Private and Commercial Pilot’s Licence

If you want to train to become a commercial pilot or just for recreation, then your first step is to gain a Private Pilot’s Licence (PPL).

A PPL is the starting point for all flying qualifications; it gives you a platform on which to gain other flight ratings such as Night, Aerobatics or Instrument ratings, and is required before gaining a Commercial Pilot’s Licence (CPL).

The advantage of the CPL is that it allows you to make a career out of flying. With a PPL you will be able to fly many types of aircraft with passengers, but only with a CPL will you be paid for your efforts!

What do I need to do to qualify for a PPL?

PREREQUISITES
Firstly, to hold a pilot’s licence you must be 17 years old. While a person of any age can undertake flight instruction, you must be at least 16 years of age to fly solo.

If you decide to pursue a PPL you must have medical clearance. For solo flying in a certified aircraft this involves visiting an NZCAA approved medical examiner to get a Class 2 Medical Certificate.

Follow this link to the list of Medical Examiners

TRAINING
To gain your PPL you are required to work through a training syllabus we have set up to fulfill the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority requirements. For a full private licence you need to accrue a minimum of 50 hours flight time. These 50 hours will be made up of dual time (flight with an instructor), solo time, cross country flights and simulated instrument time.

Most people take slightly longer than the 50 hour minimum to achieve a licence, as there is a competency standard to achieve as well as the hours required.

To achieve a PPL you must also pass theory exams on the following topics:

- Meteorology
- Navigation
- Flight Radio
- Aviation Law
- Aircraft Technical Knowledge
- Human Factors

Once all of the requirements have been met you must be successful in your flight test with an examiner, after which you will be granted your PPL. To keep your licence current, a Biennial Flight Review must be undertaken (every two years) with an appropriately qualified instructor.

What about the CPL?

PREREQUISITES
To qualify for a CPL you must first hold a PPL. You must be 18 years of age to hold a CPL, but can start training before then.
You will also need to hold a Class 1 Medical Certificate.

TRAINING
Like the Private Pilot Licence, the CPL has a syllabus laid out by the Civil Aviation Authority. There is a 200 hour minimum flight experience requirement, 100 hours of which will be solo flight time. This requirement is inclusive of the hours received from your PPL training.

The CPL exams required are similar to the PPL, however they require a broader knowledge and understanding:

- Meteorology
- Navigation
- Aviation Law
- General Aircraft Technical Knowledge
- Principles of Flight
- Human Factors

On completion of the training for the CPL, you will sit the CPL flight test which will lead to the issue of a Commercial Pilot Licence. As with the PPL you will be required to demonstrate competence to an Instructor every two years, but to the CPL standard.