Ratings

Night - NVFR

Flying at night adds an entirely new dimension to your visual pilot training! Whether the beautiful lights of the city or the amazing constellations of a clear night in the country, a Night VFR rating permits you to fly at maybe times more convenient to you. This may mean you can leave a little later to make a evening or night arrival back at home, or depart earlier, before dawn, for an earlier arrival at your destination.

Nevertheless, a Night VFR rating will extend your flying skills, including the use of navigation aids (NDB and VOR), and use of runway lighting equipment such as PAL (Pilot Activated Lighting)

Prior to undertaking the Night VFR Flight Test, the following requirements must be met:

Hold a Private Pilot's Licence
10 hours of flight time at night, including:
- at least 2 hours in the circuit
- at least 5 hours dual navigation instruction
- at least 1 cross-country flight of 3 hours duration over at least 100nm

For your night rating you may choose from the following aircraft:

Citabria
Maule
Cessna 180
Cessna 182
Piper Warrior
Piper Dakota

Private Instrument Flight Rules - PIFR

This relatively new rating permits private pilots to fly en-route in Instrument Meterological Conditions (IMC) whilst conducting departures and approaches in Visual Meterological Conditions (VMC). You must still fly in visual conditions when opearting below Lowest Safe Altitude (LSALT).

The PIFR Rating was introduced to offer pilots the opportunity to conduct limited IFR operations as an alternative to, or an escape from, those situations of deteriorating weather or daylight where scud running, disorientation, controlled flight into terrain and loss of control accidents have been all too frequent.

The rating is designed to be undertaken in two stages:

the initial issue; and
subsequent flight procedure authorisations (FPAs).

The PIFR rating permits further endorsements to be added over time to build towards a full Command Instrument Rating.
If you have ever wished to fly west over the ranges (Great Dividing Range) whilst it has been dogged by cloud, then this may be a rating for you to consider.

You must hold a Private Pilots Licence or greater to qualify for a PIFR and it is recommended you hold a Night VFR Rating. If you do not hold a NVFR Rating then the syllabus is modifed for you to ensure you undertake adequate night flying training (including circuit operations) to meet the required standards.

Block 1 of your training includes around 15 hours of simulator training to build your basic skills and techniques for instrument flying. Block 2 involves around 25 hours of flight training, developing the instrument flight procedures in a single-engine aircraft leading to the Private Instrument Flight Rules Rating with the following FPAs:

Navigation using NDB
Navigation using VOR
Navigation using DME
Night operatings
NDB Holding
VOR Holding

We encourage as much training as possible under actual IFR conditions.

We currently recommend the two Trevor Thom books for the Private Instrument Rating. They are the most up-to-date on the subject of IFR flight training and are available from our pilot shop.

For this rating you may choose from the following aircraft:

Cessna 182
Piper Dakota
Cessna 180
Partenavia P.68B
or your own IFR aircraft!

Command Instrument Rating - CIR

The Command Instrument Rating (CIR) is often the most challenging and rewarding flight rating that a pilot can seek to obtain. The Rating can be undertaken on either Multi-Engine or Single-Engine aircraft. The rating authorises the holder to act as Pilot In Command (PIC) of flights under IFR by day and by night in single pilot operations, and will cover departures, arrivals and instrument approach procedures, as well en-route.
You will cover tracking and holding patterns on the NDB and VOR as well as Approaches on NDB/DME and VOR/DME as well as ILS and LLZ. Part of your pilot training is conducted in the simulator and most in the aircraft.

You will need to hold a PPL or greater to undertake a CIR and by the time you are ready for the flight test you will have at least:

- 50 hours cross-country flight time as pilot in command,
- 40 hours instrument time, not less than 20 of which are cross country
- 10 hours dual instrument flight time
- 10 hours night flight time of which at least 5 are as pilot in command.

We are able to assist you with the challenging theory for the Command Instrument Rating, and we recommend the Trevor Thom Command Instrument Rating book.

Aircraft available for CIR rating include:

Piper Dakota
Cessna 182
Cessna 180
Partenavia P.68B
or your own IFR aircraft!

Flight Instructor Rating

Curtis Aviation has a proud record of training the highest quality instructors. Learning to instruct in a tailwheel aircraft from the back (tandem seating) will sharpen your skills as a pilot substantially. You will then be prepared to instruct in tailwheel, nosewheel, side-by-side and tandem seating aircraft.

Your course will cover most of the fleet, including the Citabrias, Eagles, Cherokees and Airtourer.

The course is structured into:

Principles of Learning
Aerodynamic Lectures
Mass Briefings
Tutorials
Pre-flight Briefings
Post-flight Briefings
Flight Instruction
Rating Test

To qualify for this rating you must hold a Commercial Pilot's Licence as well as a Night VFR rating. If you have not yet started any pilot training, then the Commercial Pilot's Day/Night 150-hour Integrated course is recommended. If you are a private pilot seeking to become a flight instructor, you will first need to obtain your Commercial Licence under the 200-hour pilot training course.

Curtis Aviation is also able to offer Grade Two, Grade One, Instrument and Multi-Engine Instructor Approvals.

Aerobatics Training

Aerobatics is a great way to improve your flying skills. Apart from the outstanding fun you will experience during the course, your knowledge of aircraft handling and co-ordination skills will increase substantially. Its not unlike undertaking an advanced driving course.

The course is conducted in the Citabrias or the Victa Airtourer. It is recommended that you have at least 15 hours of aeronautical experience before starting an aerobatic training course. Note that this means you do not have to hold a GFPT or PPL to get involved in aerobatics!

If you wish, you may complete the full course of training or complete just selected manoevures, however, all pilots must be competent in recovery from unusual attitudes and spins.

The flying training syllabus for Basic and Intermediate aerobatics flight training is structured to cover the following manoeuvures:

Wingovers
Unusual Attitude Recovery
Loops
Aileron Rolls
Barrell Rolls
Stall Turns
Spin Recoveries
Rolls off the top
Half Cuban Eights
Cuban Eights

Who knows when you might encounter conditions that invert your aircraft, or put you into an unusual attitude. Learning some or all of these manoeuvres will strengthen your confidence and build your abilities to deal with the unexpected. And the bonus: you will have a lot of fun in the process!