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Helicraft Australia

Flight Training/Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL)

Commercial Helicopter Pilot Licence (CPL)

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Book Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL)

The flight

Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) is quoted for your day. Tell us what you have in mind and we'll come back to you with a price and a date.

A rough date and time is fine. We'll confirm them with you.

Your details

In case your pilot needs to contact you about weather conditions or flight delays.

Your flight isn't locked in until you've paid and we've confirmed the flight with you. If you have any questions, please email bookings@helicraft.com.au.

Nothing is charged now. We take payment once we've agreed the details with you. Fields marked * are required. See our privacy policy for how we handle your details.

Give Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) as a gift

The voucher

Enough for Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL), or any amount from $100. A voucher can be put towards any of our flights, and the recipient picks the flight and the date.

Whole dollars, $100 minimum.

Your details

Your receipt is emailed to you.

Who it's for

Printed on the voucher.

We email the voucher here once you've paid. To give it yourself, enter your own email.

Up to 500 characters, printed on the voucher.

You'll be taken to our payment provider to pay by card. Fields marked * are required. See our privacy policy for how we handle your details.

Commercial Fire Pilot in Helicopter - Mike
Aerial flight of Scenic over Port Phillip Bay
Female flying a helicopter over the ocean with a helmet on - Kyhala.png
Helicopter putting out a fire with a belly tank over forest
Female Pilot inspecting engines under the cowels of a helicopter while photographer in harness looks on
Helicopter hovering for banner tow with female crew member waiting for pilot signal
Commercial Banner Towing Pilot flying around Sydney Harbour
Nightflying cockpit of a Robinson R44 Helicopter

Tailored CPL courses in Melbourne

A Commercial Helicopter Pilot's Licence, or CPL(H), allows you to work as a professional helicopter pilot within the aviation industry. Our training courses are tailored to each student's requirements and learning style. At completion, students are qualified commercial helicopter pilots, equipped with the knowledge and expertise to start their career and beyond.

Career opportunities with a CPL(H)

To help you get your career off to a great start, we provide our top graduates with substantial job-search mentoring and referrals to potential employers throughout Australia and internationally. We also offer on-the-job experience, internships, and the ability to privately hire one of our helicopters to gain experience (conditions apply).

Our team of flight instructors

Our friendly instructors have an extensive range of industry experience including tourism, charter, agricultural work, news, firefighting, utilities, aerial crane, survey, exploration, and search and rescue. We stay up to date with the latest training and safety practices and encourage students to do the same.

Course overview

We provide the practical training required for the CPL(H) and private or classroom tuition for the seven CPL aviation theory subjects, which are examined by CASA at an approved examination centre. 105 hours of flight training is required, with the final 30 hours completed within a 90-day period.

Course structure

Core skills: normal procedures, upper-air handling, hovering, take-off and landing, circuits, navigation.

Emergency procedures: auto-rotation, jammed flight controls, cockpit indications, aerodynamic emergencies, emergencies at low altitude.

Solo experience: circuits, training area, navigation.

Revision and advanced skills: revising core skills, emergencies, off-field landings.

Additional course requirements

Class 1 Medical Certificate: required before solo flight. Valid for one year unless advised otherwise. Apply through CASA's medical record system using your Aviation Reference Number.

English language proficiency assessment: required before solo flight, available with Helicraft or at a CASA-approved centre.

CPL theory examinations

Seven exams in total: three common to aeroplanes and helicopters (Navigation, Meteorology, Human Factors) and four helicopter-specific (Aerodynamics, Flight Rules and Air Law, Aircraft General Knowledge, Operations Performance and Planning). All seven must be completed within two years of passing your first exam. Minimum 70% pass rate, except Flight Rules and Air Law which requires 80%.

  • Aerodynamics: characteristics of aerofoils, aircraft design, aerodynamic hazards.
  • Flight Rules & Air Law: legal documents, pilot licence privileges and limitations, rules of the sky, flight planning, radio procedures, helicopter rules.
  • Navigation: flight planning process and techniques.
  • Meteorology: decoding aeronautical forecasts and applying them to flight planning.
  • Operations, Performance & Planning: aircraft limitations, performance calculations, centre of gravity, planning considerations.
  • Aircraft General Knowledge: engine operation, monitoring systems, handling and navigation instruments.
  • Human Factors: physiological and psychological limitations relevant to aviation safety.

Where can I work with a CPL?

Graduates have gone on to successful careers across commercial, industrial and government sectors, including aerial stock mustering, photography and filming, scenic flights and tourism, flight instruction, bushfire fighting, helicopter search and rescue, police air work, helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS), corporate charter, agricultural crop spraying and livestock herding, and news and television work.

Do I need previous experience?

No prior experience, tertiary education or high-school diploma is required. All knowledge is covered in the CPL course and theory exams. We do recommend starting with a Trial Introductory Flight. There is no minimum age for a TIF, but you must be at least 18 to obtain your CPL.

Course fees & requirements

  • Cadetships available (conditions apply), contact us for details
  • Flexible payment options available
  • Theory training available self-paced, as private tuition or in classroom format

What our clients and students are saying