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The CASA licence authorizing a pilot to be paid for flying, sitting between the PPL and ATPL in Australia's Part 61 licensing structure.
The Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) is the CASA licence, issued under CASR Part 61, that authorizes a pilot to act as pilot in command or co-pilot of an aircraft for hire or reward — the licence a career pilot needs to be legally paid for flying. It sits above the PPL (Private Pilot Licence), which does not permit commercial remuneration, and below the ATPL, which is required to captain the largest air transport operations.
A CPL candidate must meet minimum flight hour requirements, hold at least a Class 1 medical certificate, and pass a broader and deeper set of CASA theory exams than the PPL — covering subjects such as Aerodynamics, Meteorology, Navigation, Performance, Air Law, and Human Factors, each tied to its own MOS Schedule 3 units.
A CPL alone does not qualify a pilot for every kind of paid flying; specific ratings (such as a multi-engine or instrument rating) and endorsements are layered on top of the base licence depending on the operation.
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