Private Pilot Licence Australia 2026: Requirements and Hours

What a PPL doesn’t cover

Flying for work. That takes a commercial pilot licence (CPL), which covers commercial operations as well as private ones.

For an aeroplane PPL, basic instrument flying is part of the training.

See the CPL →

What are the private pilot licence requirements in Australia?

CASA lists these steps:

Train with a Part 141 or Part 142 flight training operator.
Pass the PPL theory exam, the PPLA.
Meet Aviation English Language Proficiency (AELP) at level 4, 5 or 6.
Complete the minimum flying experience.
Pass the PPL flight test, set out in schedule 2 of the Part 61 Manual of Standards (MOS).
Apply for an aviation security status check, then apply to CASA through myCASA.

You also need to be at least 17 and hold a medical certificate, which the licence steps page compares. You sit AELP level 6 only once. At level 4 or 5, you sit the assessment again after 3 or 6 years.

See the licence steps →

How many hours do you need for a PPL?

These are CASA’s minimums for an aeroplane PPL, on an integrated or a non-integrated course:

Experience	Integrated	Non‑integrated
Aeronautical experience	35	40
Flight time as pilot	30	35
Solo flight time	10	10
Solo cross-country	5	5
Dual instrument time	2	2
Dual instrument flight time	1	1

Up to 5 hours of the total can be in a simulator, and at least 20 hours of the flight time must be in an aeroplane. The solo cross-country time includes a flight of at least 150 nautical miles, with full-stop landings at two aerodromes outside the training area.

Compare the two courses →