a commercial pilot and understand the expectations of the role. Are my passengers and their bags correctly weighed, and is the aeroplane within its limits? Do I have sufficient fuel and duty time remaining to complete the flight? Do I need to divert to an alternate aerodrome and is that possible? You will also learn about you and your aircraft’s limits in much finer detail, and how to safely and competently operate within them at all times.

Throughout your training your knowledge will increase, as well as your confidence. You will be able to think critically to evaluate situations, make good decisions, and carry out positive actions. Your workload will eventually feel more and more manageable, you will notice your situational awareness has greatly improved, and you will begin to see the benefits of your hard work. Although the journey to gaining a CPL is challenging and will test your skill during each phase, the reward is worth it, and a CPL is easily achievable if you’re willing to give it your all. And once you’re passed your flight test, that dream job will soon be one step closer!

Entry requirements

  • A current PPL; and
  • A Class 1 Aviation Medical Certificate

Theory subjects and ground courses

  • Principles of Flight and Aircraft Performance
  • Air Law
  • General Aircraft Technical Knowledge
  • Human Factors
  • Flight Navigation
  • Meteorology

To be eligible for a CPL flight test, you require passes in all 6 theory subjects, and all knowledge deficiencies must be signed off by an A or B Category instructor.

Flight test requirements

  • Minimum 200hrs total flight experience, including 100 hours as Pilot in Command, and the specific flight experience detailed by the AC61-5;
  • Be at least 18 years of age; and
  • Hold a Class 1 Aviation Medical Certificate

Additional Ratings and Pathways

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