Newcastle Helicopters offers comprehensive flight theory courses, which take you from beginner through to commercial pilot level. Our courses are conducted in modern air-conditioned classrooms, with small class sizes to give you individual attention.

   Each client attending our courses receives a complete set of workbooks, containing training notes and revision questions. Clients are also encouraged to use our modern facility for private study, 7 days a week, with access available to a range of aviation textbooks.

   As mentioned previously, you will be supplied with workbooks for our courses. However, you will be required to have your own set of Civil Aviation publications, which include maps, charts, flight computer etc.; you can order these through Air Services Australia. Please contact the course instructor for details.

Private Theory Course

The private course comprehensively covers the Civil Aviation Safety Authority syllabus, which includes the following subjects :-

• Basic Aircraft Knowledge
• Flight rules and procedures
• Meteorology
• Aerodynamics
• Navigation
• Performance and operations
• Human Performance & Limitations

This course will take approximately 4 weeks to complete on a full time basis. It can be completed part time either weekdays, weekends or at night. It will take you from beginner to private level and on completion you may sit the private helicopter multi choice examination on our premises.

Commercial Theory Course (CPL)

The commercial theory course covers the same subjects as the private course, but in greater depth. This course will give you knowledge to an operational standard, so that you may work as a commercial helicopter pilot. After completion of the private helicopter theory the commercial course will take a further 2 weeks to complete on a full time basis. It will take you from private level to commercial level, and again this may be completed on a part time basis. On completion you may sit this multi choice examination at an exam center nearest you.

New exam format 7 subject parts

The CPL examination is a 7 subject/part examination, that is delivered by the CyberExams system rather than the single-paper examination previously used.

Some subject-part examinations will be common for both Aeroplane and Helicopters.

A candidate may attempt any of the 7 subjects, as and when desired, and must pass all subjects within 3 years (counting from the first attempt, successful or otherwise), provided the candidate has the prerequisite qualifications.

Pass marks

The pass marks for the reformatted CPL exams are 70%, except for the Flight Rules and Air Law exam where it is 80%.

Requirement for a full CPL pass credit

To be awarded a full CPL exam credit, the candidate shall pass the 7 subject-parts of the CPL examination within a three-year period, beginning from the first attempt, successful or otherwise. The candidate is advised to only attempt a CPL subject exam when he/she is fully prepared, as the time for this three year-period will be counted from the first attempt. If a candidate does not pass all seven subject-parts within the permitted time, he/she will be required to start anew again.

CPL exam structure (helicopter)

   The CPL for Helicopter will be presented as a 7 subject-part exam, with 3 subject-parts common to both aircraft category (Navigation, Meteorology and Human Factors). The subject-parts unique to aircraft category are Flight Rules & Air Law, Aerodynamics, Aircraft General Knowledge and Operation, Performance & Flight Planning.

   Details of these subject-parts and pass marks are as follows:

Subject Time + marks total Pass Mark Navigation 1.75 hours+ (40 marks total*) Pass 70% Meteorology 1.50 hours+ (40 marks total*) Pass 70% Human Factors 1.00 hours+ (30 marks total*) Pass 70% FR & Air Law* 2.00 hours+ (40 marks total*) Pass 80% Aerodynamics* 1.50 hours+ (40 marks total*) Pass 70% AGK* 1.50 hours+ (40 marks total*) Pass 70% Op, Performance & Flight Planning* 2.50 hours+ (50 marks total*) Pass 70%

+ where necessary, times indicated here may be slightly modified
x marks may be slightly adjusted; number of questions will be determined by the marks allocated to the individual question in an exam session

CPL exam codes

   The following are the CPL exam codes and their corresponding subject-parts:

CNAV - CPL Navigation (common to Aeroplane & Helicopter)
CMET - CPL Meteorology (common to Aeroplane & Helicopter)
CHUF - CPL Human Factors (common to Aeroplane & Helicopter)
CLWH - CPL Flight Rules & Air Law (Helicopter)
CADH - CPL Aerodynamics (Helicopter)
CSYH - CPL Aircraft General Knowledge (Helicopter)
CFPH - CPL Operation, Performance & Flight Planning (Helicopter)

Knowledge Deficiency Reports (KDR)

   The KDR for a CPL examination is issued with the result advice for a completed examination and lists the syllabus items the candidate has not answered correctly