Frequently Asked Questions | Flight Training & Aviation Careers from the International Canterbury Aero Club of New Zealand.

1. How do I become a member of the Canterbury Aero Club?: Come out to the Club and introduce yourself, or download an application form and send it in with your cheque.
2. Are there any pre-requisites for a Private Licence?: No, you don’t need to sit any prior exams or have any previous qualifications to learn to fly.
3. I wear glasses, will this be a problem?: Having to wear glasses does not exempt you from flying as long as you can meet the visual requirements when wearing them.
4. Are there any age restrictions in learning to fly?: You can start to learn to fly at any age, but to go solo you must be 16 years of age and to hold a licence you must be 17. You can continue flying up to any age as long as you can hold a medical.
5. Once I get a licence, how do I keep it current?: You need to hold a current medical and complete three takeoffs and landings every 90 days. A good way to do this is at the Club day. Every two years you also must carry out a BFR (Biennial Flight Review). This is a check flight to see that you are maintaining the required PPL Standard.
6. How long does my licence last?: Your licence is valid for life as long as you keep it current.
7. I hold a foreign licence. How can I convert it to a New Zealand Licence?: Come out to the club and talk to an instructor. They will give you a foreign conversion pack which has all the information you need to convert a licence.
8. What do I need before I start flying?: You don’t need anything before you start flying; however it is advisable to get a medical before you start in earnest so that you don’t waste money if you cannot obtain one. Most normal healthy persons can pass the medical.
9. I live in North Canterbury; Can I learn to fly at Rangiora?: Yes. You will still be a member of the Canterbury Aero Club but you can fly at Rangiora at weekends. You will still need to do some flying out of Christchurch for the experience of flying at a controlled airport.
10. What happens if I can’t hold a medical?: You can still fly, but you must do so with an instructor. At the club we have many pilots who have not been able to obtain or have lost their medicals, who come and fly with an instructor on a regular basis. We also have the “resurgent pilots” group who are a group of people who do not hold medicals but meet every six weeks to fly with an instructor.