Recreational Pilots: Help me decide! (Was it worth it?) [Vanity]

Myself

[Dan Nunn]

Please help me decide whether it's right for me or not. Thank you!

[AntiKev]

If you’re worried about cost, fly more often. It’s counter intuitive but if you fly more often you’ll spend less time each lesson reviewing what you did the last time and more time building skills and learning new material.

If you have any more specific questions, feel free to Freepmail me.

PS: PPL (Working on CPL) and Glider Instructor (Canadian)

Cheers!

[Vaquero]

I just want to learn how to fly....not land

Achhhh-Med-Tou-El-Hed.

[piperpilot]

Get out your pocketbook/wallet. Back in the early '90s when I was working on my private pilot license, I was flying twice a week to get in all my practice and license requirements. It was $125/engine hour back then.

Then came the husband, house and pets. I let my license lapse which is OK, because now I can't afford to fly.

[Dan Nunn]

It was $125/engine hour back then.

I think that's about what it was when I did the couple lessons I took back in 2006. The instructor was $35/hour, IIRC.

[ontap]

If you are too worried about the cost you need to do something else. I have not found a cheap way to fly. Other than jumping out of a tree.

[TheThirdRuffian]

I am a firm believer that you have to fly a lot to be a good pilot; as in, almost every day. Weekend flyers are the ones who get killed.

It has to be automatic when times get tough.

[AntiKev]

True story. It’s the fastest way to turn money into noise.

[llevrok]

Back in the 60’s I used to fly a lot. Or was that all the drugs? But I digress......

[Joan Kerrey]

So many questions, but my biggest: Are you glad you did?

---

While I’m glad I learned to fly (always wanted to as a child) I found that it was a lot of work unless you plan to just putt putt around locally and do touch and goes.

If you’re going to fly any distance, really bone up on your weather skills and consider IFR training as weather is probably the most dangerous aspect of flying. I learned in Dallas and flew around to Tulsa, New Orleans, Houston and other places but found weather issues the most challenging. I stopped flying after 5 years or so as the costs went up and finding that it’s a lot of work for any flight out of the area. I found myself several times in weather that caused me to almost panic, dodging thunderstorms, flying in fog that never seems to end and sometimes not even being able to find the airport. Instruments are better now and flying is easier but in the 70s my little plane just had two radios, no GPS and other fancy stuff that today’s planes have. Glad I did it and had some fun but I have no desire to ever get into a plane again now at 70 years of age.

[China Clipper]

Being a pilot is so much more than the expense. (Which IS substantial these days.)

My big brother is a pilot, and he tells me that the BIGGEST reason for accidents in the air is "pilot error". The reason for "pilot error" he says, is inexperience and poor decisions.

You get experieince, says he, by flying at least monthly. You decrease making "poor decisions" by getting more experience. If you keep you skills current, your heath/physical current, you will substantial decrease your chances of "pilot error".

Is it worth it? Seems so to me, it is worth every penny to stay current, IF you decide to become a pilot. Stay current, stay experienced. Learning to fly isn't like learning to ride a bicycle.

Oh, and he says to tell you to "keep your wheels up".
Dunno what that means but it sounds like good advice.

[Excellence]

Get thee to the nearest chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association. They will tell you about the Sport Pilots License. It is much less expensive than a regular license, and the privileges build up over time.

[Dan Nunn]

If you are too worried about the cost you need to do something else.

Thanks for the comments. I wouldn't say I'm too worried, I expect it to be relatively expensive. Heck, it's probably cheaper than the boating hobby I do now. I'd say in the neighborhood of $10,000 to get a license is reasonable, but I don't know about attainable.

However, I'm thinking cost post-license. Is it reasonable to spend weekends doing what I suggested, or for the cost of a plane rental, could you fly commercial?

[BillyA]

Check this guys' photography - click on his "The Earth From Above" album.

If you don't feel the passion - maybe you shouldn't take up flying.

Yann Arthus Bertrand

[HerrBlucher]

If you can afford to own an airplane, and you have time to fly a lot, then go for it. Otherwise, if you rent and you only get to fly on weekends etc, then you are best off just flying locally for kicks, and if that isn’t good enough for you do something else. Also, in either case get an instrument rating, it will really help improve your abilities and might just get you out of a pickle some day.

[ontap]

You can definitely save money flying commercial.

[pabianice]

Look into Sport Pilot. It's about half the cost of a private license and you can self-certify your health by using just a driver's license. Limits you to two-seat aircraft with specific flight characteristics. Look at Light Sport Aircraft sources. Good luck.

ATP, CFI-ASMEI

[Hulka]

Civil Air Patrol. . .way to go, either as a cadet or as a senior member. Cheap hours AND you fly for a purpose (SAR, primarily).

I started as a cadet and received my license when 17 yrs old. Never stopped flying, enjoyed the flying around the state. Fun times. Eventually became a USAF fighter pilot.

Fly for fun. Fly as often as you can.

[Dan Nunn]

Interesting, thanks for the info! It really only would be me+wife flying.

[Second Amendment First]

I worked on my license in the mid-seventies and the cost was $25/hour in a Warrior. Did some traveling with an in-law who owned a Beech Bonanza V-tail and a Baron. He owned a number of companies and could well afford it. He started in the days of open cockpits and flew into his seventies.