CPL H Course Information

Full time CPL study with Townsville Helicopters:

Gain your CPL from scratch in approx. 6 months directly with Townsville Helicopters.

• Takes approximately 5-6 months - 4 intakes per year
• 105 hours (minimum) flight training
• All theory conducted onsite in our 13 week theory course
• Upfront starting costs of $13,990 including above theory course, book pack, induction pack & 10 hours R22 training
• Remaining flight hours paid as you go, in blocks of 10 hours flight training, in advance
• Least expensive option but no funding available

AVI50322 Diploma of Aviation (Commercial Pilot Licence – Helicopter) through TAFE Queensland (RTO 0275)

Townsville Helicopters provides training and assessment of this accredited qualification on behalf of TAFE Queensland (RTO 0275) who will award the qualification upon successful completion. 

• Same course structure as above (classes are combined) – all training through Townsville Helicopters
• Course length is 6 months full time – 4 intakes per year
• 105 hours flight training included in course
• Theory conducted onsite in our 13 week theory course
• On successful completion, students receive a Diploma of Aviation (Commercial Pilot Licence - Helicopter) and a CASA Commercial Pilot Licence and Low Level Rating
• Information about upfront costs can be found here
• Contact TAFE Queensland for enrolment guide and questions about eligibility. Please contact our Aviation Liaison Officer at [email protected] or fill out our enquiry form here and we'll have TAFE get in touch!

Part time CPL training with Townsville Helicopters:

Although full time study is recommended, we understand that is not always possible. Townsville Helicopters allows students to study at a pace that suits them.

• Start whenever you are ready
• Theory subjects can be self-studied, or; sit in class for individual subjects/ split intakes
• You have 2 years to pass all 7 exams (we recommend aiming for 12 months)
• 105 hours (minimum) flight training
• Paid as you go, in blocks of 10 hours flight training, in advance – no funding available
• Regular training recommended for continuity and to minimise chances of going over on flight training hours to reach competency

Our upcoming CPL intake dates are:

2026 intakes:

• 6th July 2026
• 28th September 2026

2027 intakes:

• 11th January 2027
• 12th April 2027
• 5th July 2027
• 27th September 2027

You can start an application for any upcoming CPL course.

These start dates are also the proposed start dates for the AVI50322 Diploma of Aviation (Commercial Pilot Licence-Helicopter) through TAFE Queensland (RTO 0275). 

Register for an Upcoming Intake

Theory courses are only available to flying students and are packaged with the first 10 hours of R22 flight training, as part of the 'Initial Course Fees'. Theory tuition is not available as a stand-alone course.

Our Course Dates for full time training are also the start date of the theory courses.

Initial course fee includes:

• 13 weeks full time theory tuition covering 7 CPL subjects
• CPL book & training materials pack
• Townsville Helicopters Law reference materials
• Flight Training Induction Pack
• 10 hours R22 flight training
• 50% discount on CPL flight examiner fee
• 1 resit of each CPL theory class (if required)

• Cost: $13,990 (incl. GST on training materials only)

Please request a copy of our Schedule of Fees for full details and hourly rates for flight training.

If you can't attend full time, students can also split these subjects over a few intakes, or join us for individual subjects (first individual subject also packaged with 10 hours R22 training).

CPL Subjects:

• Human Factors
• Aerodynamics
• Aircraft General Knowledge
• Meteorology
• Air Law
• Navigation
• Operations & Performance

Townsville Helicopters uses specific text books and flight training materials for our CPL course. 

TAFE students - please click here for details about supplied textbooks/ out-of-pocket costs.

For direct enrolments, these packs can be purchased through Townsville Helicopters as below:

CPL Theory Course students - these packs are included in the Initial Course Fees and don't need to be purchased separately.

For all other students, these packs can be purchased from us online. 

• CPL text book pack: $2,850
• Flight Training Induction pack: $350

These will need to be organised and paid for at least 1 month out from your course start date.

Textbook packs can be purchased online through our store and can be paid by credit card or bank transfer.

Click here to visit the store

There are weight restrictions on the following aircraft. You will not be able to train in an aircraft type if you are above the maximum weight. Details on our fleet can be found in the attached course guide.

• R22: 109kg
• R44: 136kg

The following prerequisites are documents you are required by CASA to hold in order to obtain an Australian Commercial Pilot Licence. You will need to obtain (or be in the process of obtaining) these before your course begins:

1. Aviation Reference Number (ARN)
2. Class 1 Aviation Medical
3. Aviation Security ID Card (ASIC)

You will need a myCASA portal login and ARN before you can start your other applications. We highly recommend starting these processes around 3-4 months out from the course start date to allow enough time for everything to be finalised.

The processing time for the Class 1 Medical in particular is very prolonged. 

For late enrolments: please note that we can accept enrolments while these are still in process.

A full step-by-step guide will be provided once you have decided to proceed with an enrolment.

Would you like to experience flying before you start a course? Townsville Helicopters conducts Trial Introductory Flights (TIF) where you get to fly the helicopter. This also gives you an opportunity to see our facilities and chat to an instructor about the course. 

BOOK TIF HERE

Pricing and payment options for the course depend on which course type you choose:

AVI50322 Diploma of Aviation (Commercial Pilot Licence - Helicopter) through TAFE Queensland

• Click here for direct pricing and payment information directly from TAFE Queensland (RTO 0275)

CPL training directly through Townsville Helicopters

• Costs are the same for full time or part time training
• Please get in touch to discuss prices for different aircraft options
• Course costs start at approx. $74,300 (including min 105 hours in an R22 helicopter, theory course and CPL & LL flight test attempt)
• Initial upfront cost is $13,990 for tuition, materials & first 10 hours R22 training
• Remaining flight training is paid as you go, in blocks of 10 hours flight training, in advance

Once you confirm which course type & aircraft type/s you are interested in and we can provide detailed pricing information.

Townsville Helicopters are not directly involved in organising student accommodation but are happy to pass on details of providers to students.

Most students organise their own rental properties close to the city for the duration of their course. We have a couple of real estate contacts we'd recommend starting with - we'll provide details once your application has commenced. 

We also have a Facebook group set up where enrolled students can reach out if they have a room available or are looking for someone to share with for the duration of the course. We will provide you with a link for this once you have started the enrolment process.

Get to know us a bit better and keep up to date on the latest news and reminders of upcoming courses on social media:

Facebook  Instagram

If you have decided on a timeframe or specific intake that you are interested in, please let us know and we'll make sure to contact you at the right time to start getting organised.

Just looking for now? We'll send occasional course reminders and invitations to open days etc to keep you in the loop.