Kāpiti Aero Club

Learn to Fly

Learning to fly and gaining your Private Pilot Licence is fun, challenging and rewarding. At Kāpiti Aero Club we offer training for both fixed-wing aircraft (aeroplanes) and helicopters.

Take a Trial Flight

First things first. If you haven’t already done so, take a trial flight to get your first hands-on experience flying a small aeroplane or helicopter.

The Private Pilot’s Licence

You’ve taken a trial flight and you’re hooked on flying? Great! It’s time to start working towards your Private Pilot’s license (PPL). At Kāpiti Aero Club, we’ve been helping pilots achieve their PPL’s for over 40 years. We offer a relaxed and fun environment to learn to fly, and have have a wide range of aircraft to suit most requirements and budgets.

As you progress through your training, you’ll get to fly the aircraft solo for the first time. This is a unforgettable experience for every pilot and represents the first major milestone towards completing your PPL.

Who can learn to fly?

Anyone can learn to fly. The minimum age to fly solo is 16 and to hold a Private Pilot’s Licence is 17 years of age. To hold a Commercial Pilot’s Licence you must be 18 years of age. There is no upper age limit. There is no minimum education requirement.

A Civil Aviation Medical Certificate or a DL9 medical certificate with a passenger endorsement is required before you are able to fly solo.  If you wear glasses this is not a problem, however you are required to meet certain standards for eyesight as part of your medical.

Beyond your PPL

Once you have achieved your PPL, a world of options will open up from you. Aside from the flexibility of flying yourself and your friends anywhere in NZ with your PPL, you can work towards a CPL (Commercial Pilot License), try extra ratings such as instrument flying, aerobatics, tailwheel flying and more!

What will it cost?

The time and cost required to complete a PPL vary by each person and their capabilities. However, in practice most people complete their full Fixed Wing PPL within 60 hours (including cross-country endorsement).