Sydney Aviation School

Terms and Conditions

These Terms and Conditions apply to bookings and services supplied by FLEC Pty Ltd trading as Sydney Aviation School (“Sydney Aviation School”, “we”, “us” or “our”).

By making a booking, purchasing a flight, commencing training or participating in one of our services, you acknowledge that you have read and accepted these Terms and Conditions.

1. Our services

Sydney Aviation School provides services including:

• Trial introductory flights;
• Flight training;
• Scenic flights;
• Flight reviews, assessments and refresher training;
• Ground instruction and briefings;
• Flight-training packages;
• Gift vouchers; and
• Related products and services.

All aviation activities are conducted subject to applicable Australian aviation laws, Civil Aviation Safety Authority requirements, operational procedures, aircraft limitations, air traffic control instructions and the authority of the pilot in command.

2. Bookings

A booking is not confirmed until Sydney Aviation School has received any required booking confirmation payment, deposit or full payment and has confirmed the booking.

Booking requests are subject to aircraft, instructor, airport and operational availability.

The customer must provide accurate contact details and notify us promptly of any relevant change. Where a booking is made for another participant, the person making the booking must provide these Terms and Conditions to that participant.

3. Prices and additional charges

Unless stated otherwise:

• Prices are in Australian dollars and include GST where applicable;
• Flight-training prices ordinarily include aircraft hire and instructor time;
• Landing fees, airways charges, examiner fees, CASA fees, medical examinations, theory examinations, textbooks, equipment and other third-party expenses are additional unless expressly included;
• Additional flight time will be charged at the applicable rate;
• Aircraft and instructor rates may vary between aircraft types; and
• Prices displayed on our website may be updated for future bookings.

The price applying to a confirmed booking will not be changed unless:

• The customer requests a change to the service;
• An additional service or charge is agreed;
• The booking confirmation identifies a variable or third-party charge; or
• The change is otherwise permitted by law.

Any card surcharge will be disclosed before payment and will not exceed the amount Sydney Aviation School is permitted to charge under applicable law.

4. Booking confirmation payments and deposits

A booking confirmation payment or deposit reserves aircraft and instructor availability.

The remaining balance must be paid at the time specified in the booking confirmation or, if no time is specified, before the flight begins.

A booking confirmation payment forms part of the total price. It is not an additional fee unless expressly identified otherwise.

5. Customer cancellations and changes

Customers must provide at least 48 hours’ notice if they wish to cancel or reschedule a booking.

Where at least 48 hours’ notice is provided, payments may be transferred to another suitable booking, subject to availability and any applicable price difference.

If a customer cancels or requests a change with less than 48 hours’ notice, fails to attend, or arrives too late for the service to be reasonably conducted, Sydney Aviation School may retain the booking confirmation payment and may charge a reasonable cancellation fee of up to the value of the booked service. This reflects the aircraft, instructor and operating capacity reserved for the customer.

A cancellation fee will not be charged where prohibited by law. We may waive or reduce a cancellation fee in exceptional circumstances at our reasonable discretion.

Change-of-mind refunds are not ordinarily provided.

6. Weather and operational cancellations

Flying is dependent on weather, aircraft serviceability, airspace availability, airport conditions, pilot discretion and other operational factors.

Sydney Aviation School may delay, modify, reschedule or cancel a flight where we reasonably consider this necessary for safety, regulatory or operational reasons. Safety decisions made by the pilot in command are final.

Where we cancel or materially shorten a service before it is supplied:

• The customer may reschedule without a rebooking fee; or
• The amount paid for the part not supplied will remain as a credit.

If Sydney Aviation School cannot provide the service within a reasonable time, the customer may request any remedy to which they are entitled under the Australian Consumer Law.

We are not responsible for a customer’s travel, accommodation, transport or other incidental expenses resulting from a delay, cancellation or rescheduling, except to the extent required by law. Customers travelling from interstate or overseas should avoid relying on a single weather-dependent flying date.

7. Arrival times and delays

Customers must arrive at the time stated in their booking confirmation.

The scheduled booking time may include check-in, safety briefings, pre-flight preparation, aircraft inspections and post-flight procedures. Flight duration and total booking duration are not necessarily the same.

Late arrival may result in a shorter flight or cancellation. If the full booked service cannot be delivered because the customer arrived late, the original booking charge may still apply.

Aviation operations sometimes experience unavoidable delays. We will make reasonable efforts to advise customers of significant delays, but departure and completion times cannot be guaranteed.

8. Participant requirements

Before flying, participants may be required to:

• Provide photographic identification;
• Complete required enrolment, medical, safety or passenger documentation;
• Provide accurate information about their age, weight, health and relevant aviation experience;
• Wear suitable clothing and enclosed footwear;
• Comply with security and airside-access requirements; and
• Follow all reasonable instructions from Sydney Aviation School personnel.

Participants must not attend while affected by alcohol, recreational drugs, medication that may impair safe participation, illness, fatigue or any other condition that may create a safety risk.

Smoking and vaping are prohibited in or near aircraft and in restricted airside areas.

9. Health and fitness to fly

Participants must tell us before the flight about any medical condition, injury, disability, pregnancy, medication or other circumstance that could reasonably affect their ability to participate safely.

Sydney Aviation School may refuse or discontinue participation where an instructor or pilot reasonably believes that a participant is not fit to fly or that participation would create an unacceptable safety risk.

Flight-training students are responsible for obtaining and maintaining any medical certificate, medical self-declaration or other qualification required for the privileges they intend to exercise.

Acceptance for an introductory or dual training flight does not confirm that a person meets the medical requirements for solo flight, a flight test or the issue of a pilot licence.

10. Age and minors

Age requirements prescribed by aviation law apply to solo flight, flight tests and pilot licences.

A participant under 18 years of age must have permission from a parent or legal guardian. We may require the parent or guardian to complete and sign relevant documentation.

A parent or guardian making a booking for a minor agrees to these Terms and Conditions on their own behalf and confirms that the minor has been informed of the relevant safety instructions.

11. Passenger weight and aircraft limitations

Customers must provide accurate passenger weights when requested.

Participation is subject to aircraft weight-and-balance limits, seat limitations and operational requirements. We may change the aircraft, adjust passenger arrangements, shorten or reschedule a flight if required to operate safely and legally.

If a booking cannot proceed because materially inaccurate information was provided, the booking may be treated as a late customer cancellation.

12. Flight training

Flight training is competency-based. Minimum aeronautical experience requirements do not guarantee that a student will be ready for solo flight, a licence or a flight test after completing the minimum number of hours or a particular package.

Progress depends on factors including:

• Student competency and preparation;
• Training frequency and continuity;
• Weather and aircraft availability;
• Theory knowledge;
• Medical and English-language requirements; and
• The instructor’s assessment of safety and competence.

Sydney Aviation School does not guarantee that a student will achieve a particular licence, endorsement, qualification, solo flight or employment outcome.

The instructor determines the content and duration of each lesson according to the syllabus, conditions and the student’s progress.

13. Solo flight and flight tests

Permission to conduct a solo flight is granted only when an authorised instructor is satisfied that the student meets all applicable legal, medical, knowledge, recency and competency requirements.

An instructor may withhold or withdraw a solo authorisation where reasonably necessary for safety or compliance.

Flight tests are conducted by appropriately authorised examiners. Examiners act independently, and Sydney Aviation School cannot guarantee a successful flight-test result.

Examiner, CASA, airport and other third-party charges are payable separately unless expressly included.

14. Training packages and account credit

Where a customer purchases a training package:

• The package includes only the services expressly stated in the written offer or booking confirmation;
• Additional flying required to reach competency is charged separately;
• External charges are excluded unless expressly included;
• Package value is not transferable between customers without our written approval;
• Any approved transfer may be subject to aircraft availability and differences in current rates; and
• Used portions of a package will be calculated using the terms disclosed at the time of purchase.

Any refund or cancellation of an unused package will be considered in accordance with the package terms, services already supplied, reasonable costs incurred and the customer’s rights under the Australian Consumer Law.

15. Trial introductory and scenic flights

A trial introductory flight is an introductory flying lesson and may be entered in a pilot logbook where the flight meets the applicable requirements.

The discounted introductory rate applies only to the qualifying first lesson unless otherwise stated. Further flight training is charged at the applicable standard rate.

Scenic routes, destinations and access to controlled airspace—including Sydney Harbour—are subject to weather, air traffic control clearance, aircraft performance and pilot discretion. A particular route, landmark, altitude or clearance cannot be guaranteed.

16. Aircraft and instructor changes

Sydney Aviation School may substitute an aircraft or instructor where reasonably necessary.

If the substitute aircraft has a different price, we will disclose the difference and obtain the customer’s agreement before charging any additional amount.

If no suitable substitute is available, the booking will be handled under the weather and operational cancellation provisions above.

17. Conduct and safety

Customers and accompanying visitors must:

• Follow all instructions from instructors, pilots, airport personnel and Sydney Aviation School staff;
• Remain within authorised areas;
• Wear high-visibility clothing when instructed;
• Avoid distracting the pilot or interfering with aircraft controls or equipment;
• Treat staff, students and other customers respectfully; and
• Comply with airport security and safety rules.

Sydney Aviation School may refuse or terminate a service without completing the flight where a person behaves dangerously, abusively, unlawfully or contrary to safety instructions.

Where termination results from the customer’s conduct, amounts already paid may be retained to cover services supplied and reasonable costs incurred.

18. Cameras and personal belongings

Cameras and recording equipment may only be carried or mounted with prior approval from the pilot or instructor.

Approved equipment must be securely mounted before flight and must not obstruct controls, instruments, exits or visibility. Equipment must not be adjusted during flight unless authorised.

The pilot may require any equipment to be removed or switched off.

Customers are responsible for their personal belongings. Sydney Aviation School is not responsible for loss or damage to personal property except where caused by our failure to exercise reasonable care or where liability cannot lawfully be excluded.

19. Photographs and recordings

Sydney Aviation School will obtain consent before using an identifiable customer’s photograph, video or voice for advertising or promotional purposes.

Customers must obtain permission before publishing recordings that identify instructors, other customers or private communications.

Recordings must not be used in a misleading way or represented as official instructional material without our written permission.

20. Gift vouchers

Gift vouchers are subject to availability and any conditions displayed when purchased.

Gift vouchers purchased in Australia will remain valid for at least the minimum period required by law. Unless an exception applies, this is at least three years from the date of purchase.

Gift vouchers are not redeemable for cash except where required by law. If prices increase before redemption, the voucher holder may be required to pay the difference between the voucher value and the current price of the selected service.

21. Aviation risks

Participants acknowledge that aviation involves inherent risks, including risks arising from weather, turbulence, aircraft movement, airport operations and the actions of other airspace users.

These Terms do not require a participant to accept risks created by unlawful, reckless or negligent conduct, and do not exclude any liability that cannot lawfully be excluded.

Participants must follow safety instructions and immediately tell the pilot or instructor if they do not understand an instruction or feel unable to continue safely.

22. Limitation of liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Sydney Aviation School is not liable for indirect or consequential loss that was not reasonably foreseeable, or for loss caused by matters outside our reasonable control.

Nothing in these Terms excludes, restricts or modifies:

• The Australian Consumer Law;
• Any applicable consumer guarantee;
• Liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited; or
• Any right or remedy that cannot lawfully be excluded.

23. Australian Consumer Law

Our services come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law.

For a major failure with a service, customers may be entitled to cancel the service contract and receive a refund for the unused portion or compensation for its reduced value. Customers may also be entitled to compensation for other reasonably foreseeable loss or damage.

If a failure is not major, customers may be entitled to have the problem rectified within a reasonable time. If this is not done, they may be entitled to cancel the contract and receive a refund for the unused portion.

24. Privacy

Sydney Aviation School may collect personal information reasonably required to manage bookings, provide training, maintain aviation records, communicate with customers, process payments and comply with legal and safety obligations.

Information may be provided to CASA, flight examiners, medical or emergency personnel, airport authorities, service providers or other parties where reasonably necessary or required by law.

Payment-card information may be processed by third-party payment providers and is subject to their privacy and security arrangements.

Further information about how we handle personal information should be set out in our Privacy Policy.

25. Website use and intellectual property

Website content is provided for general information and may be changed without notice.

All website text, branding, photographs, training materials and other content owned by Sydney Aviation School must not be reproduced or commercially used without written permission, except where permitted by law.

Website information is not a substitute for official aviation publications, legislation, aircraft documentation or instruction from an authorised flight instructor.

26. Complaints and disputes

Customers should raise concerns with Sydney Aviation School as soon as reasonably possible so that we have an opportunity to investigate and resolve the matter.

Complaints may be submitted using the contact details below. We will respond within a reasonable time.

If a dispute cannot be resolved directly, either party may pursue any rights available through NSW Fair Trading, the Australian Consumer Law or a court or tribunal with jurisdiction.

27. Changes to these Terms

We may update these Terms and Conditions from time to time.

Updated Terms will apply to bookings made after the updated version is published. Changes will not retrospectively alter a confirmed booking unless agreed by the customer or required by law.

28. Governing law

These Terms are governed by the laws of New South Wales, Australia. The parties submit to the jurisdiction of the courts and tribunals of New South Wales.

29. Contact details

FLEC Pty Ltd trading as Sydney Aviation School
Aerodrome Road
Cobbitty NSW 2570, Camden Airport

Telephone: 0406 983 920