Flying lessons

[dmcummins]

I am thinking that I would like to get a pilots license. It is my understanding that I can get a sports certificate for around $4000, or a pilots license for around $6000. I'm 54 and I have the time and money. I'm planning on signing up for a intro flight soon. Is there any advice here from those who have done this?

And how much does a 4 seater plane run these day's?

[crustychief]

I would get an instructor that you get along with ( you will be spending a lot of time with them ) and fly as often as you can, twice a day even. As a student you would be surprised at how fast you lose proficiency.

[Joeaksa]

Biggest thing for you is to like CC mentioned, find an older instructor and one that is not looking to get on with the airlines.

If you start out with a younger instructor, then chances are good that part way through the instruction they will leave for the airlines, then you start at square one with the instructor. Find someone who will stick with you for the entire time.

Also my minimums for something like this is to fly at least once a week, hopefully twice a week minimum. That way as CC said you do not waste your time and $$ re-learning what you have forgotten.

I would find a C-172 or the like, a four seater as they are more stable, have a bit more power and are not thrashed like most two seat Cessna C-150/152's are. No idea how much they are going for these days.

Also would try to find a smaller airport to fly out of in your area. You do not want to waste money waiting at the "hold short" line while the 11th airline in line lands. You waste money and learn nothing while doing this. If you really want to learn, find someone teaching in a taildragger type airplane. If you can land one of these, you can land anything!

Joe A

[dmcummins]

The airport that I'm planning on is small enough that today they had a car show on the taxiway and were also having a pumpkin drop. We went down for the car show and had no idea what a pumpkin drop was, until the planes started going up and the pumpkins started falling from the sky. We didn't stay around to see if anyone actually hit the target.

I'm not sure what kind of plane they are teaching in. I know for the intro flight you choose between a two seater and four seater. The four seater cost a little more.

I'm going on vacation soon and will be gone off and on till February. So I won't start till then, should I wait for warmer weather? Ive wanted to do this for years but never really had the time. I'm not working so I could go up several times a week.

[slodave]

Joe, around here, it's almost impossible to even find a 150/152. We're busy thrashing on 172's. Once those are done, we'll move to the 182's!

Around here, planes go for about $100 for a 10 hour block rate. Instructors should be about $40 an hour. Fly a lot, don't get discouraged and have fun!

Yeah, taking a break in the middle of training does set you back. I took a little time off, my solo endorsement expired and now I get to solo again. At the rate I'm going now, I should have my ticket by the end of the year. I'm cramming for my written test at the moment and just need 10 hours of solo time. Then the two finals tests.

Good luck! Watch "One Six Right"... Should still be on Hulu.com...

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by slodave

Good luck! Watch "One Six Right"... Should still be on Hulu.com...

Dave, keep going and get it done. Assume you have the written done already?

Problem with the training aircraft is that all the makers, especially Cessna totally stopped making them for almost 15 years due to the frigging lawsuits. Finally we got some legislation that allowed them to build aircraft without taking on 50 years of past history and they started making them again. That means that while there were no new airplanes built all these years the ones the flight schools had really flogged them.

~~~~~

As far as flying in Feb when you get back or not, sure, go for it. The performance of the airplane is MUCH better with colder weather and you might as well get going.

Spend the extra money for the 4 seater as you will feel more comfortable in it and its more stable. Then you can try a 2 seater later on and see which one you like the most.

As for "16 Right" get a copy of it and enjoy. Most pilot shops have it but make sure you get the right one. They sold a lot of HD versions early on that would not work on a normal machine.

Here it is on Hulu... Hulu - One Six Right - Watch the full movie now.

[slodave]

Joe, no written yet. I've been studying really hard for the written and I am using the Gleim, test prerrp software. I may go for the written in a couple weeks. Still have a couple of sections that need attention.

[Tim Hancock]

I STRONGLY agree with Joe about flying as often as possible... much easier to progress vs spreading it out over a year or more.

I do not agree about choosing a 172 four seater over a 150/152 two seater.... Nothing wrong with training in a four seater, but for initial training, I see absolutely zero reasons to pay more for a four seater if they have a two seater available.

[slodave]

Tim, it's just that they are becoming scarce and can be quite cramped with two big guys. Also, of the four flight schools I looked at around his area, only one had a 152. I only found one 152 with a quick search at my local airport as well and it's being offered at $99 an hour and a 172 at the same location is going or $108.. I'm actually flying 172's and a Warrior for $85/hr.

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by slodave

Joe, no written yet. I've been studying really hard for the written and I am using the Gleim, test prerrp software. I may go for the written in a couple weeks. Still have a couple of sections that need attention.

If you have the electronic version of the test to prep with, keep taking it until you get an 85% average after taking it several times.

Then you are ready for the real thing. Any question you do not know the answer to, move on and leave it blank as you very well may see the answer later on. Then go back and work on the questions you were not sure of or just did not know. You will pass it this way...

Joe

[dmcummins]

The posted rates at the local place is $92 for a 152 and $108 for a 172. I don't know how many are available. Instruction is $48 per hour. I plan on stopping by the first of the week to get more information.

[dmcummins]

How long does this generally take?

[Jrboulder]

I'm partial to the PA28 tribe. The 140's suck for hot and high work but a warrior or a 180/Archer are great. I started on a Cherokee 180 then switched to a series of 172's then went back to the same Cherokee I started on years ago. I saw a mid timed warrior the other day with some pretty nice avionics for like 28k. If I were new to flying today and serious about it I would buy a warrior with about 800 SMOH and some newer avionics (KX-155's come to mind) and a current IFR cert, get my private and Instrument in it and put 300 or so hours on it then sell it for about what I bought it for. Of course you will be paying tie-down, insurance, maintenance, fuel, ect but 300 hours X $100/hr = 30k, and its your plane that everything is where you left it and you know it pretty well.

Jackson

[abisel]

For all my pilot budies, here's a question to ponder. As your instructer too.

If you are flying at night straight and level at 5000 feet AGL on a 090 heading and you see the nav lights of a co-altitude aircraft in the distance directly in front of you.. You see the red light on the left and the green light on the right. What does that tell you?

[mossguy]

Originally Posted by abisel

For all my pilot budies, here's a question to ponder. As your instructer too.

If you are flying at night and you see the nav lights of an aircraft in the distance. You see the red light on your left and the green light on your right. What does that tell you?

You are too close to the water?

[abisel]

Originally Posted by dmcummins

How long does this generally take?

It depends on you and how much time you can spend doing it. I was fortunate to solo after 6 hours of dual instruction. The remainding 34 hours went pretty fast. If you can put in 2,4 or 6 hours a week, you'll be done in no time. Then it is just the written and flight exams.

You might consider a flying club to get cheaper rates on the airplane. I did so back in 1981 and the rate was $15.00 for a Cherokee 140. The club had 6 140's, 2 150's, 2 151's, a Cherokee Six, an Arrow and a Seneca.

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by dmcummins

How long does this generally take?

How much money do you have? If thats not an issue, then take the study materials with you on vacation and get the written out of the way first. A 80% or higher means an easier oral with the examiner, so study.

Then most people do it in 50 hours or so. Some less (the minimum is 40) but some even more. If you can fly every day that will help. As Dave mentioned before taking time off usually results in things taking longer.

Jackson,

Some people like Pipers and some hate them. I am in the second list as they frankly fly like a truck when compared to a Cessna. That said lots of people like the low wings for their visability.

Best for someone to fly both and see which one they like the best. I have about 800 hours in a PA-28 and still hated how they fly, but in this case the $$ they paid me to fly it made it worthwhile.

Also Jacksons comments about buying one is good. I bought a C-150 with a friend years ago, we both got our licenses then sold it for exactly what we paid for it. Then bought a Cardinal C-177 and flew it for several years and sold it for $1000 over what we paid for it. You can buy a plane, fly it for 50-100 hours while getting your license and experience then sell it and prolly come out ahead if you buy it right in the first place.

[abisel]

Originally Posted by mossguy

You are too close to the water?

Nope. Although if you were 90 degrees nose down over the water, you might see your own reflection in the water just before you died.

I should have said you were flying straight and level at 5000 feet AGL on a 090 heading and the distant aircraft is co-altitude directly in front of you.

[Embraer]

no reason you shouldnt be able to get a 100% on the written. the gleim stuff literally repeats the actual questions. if you go through it 10 times, you'll know it. i took my ATP written in about 20 minutes....just because i had already seen the questions. i scored 100's on every single written test i took. ...and i'm not that smart.

joe's offered great advice. go for the cheapest plane, fly as often as possible, and get it done.

i agree with joe on the piper/cessna debate. i learned on cherokee 180's and once i switched over to flying a 172, i was surprised at how much nicer of a plane it was to fly (and mostly land). that being said...either plane will get you to the same place.

i quit flying commercially, and i'm now a controller at an enroute center. we have this program called "operation rain check" where pilots come in on the weekends and get to learn about ATC. because of my flying background, i'm one of the guys that takes the pilots around the center and explains stuff to them. great experience for the pilots.

not sure what airport you'll be flying out of, but if it's controlled, see if you can arrange a tower visit during your training.

[Embraer]

Originally Posted by abisel

For all my pilot budies, here's a question to ponder. As your instructer too.

If you are flying at night straight and level at 5000 feet AGL on a 090 heading and you see the nav lights of a co-altitude aircraft in the distance directly in front of you.. You see the red light on the left and the green light on the right. What does that tell you?

you're following the aircraft, or (prior to you adding the additional info) there could have been two aircraft crossing in front of you, same altitude, at a 90 degree angle to you.