H
olding a private pilot’s licence (PPL)
in Australia and New Zealand
creates incredibly diverse and
interesting flying opportunities.
There is much to be learned from
both the general similarities
and surprising differences in the
two VFR flight reviews (FR).
Recognising all FRs are different,
this article will generalise.
In New Zealand emphasis is on
handling. You won’t do a cross-country,
but must nail forced landings without
power (FLWOP in NZ, PFL in
Australia), slow flying simulating bad
weather, reversal turns, precautionary
landings, and compulsory crosswind
landings. In Australia the emphasis
seems to be on navigation, situational
awareness and airspace.
Similarities in approach to FRs
arise because of the high standards,commitments to excellence, and
teaching methods of aviation
professionals in both countries.
The differences have dual origins:
CASA in Australia and the CAA
in New Zealand have different rules
and regulations. Pilots must forget
ICAO State A’s rules while in State
B and vice-versa.
The dominions present different
terrain, weather and geography. New
Zealand has a quickly changeable
marine climate, whereas Australia
experiences bigger changes with longer
settled periods in six climatic zones.
New Zealand has high snow-capped
mountains; Australia features great
distances, flat deserts and extreme
heat. Whereas Kiwis live in narrow
longitudinal islands, Aussies inhabit a
huge multi-directional land mass.
PPLs are required to do separate
medicals and FRs in both countries.
For medicals you might find a doctor
authorised to do both who will
charge for one examination but there
will be two fees and different tests,
standards and forms.
Full marks to flight planning
programs like OzRunways and
AvPlan, who offer effortless planning
for both countries on tablets. Also
Australia CASA’s Visual Flight
Rules Guide, available on line at
http://www.casa.gov.au and for New
Zealand CAA’s series of useful
guides greatly facilitate preparation
and are available at http://www.caa.govt.nz.Differing Rules
You must know the country-specific
rules, and instructors expect you to
get them right.A trap the author fell into returning
to NZ after five years was being
required, despite a current NZ medical
and flying currency in Australia, to
re-sit the aviation law exam.
The first example of different
rules are VFR cruising levels. In
NZ compulsory cruising levels
apply at more than 3000 ft AMSL
or 1000 ft AGL (whichever is
the higher), whereas in Australia
it’s 5000 ft. But there is a more
significant difference: in Australia,
it is an east-west plus 500 ft
magnetic track split, perhaps
reflecting the more common
directions of travel, whereas in NZ,
where that would surely result inTrans-Tasman
Comparison
Flight Reviews PAUL SOU T H W ICK
Paul Southwick
has done flight
reviews in both
his native New
Zealand and his
adopted home,
Australia. Are they
the same thing?
In this feature
he outlines the
differences that
reflect the nature
of flying in both
countries.
36
AUSTRALIAN FLYING March – April 2015A