Less-Restrictive Laws Open Aussie Skies Once Again

by ANN Correspondent Pete Tobin

One of the international repercussions to the tragic events of 9/11 was that American pilot certificates as well as many other nation's pilot credentials were no longer openly accepted across different national borders.

Aeronautical laws were being rewritten on all points of the compass... and one country which grew becoming increasing closed to foreign pilots was Australia. Fortunately, new, less-restrictive laws went into effect on January 1st, 2006.

That was fantastic news for Clare McEwan who operates a company specializing bringing foreign pilots to Australia for "self-flying" tours of the Australian outback and coastal areas.

Canadian born McEwan's Air Safaris Tours offers multiple options in self-flying guided tours. With an Air Safaris vacation, several Cessna 172's will take off with a safe amount of separation between each aircraft and follow a single guide-plane in a loose formation all through Australia on a series of day-VFR cross-countries trips. Basically, a leisurely tour of the land down-under, with you as pilot in command. At the destinations where there is a lot to see and do, customers will stay for a couple of days. Less interesting destinations tend to require shorter stops.

"This is not about getting around the country as fast as possible," said Air Safaris' McEwan. "This is a sight-seeing vacation with lots of flying."

With weight & balance considerations, plus the need for two full tanks and the emergency provisions required for any trip over the outback, most planes can only carry two passengers. Arrangements can be made for twin-engine aircraft.

The only down side is that a non-Australian pilot must apply for an Aviation Identification Security Card (ASIC), which confirms that the pilot has passed a background check conducted by the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority, (CASA) and has been found to "not pose a danger to the public while in flight."

In a typically bureaucratic snafu, however, CASA will not mail the two page form required for foreign pilots to fly in Australia... to anyone outside of Australia. Of course, if you are flying with Air Safaris International the form will be included as a part of your introduction package.

The background check cost will cost $127 and can take as long as six months to complete, but will be valid at any airport in Australia for two years.

And, any passenger flying with you, while on airport grounds, must have someone with an ASIC card "in the near vicinity" or be subject to fines and penalties.

Fortunately, once you get past all that, Air Safaris International offers several packages from 11-days in which the Pilot In Command will log roughly 25 hours of P.I.C time; all the way up to a 21-day packages, earning the P.I.C. 45 hours of loggable, 172 time.

The only prerequisites are a pilot's desire for adventure and the minimum of a valid private pilot's certificate since all flights will only take place in day VFR conditions.

Air Safaris will prep you for the check-ride which is basically a biannual flight review. Upon completion of said ride, you will possess a valid Australian pilot's license.

Then, you will set out on your trip in a 172 that has been maintained under a strict CASA accepted maintenance program.

"In Australia a person can fly for an hour and a half or two hours and not hear a single sound on the radio," says Air Safaris' McEwan. "Australia is a unique continent. It has been separated from the rest of the world for 90 million years. Unique ecology. Unique human environment. Australians are very friendly people who can't do enough for you when you arrive. When you finish the tour, all you'll want to do is start it over again."

FMI: www.airsafarisint.com