Flying Programs for Every Goal! Recreational, Private & Commercial Pilots Made Here.
Flying Programs for Every Goal! Recreational, Private & Commercial Pilots Made Here.
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Moorabbin Flying Services (MFS), formerly Moorabbin Flying School, was established in 1993 by a group of passionate pilots with many years of aviation and business experience. Their aim was to provide excellence in flight training and specialist instruction tailored to the individual.
Currently owned and operated by Andrew and Madelaine Johnson, MFS has grown to become Moorabbin Airport’s premiere pilot training facility. Our commitment to flight training for the aspiring professional pilot is second to none. Many former students and staff now fly for international, national, and regional airlines.
MFS exists to provide pilot training from your first flight through to the Air Transport Pilot Licence examinations. Our courses deliver all aspects of aeronautical theory and practical flight training required for the issue of Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) pilot licences and ratings. Our reputation is built on first-class facilities and dedicated staff who provide you with an honest and safe approach to your flight training. In short, we are here to turn your dream of flight into a reality.
MFS is a fully accredited Registered Training Organisation (RTO) and adheres to the strict guidelines and the governing rules of the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA). This enables MFS to offer tertiary courses in Aviation.
MFS is also registered with the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS). MFS can cater for International Students studying in Australian under a Student Visa.
MFS currently offers the following:
The MFS Diploma of Aviation (CPL) combines the Commercial Pilot Licence together with a Multi-Engine Aeroplane class rating. MFS does not offer a single-engine CPL as it is not a credential that leads to a viable first job.
Our Instrument Rating features a one-of-a-kind CKAS-5 PA-44 full motion simulator. We know of no other flight training organisation that offers the fidelity of a sim that exactly matches the aircraft you will fly for your rating.
The MFS VET in Schools (VETiS) Aviation program is the coolest VCAA-approved way to both prepare for a career in aviation and to add to your ATAR score. Students completing the course will earn their Recreational Pilot Licence (RPL) that allows the holder to take family and friends flying without an instructor. You will also complete the aeronautical theory examination for the Private Pilot Licence (PPL) and approximately half the flying required to sit the PPL flight test.
Would you like the flexibility to earn your licences at your own pace, on your own timeline, with no pressure to meet deadlines? The ‘traditional’ way to earn a pilot licence is to show up to the airport thoroughly prepared for your flight, go flying, debrief with your instructor, and be given ‘homework’ to prepare for your next flight. This is still a viable pathway. MFS Part 141 training will provide you with the support you need, even when you cannot commit to a timetabled course of instruction. Really, there is no obstacle to your dream of flight.
MFS is located at Moorabbin Airport, approximately 20 km southeast of Melbourne. The address is 16 Northern Avenue, Moorabbin Airport, Victoria 3194.
Being located at Moorabbin Airport offers big benefits to MFS students, whether for private or professional training. The proximity to two international airports provides you with quick and ready access to all classifications of airspace and associated operating procedures. It also enables MFS to provide you with the greatest exposure to varied conditions and best training possible.
Moorabbin is a modern, well-equipped airport, busy enough to provide an ideal training environment. Completing your training at YMMB will give you the confidence and ability to deal with any operational requirement or procedure anywhere in Australia or the world.
MFS is open seven days a week and Reception is staffed from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Flight training is frequently conducted outside these hours, particularly during the summer months when we can take advantage of daylight savings. Flying times outside normal business hours are arranged at a time that is mutually acceptable to both the student and instructor.
MFS typically closes in the week between Christmas and New Year’s.
For those commencing a Part 141 course MFS will accommodate your schedule. There is no minimum age at which you can begin flying, so you can commence your training at any time you like! However, before you can fly solo you must be at least 15 years old, in order to hold a Recreational Pilot License (RPL) you must be 16 years old, for a Private Pilot Licence (PPL) 17 years of age, and to hold a Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) you must be 18.
MFS Diploma and cadet courses typically have intakes twice a year in January and July. The VET in Schools Aviation program commences each February. Higher qualifications such as Flight Instructor Ratings, MCC, and ATPL theory courses commence upon sufficient demand. Contact us to confirm the next start date.
There are no formal educational requirements necessary to begin your flight training, but if you wish to pursue an airline cadetship or envisage military aviation as your goal, then you will need a sound pass in the VCE with good results in English, Physics, and Higher Mathematics.
Every Commercial Pilot must maintain a valid a CASA Class 1 Medical certificate. MFS strongly recommends that you obtain a Class 1 Medical prior to commencing professional pilot training. Private pilots must maintain a Class 2 Medical. Scroll down for more information on medical requirements.
In order to obtain any pilot licence, or be allowed on the airport without an escort, a police check will need to be done, and an Aviation Security Identity Card (ASIC) issued.
Before you are allowed to fly solo you must undergo a medical examination by a CASA approved doctor, a Designated Aviation Medical Examiner (DAME).
A Class 2 Medical certificate is required to obtain a Private Pilot Licence. Those without serious underlying health issues should be able to obtain this certificate. Height and weight limits may apply.
In order to exercise the privileges of the Commercial Pilot Licence, you must hold a valid Class 1 Medical. The requirements for the Class 1 Medical are somewhat stringent and include an ECG, ophthalmology tests, blood & cholesterol tests, spirometry tests, and hearing tests. Obtaining a Class 1 Medical examination upon commencement of flight training is critical if it is your intention to continue onto the CPL. If you have any underlying health problems it is better that they are identified early on rather than halfway through your training.
Find a DAME near you and schedule an appointment at your earliest opportunity. A list searchable by location is available on the CASA Website.
Before you go flying: Comprehensive pre-flight briefings are conducted before each flying sequence. This ensures that you fully understand what is expected of you during that flight, which in turn ensures that you gain maximum benefit.
After you go flying: Equally important is the post-flight brief. At the end of each flight you will be debriefed on your performance. This gives you the opportunity to reflect and learn from what you have achieved in each sequence, and provides a focus for your next lesson.
First Flight to First Solo: This is the initial phase of your flying training. During this stage you will cover all aspects of basic manoeuvring and handling of the aircraft, which will culminate in your first solo flight as pilot in command (PIC). Flying hours required are not fixed and depend on your aptitude and ability. In our experience the average pilot will go solo after somewhat between 15 and 20 hours of dual flying. Prior to your first solo you will be required to pass an in-house written examination. You must also have a current medical certificate. After your first solo flight, you will consolidate your skills with more solo circuits, and progress to flying away from the airport.
Training area solo: The flight training in the second phase covers the more advanced handling sequences and emergency procedures in flight. The culmination of this stage of your training results in you being able to take an aircraft solo out of the circuit to the Moorabbin training area to the southeast. Successful completion of the Area Solo written examination is required prior to being sent solo in the training area.
After the Area Solo flying is completed, further training and refinement will take place prepare you for your first licence, the Recreational Pilot Licence (RPL). The RPL flight test will take just over one hour and on successful completion you will be entitled to carry passengers, with limitations, while acting as pilot-in-command (PIC).
Prior to the flight test you must have achieved a pass on the CASA RPL examination, a multiple-choice test covering aircraft general knowledge, aerodynamics, aircraft performance, as well as basic operational procedures and regulations. MFS is an approved examination centre, so you can sit the exam in a place where you are familiar and comfortable on a day and time of your choice.
The RPL is mandatory if you wish to carry passengers before your PPL, but it is not a compulsory part of the syllabus for those continuing their training. Earning an RPL is, however, highly recommended as it will provide you with a CASA approved examiner’s assessment as to how you are progressing, as well as giving you the opportunity to experience your first flight test before greater expenditures of time and treasure have raised the stakes.
The minimum flying time for the RPL, as stipulated by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), is a total time of 25 flying hours. Of the 25 hours, a minimum of five must be flown as pilot-in-command. However, these minimums are from a bygone era. MFS students average between 35 and 45 hours to earn their RPL and we mandate at least 10 hours of solo PIC before MFS will schedule any student for a flight test.
The actual time taken to reach the standards required to pass the RPL varies from pilot to pilot. Obvious factors that influence this include aptitude, motivation, consistency of training, and finances. Training can be structured to suit your budget, and/or your time schedule. MFS bases our costings on the hours that an average pilot will take complete their qualification, not the legal minimums. It is also important to note that the least expensive way to achieve any qualification is to fly consistently. Large gaps between training flights inevitably leads to loss of competency, relearning, and higher costs.
Training for a Private Pilot Licence (PPL) builds upon everything learned so far. While the RPL focuses on general handling of an airplane, the PPL focuses on navigation training and procedural work while honing your airplane handling skills. You will learn:
The CASA minimum flying hours for the PPL are 40 hours total time and 10 hours of PIC. Again, these minimums are from an age before aeroplanes, traffic, regulations, and especially airspace became a whole lot more complicated. MFS students average 90 hours to earn their PPL. The actual time taken to reach the standards required to pass the PPL varies from pilot to pilot, and the influences are exactly the same as those for the RPL.
Before undertaking the PPL flight test you must pass the PPL theory examination set by CASA. This multiple-choice examination takes three hours to complete on average. It encompasses the same subjects as the RPL examination in more detail. A minimum Class 2 Medical is also required.
The Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) allows its holder to accept payment for flying. This is not the licence that allows you to fly an airliner, it is the one that gets you your first job as a pilot. There are two options available for those wishing to pursue a CPL, Part 141, and Part 142.
Part 141 is the ‘traditional’ way, come to the airport, do your lessons, wash, rinse, repeat. Once you have reached competence and have a minimum of 200 hours total flying time with 100 hours of PIC you can be recommended for a CPL flight test.
Part 142 is the ‘integrated’ course which requires a minimum of 150 hours total flight time with 70 hours as pilot-in-command. MFS is licensed as a Part 142 Flight Training Organisation (FTO) with a CASA approved syllabus. This is a regimented syllabus combining aeronautical theory and practical flight training in lock-step, with considerable assessment along the way to ensure competence and identify areas for improvement. It is only available to those attending one of our Diploma of Aviation courses. Our VET is Schools Aviation program forms a portion of the Diploma and qualifies as Part 142 integrated flight training allowing a seamless transition to the full Diploma of Aviation for those continuing their studies.
There is quite obviously a substantial number of hours of flying time required between your shiny new Private Pilot Licence and those for a Commercial Pilot Licence. In between you will build your solo time as pilot-in-command (PIC), and then train for the Multi-Engine Aeroplane class rating. While you are building hours, your aeronautical theory will be raised to a whole new level. Read on for more information.
Navigation, navigation, navigation. A professional pilot uses the aeroplane as a tool to move people and goods quickly and safely over long distances. Most of your flights from the PPL to the CPL will be self-tests of your ability to do the same. One of the best ways to build up your command hours is to plan an extensive trip away with family or friends. Not only is it great fun, but it also provides you with exposure to flying in remote areas, other controlled airspace, and with passengers onboard.
At or about the time you reach your 70 hours pilot-in-command you will begin your multi-engine commercial training. During this phase you will hone your skills to the standards demanded of today’s professional pilots. You will be amazed at what the increase in speed, power, and complexity requires of your decision-making and how much more rapidly your sequences will need to be completed. Every hour you have flown until now has been in preparation for this quantum leap in your abilities as a pilot.
Throughout your studies, you will learn the ‘sacred seven’ theory subjects of aeronautical knowledge. The seven subjects include:
At the RPL level these are basic, and in years past were known as Basic Aeronautical Knowledge (BAK). In the PPL course the subjects do not change, only the depth of knowledge increases. This is the same for the CPL and even the ATPL as well. Same subjects, more depth.
Examinations are required at each level of licence. At the RPL and PPL stages, there will be one written examination covering all seven subjects. Once you move beyond the PPL, each subject gets its own examination. You must pass all seven CPL subject examinations within a two-year window to qualify to sit the CPL flight test. The same goes for the ATPL examinations.
MFS regularly provides ground theory courses for our Diploma of Aviation students. The theory courses provided by MFS are not compulsory for Part 141 students and you can self-study for these subjects however, the first-time pass rate of students who have completed the theory courses is significantly higher than those who have self-studied. MFS ground theory instructors will ensure that your knowledge and understanding of these subjects is thorough before scheduling you for a CASA examination.
The theory courses for advanced qualifications, the IREX (Instrument Rating Examination), ATPL exams, Multi-Crew Cooperation (MCC), and Primary Methods of Instruction (PMI), are run on demand. Contact us for course availability and scheduling.
On completion of your Commercial Pilot Licence you will be ready to choose your next step towards an aviation career. First jobs are typically either in flight training or in charter aviation. Which of these two paths you choose will determine which advanced qualification you undertake.
Earning a Flight Instructor Rating gives you the ability to teach and learn. If you are a natural educator, this might be for you. As you progress, your instructing experience will become valuable to airlines who all have in-house check & training programs. The folks who run these are the leaders in operational flying. Instructing is an excellent way to build the hours you will need to obtain your first airline job.
An Instrument Rating is required for most entry level pilot positions in charter aviation. This is an incredibly varied segment of the industry. Some of the career paths include:
If you are looking for an adventure, charter aviation may be for you. Most of the jobs available to newly minted CPL’s are in the tropical north and red centre. You will fly over a part of Australia that most only see on TV. The hours you build will be in conditions less than ideal at times, invaluable to the airlines once you meet their entry requirements.
All MFS students are self-funded. There are two methods of payment:
All flying must be paid for on the day of the flight, so accordingly all accounts must be kept in credit at all times. In order to provide you with quality training at an affordable price, MFS is not in a position to offer credit accounts.
Students undertaking diploma courses are subject to specific payment options. Contact us for details.
MFS courses do not attract government funding. However, we realise that not everyone can finance their training and have searched long and hard for a partner that we trust.
CQUniverisity has an Aviation program that culminates in both a Bachelor's Degree and a Graduate Diploma. Aeronautical theory courses are delivered online and the practical flying is delivered by MFS. This program is eligible for VET Fee Help and HECS.
The Piper training aeroplane is a proven, stable and reliable design that has been in production since the 1960s. MFS own a modern fleet of the traditional analogue and computer based glass cockpit design of the Warrior, Archer and Seminole aeroplane type. MFS places the utmost emphasis on safety through immaculate maintenance and comprehensive pilot safety training.
MFS instructors have been selected for their emphasis on safety, people skills and experience (+120,000 hours combined). Many MFS instructors were once MFS students themselves. Some instructors even held captain airline positions, many have degrees, but most importantly all MFS instructors have a deep passion for flying and a keen desire to see you succeed and fulfil your dream.
Moorabbin Flying Services
16 Northern Avenue, Moorabbin Airport, Victoria 3194, Australia
Copyright © 2024 Moorabbin Flying Services.- All Rights Reserved.
CRICOS No. 02983F | RTO No.22120
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