AvSkills | Practical Aviation Training

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The prime objective of AvSkills is to make aviation safer, and to give you more confidence in the air, because an "unconfident" pilot is an unsafe pilot. We can teach what you need to know to be a safer, more confident pilot.

Often this is simply a case of knowing your personal limitations, however many pilots have a false idea of their own limitations. For many, their limits are too conservative. That may mean not venturing far from the local airfield, or even getting out of the circuit. A little dedicated "real world" training will teach you how to get out there, and do it safely. For others, their limits are too wide, and not aligned with their own personal skill level.

While a lot of our flying is into different and challenging places, we are actually big chickens when it comes to pushing our limits. Often this means staying on the ground when the conditions aren't suitable, and at other times it means staying in the air (and not landing) when we are not comfortable with a landing site, or the conditions. The trick is knowing your limits, and sticking to them.

We believe that the best way to offer maximum benefit from our courses is by providing dedicated one on one training. We also believe that you can't achieve much in an hour or two, but an extended period of training, including both ground work, and actual flying is needed. For these reasons, we only accept one student at a time, and the minimum course length is one day. Most of our courses are actually tailored around two days, with one or two overnights built in to enhance the experience.

All of our courses include detailed and quality ground instruction time, and we are able to "mix and match" any subjects to offer a tailored package to suit your specific requirements and needs.

Typical subjects covered on a 2 day course include:

Mountain flying techniques including operations in confined spaces, saddle crossing and reversal turns.

Airstrip operations including risk management, low level circuits and dumb bell turns, correct approach profiles, correct takeoff techniques, operation on rough surfaces including river and beach operations, correct use of flap in varying situations, tailwind takeoffs & landings, sloping strips, one way strip operations including correct decision making points, knowledge of effect of wind/slope/elevation/temperature/weight on takeoff and landing, dealing with livestock including associated hazards and correct clearing technique.

Bad weather flying - reduced visibility/avoiding turbulence. Stall awareness.

Dangers and hazards when operating low level including wires and associated checks required.

Knowing the aircraft's limitations, and feeling confident operating at correct airspeed and attitude.

Risk management in various situation, including weather/mechanical/operational/mechanical failures, and dealing with aircraft defects.

Practical briefings before and during flight and importance of knowledge of emergency procedures for each aircraft and situation.

General airmanship techniques. Practical knowledge of aircraft checks, systems, speeds, lookout, over controlling, ground handling, flying in trim, knowing what is actually important and what is not.