VHF Rating & Equipment

As we are launching from within 10 nm of a registered airport all pilots will need the required VHF radio licence & air-band VHF radio.
Previously we had an exemption to the law CAR 166. This will no longer be the case so all pilots flying at Forbes will need a VHF radio licence and radio.

Please make sure you are licenced before the competition. This can be done with most CFI's.

International pilots

SAFA (Sports Aviation Federation of Australia) Qualifications Manual 3.14.5.1.1(1) requires Members to hold a SAFA Pilot Certificate in order to be issued a Radio Operator Endorsement. As SAFA do not currently issue VPMs with a pilot certificate but recognise their foreign authorisations SAFA are unable to issue the endorsements under our current process.

As such, SAFA is encouraging all pilots to obtain Airband Radio Operator Endorsements or Qualifications in their home or domicile country. Provided the country of issue is a Contracting State of the Chicago Convention – Convention on International Civil Aviation, they are automatically recognised. (https://www.icao.int/about-icao/member-states).

If the pilots are unable to obtain an endorsement from their home or domicile country, SAFA are supporting pilots attending competitions within Australia to facilitate the issue of a SAFA Radio Operators Endorsement.

They will need notify SAFA when signing up as a Visiting Pilot that they are competing in your competition/s and need to obtain the authorisation. SAFA will then issue them a Student Pilot Authorisation (Certificate) which will enable them to complete the online Radio Operator course, pass the theory and practical examination requirements and apply for the SAFA Radio Operator authorisation. The student authorisation will then be rescinded.

Please email us This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you would like to attend this course.

VHF Course workbooks;

CASA NOTAM

C119/14 OPERATIONAL FREQUENCY REQUIREMENTS IN LIEU OF CURRENT AIP INFORMATION REGARDING OPERATIONS AT OR IN THE VICINITY OF NON-CONTROLLED AERODROMES, PILOTS MUST USE THE FOLLOWING FREQUENCIES FOR BROADCASTS:

IN THE VICINITY OF AN AERODROME DEPICTED ON AERONAUTICAL CHARTS, WITH A DISCRETE FREQUENCY, THE DISCRETE CTAF SHOWN (INCLUDING BROADCAST AREA CTAF), OR OTHERWISE;
IN THE VICINITY OF AN AERODROME DEPICTED ON AERONAUTICAL CHARTS, WITH NO DISCRETE FREQUENCY SHOWN, THE CTAF 126.7; OR
IN ALL OTHER CASES, AREA VHF. PROCEDURES INCORPORATED IN AIP EFFECTIVE 21 AUG 2014. FROM 07 180435 TO 08 201559