The Ultimate Scouting Experience

Scouts Australia NSW fleet of modern Cessna 172 aircraft are available to youth members aged 15+, adults and leaders of Scouts and Guides, to learn to fly. All flying training is provided through our partner, Altocap Flight School.

You will learn at your own pace all the necessary skills to fly solo, obtain your recreational Pilots Licence (RPL), Private Pilot Licence (PPL) and even your Commercial Pilots Licence (CPL) should you wish to pursue a career as a pilot.

The Centre has been operating for over 50 years and our proud history has seen us train numerous pilots. Some enjoy the exciting experience of flying recreationally, while many former students are now pilots with airlines such as Qantas, Jetstar and Cathay Pacific. Others have gone on to successful careers in aviation such as air traffic controllers, aircraft engineers and more. They all achieved their goals through the Scouts Australia NSW Air Activity Centre.

We offer Air Activities most weekends, but flying training is available seven days a week ! Like any other Scouting activity, the Centre is run by volunteers and to keep our prices very competitive we require that you assist at the Centre whenever you can. If you wish to access discounted Air Activity Centre member rates you need to actively and regularly volunteer at the Centre. Hence, all Scout pilots must become members of the Air Activity Centre and help out a minimum of twice per term, working closely with other pilots during Activity Days to introduce youth members to aviation.

It's a great way to meet other students and seasoned pilots and enjoy the aviation learning experience !

Achieving your Pilot’s Licence

Recreational Pilots
Licence (RPL)

Private Pilots
Licence (PPL)

Commercial Pilots
Licence (CPL)

This first stage is when you will learn how to fly the aircraft.
You will learn the basic manoeuvres such as climbing, descending, turning, before practicing take-offs and landings in the circuit. After flying solo in the circuit (a huge milestone !), you will learn more complex handling in the ‘training area’ (local South West Sydney area) before undertaking your Recreational Pilots Licence test. Once you hold an RPL you are able to take passengers up flying in the local area.

In this second stage you will learn to navigate outside the training area to other airports. You will learn to navigate by 'dead-reckoning' using visual ground features, elapsed time and charts aided by instruments such as GPS during the later stages of your training. During this training, you will also need to complete solo cross-country navigation flights. Adding this with the skills you learnt in the RPL stage, you will be ready to undertake your Private Pilots Licence test with a Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) approved testing officer. A PPL allows you to fly and carry passengers all over Australia.

Should you wish to pursue a career as a pilot, you will need a Commercial Pilots Licence. Training for a CPL involves further consolidation of what you learnt in your PPL training through advanced pilot training whilst also gaining more extensive flying experience in command.