Any private pilots here?

[Petorius]

Just got an email that my company will be subsidizing flight instruction for employees (we are in A&D). Looks like it will work out to ~$6K to get a pilot's license. Recreational rental of the aircraft will also be subsidized, for a cheaper rate than I would have expected. Realistically I will never own my own plane.

Anyone know what this normally costs? Worth doing? My concern is that I will put a bunch of time and money in, then never actually fly because it isn't all that exciting.

[e30addict]

Flying is awesome and aerobatics in particular are quite the adrenaline rush. I hold an ATP and flew commercially for a little bit. There are very few things in the world that compare to what you can experience in aviation.

If it's something you can afford I highly recommend it. Learning to fly is time consuming and does take considerable effort on your part, but the reward is definitely worth it if you can afford it.

I'd suggest taking an intro flight to see if it's something you want to do. Most flight schools offer a quick taste for relatively short money.

[rolker]

I say go for it and give it a try! I got my glider and private pilots license for free through the Air Cadets in Canada and really enjoyed it. Now, I can't afford more than one expensive hobby so I haven't flown in many years.

I wouldn't say flying isn't as exciting as motorcycle racing, but it is something you should at least try. Do a few lessons to get a feel for it before you commit to getting the license.

[Petorius]

I may have done the math wrong too, the $6K figure was assuming that I would need the plane and an instructor for every hour of training. After re-reading, that is probably not a good assumption, with some classroom hours and some solo flying hours. They are offering 90 minute intro lessons, so I will probably do that and see how it goes.

[OreoGaborio]

Do it. Definitely do it (assuming you can afford it)

I flew extensively in my college days (I was in the Professional Pilot program at Daniel Webster for 3 years). I haven't flown since but I fucking miss it so bad.

Was talking to Jackie last night about that and what it would cost to get re-current....

[AEG]

I believe you must maintain a certain amount of hours to keep the license active. At least it is what I was told some time ago.
There is nothing in this world as exiting as flying.

[OreoGaborio]

Not to take this too far off topic, but once you've got your Private Pilot cert you're certified for life.

I just did a quick google & found this:

How do I renew my pilot's license? | Ask a Flight Instructor

Cliff's notes: Someone in my position would have to get a new 3rd class medical, do (at minimum) an hour of ground & an hour of flight training with a CFI & do a Biennial Flight Review, then apply for a new plastic pilot certificate (I have an old paper one).

[e30addict]

I believe you must maintain a certain amount of hours to keep the license active. At least it is what I was told some time ago.
There is nothing in this world as exiting as flying.

The license does not expire. You do need to have done a certain number of take off/landings during the day/night to maintain currency order to carry passengers. You also need a biennial review with a flight instructor that is a minimum of two hours.

If you have not flown in years, like Oreo and myself, we can become current again by flying with an instructor until we can demonstrate proficiency. There is no additional testing required.

This is just at the private level. Once you add instrument and commercial flying these of course change.

[Tricky Mike]

Not sure where this stands on the price spectrum, but for an idea of how the costs stack up:

Private Pilot Training | East Coast Aero Club

I'll get around to doing it one day...

[number9]

Rotary wing > fixed wing

HTH

[OreoGaborio]

Helicopters don't fly... they're just so damn ugly & shake so much that the earth rejects them.

[Petorius]

Rotary wing > fixed wing

HTH

Why do you say that?

[Petorius]

Not sure where this stands on the price spectrum, but for an idea of how the costs stack up:

Private Pilot Training | East Coast Aero Club

I'll get around to doing it one day...

The company we are using estimates $12K for the average student on its website, plus $2K for the fancier plane that we will be using. So I'm thinking we are getting a pretty good deal.

[e30addict]

Rotary wing > fixed wing

HTH

Beating the air into submission is not flying

[OreoGaborio]

The company we are using estimates $12K for the average student on its website, plus $2K for the fancier plane that we will be using. So I'm thinking we are getting a pretty good deal.

Is your company hiring? Cuz I'm looking

[TheIglu]

I stopped racing and almost immediately started to get my private pilots license. I passed my checkride first try with "flying" (heh) colors.


Racing is cheaper. A lot cheaper. And more bang for the buck.

I got mine at the bare min 40 hours. Most people don't. Most take 50-60 hours. Being a rider already, I'd wager you'd get yours in the lower time frame too.

$10k-$15k is a reasonable expectation of price.

It will suck up every weekend. You won't have a lot of time for much else like riding. All good weather days will have your neck sore from looking up at the sky going "hmmm, good day for flying today".

If you take it slow, it'll take more hours. If you bang it out hard and hit the books/lessons hard, it'll be cheaper in the long run.

Flying: If it is exciting, you are doing it wrong. Very wrong. It should be boring. If it is exciting (you know, beyond the "hey cool I'm flying!") then you need to talk with an instructor. This is basic flying, not aero or racing or scud running. Like the old saying, "There are brave pilots, and there are old pilots." If things are exciting, you are either mentally falling behind (same as either a boring fast lap on the track or a lap where you feel rushed but it ends up being slow) or you are taking chances.

A lot of mental training from proficient motorcycling (street riding, not racing) crosses over into flying. I found it easy to switch over. It's also a lot of feel/hand-eye. Some people just will never succeed at it. Some find it easy. It's typically a good chance that someone really into riding will have an easier time with the hand/eye/spatial than a non-rider.

What plane? I'm going to guess the standard plane is a 152 and the "better" plane is a 172. It isn't better. It's just bigger. If you are 160lbs+, you really don't have the option of using the 152 unless you instructor is 100lbs. My shoulder was touching the door and other shoulder was touching my instructors shoulder the entire time in the 152. But the 172 will use more fuel.

Find out the actual rates for the plane rental and instructor hourly rate. Those two should be not one number. You'll typically spend 3 hours of instruction for every 2 hours of flight lessons. And lessons really should never go past 2 hours in the air. Beyond that, you won't absorb enough. Also, is the rental rate for the plane "wet" or "dry", meaning fuel included or not. That makes a big difference.

What company is it?

Get the actual rates for instructor, plane (wet or dry) and any other fees. Post them up. I'll tell you if it's a good deal or not.

[scubasteveRR]

Beating the air into submission is not flying

hahahahahahahahaahahah too funny

[e30addict]

hahahahahahahahaahahah too funny

You'll find a lot of ribbing between fixed and rotary wing types.

I'll admit going through Boston at 300' in a helicopter is a trip compared to 1,000' in an airplane, but I'll pass on the 1500fpm autorotation when the engine goes.

Wait, are we losing power? Shit. Need to autorotate like right this seco......splat.

[Petorius]

What plane? I'm going to guess the standard plane is a 152 and the "better" plane is a 172. It isn't better. It's just bigger. If you are 160lbs+, you really don't have the option of using the 152 unless you instructor is 100lbs. My shoulder was touching the door and other shoulder was touching my instructors shoulder the entire time in the 152. But the 172 will use more fuel.

Find out the actual rates for the plane rental and instructor hourly rate. Those two should be not one number. You'll typically spend 3 hours of instruction for every 2 hours of flight lessons. And lessons really should never go past 2 hours in the air. Beyond that, you won't absorb enough. Also, is the rental rate for the plane "wet" or "dry", meaning fuel included or not. That makes a big difference.

What company is it?

Get the actual rates for instructor, plane (wet or dry) and any other fees. Post them up. I'll tell you if it's a good deal or not.

Yup, it will be in a 172. $66/hr for the plane, $40/hr for the instructor. They estimate 57 hours total. $82/hr for recreational rentals to licensed pilots. Not sure about fuel, but I suspect that it is included in the instructional rate and possibly not in the recreational rate. I won't say the company just yet, because I'm not sure if there are any privacy implications, but I'll ask about it when we do an open house event sometime soon.

[e30addict]

Yup, it will be in a 172. $66/hr for the plane, $40/hr for the instructor. They estimate 57 hours total. $82/hr for recreational rentals to licensed pilots. Not sure about fuel, but I suspect that it is included in the instructional rate and possibly not in the recreational rate. I won't say the company just yet, because I'm not sure if there are any privacy implications, but I'll ask about it when we do an open house event sometime soon.

Fuel is typically included in the aircraft rate if rented wet. The instructor is the instructor.

Interesting that their are two different aircraft rental rates between training and licensed.

[curiouser]

~$6k sounds like a steal (basically half price), especially if you do it at a slow/steady pace and don't try to cram. Take an intro flight and see how you like it. I'm only a student pilot currently and am enjoying the challenge of the training, so I'd classify flying as "rewarding" rather than "exciting", if that makes sense.

To comment more on the "take it slow" vs "bang it out" methodology (if you decide to proceed), you would do well to find your personal balance. I think I'd progress much quicker if I were flying 2x per week, but with my work schedule and inability to plan far ahead, I'm averaging one lesson every 7-10 days. At this pace, it's more difficult for me to stay in the groove and correct deficiencies from previous lessons, but YMMV. My CFI is a grad of Daniel Webster College aviation program and he said that they used to fly 2-3 times per week, so that's probably close to optimal for most students.

One thing I'll add is that you should try to do a couple lessons with different CFIs initially. Every instructor has their own style, and you should find one that best fits your learning preferences, not just who has the most hours / certifications.

[e30addict]

To comment more on the "take it slow" vs "bang it out" methodology (if you decide to proceed), you would do well to find your personal balance. I think I'd progress much quicker if I were flying 2x per week, but with my work schedule and inability to plan far ahead, I'm averaging one lesson every 7-10 days. At this pace, it's more difficult for me to stay in the groove and correct deficiencies from previous lessons, but YMMV. My CFI is a grad of Daniel Webster College aviation program and he said that they used to fly 2-3 times per week, so that's probably close to optimal for most students.
.

I've trained a lot of pilots and you're pretty typical.

2-3x per week is definitely ideal, but not realistic for most people who work. A lesson per week is the reality for most. There is so much new stuff to learn there is a lot of two steps forward/one step back when learning at that pace.

[OreoGaborio]

You'll find a lot of ribbing between fixed and rotary wing types.

I'll admit going through Boston at 300' in a helicopter is a trip compared to 1,000' in an airplane, but I'll pass on the 1500fpm autorotation when the engine goes.

Wait, are we losing power? Shit. Need to autorotate like right this seco......splat.

What's a fixed-wing pilot's check-list for your typical small fixed-wing engine failure?
Pitch for best glide,
spot best place to land,
check fuel,
check primer
check magnetos,
check mixture,
communicate emergency,
declare intentions,
etc. etc. etc.

What's a rotary wing pilot's check-list for the same aircraft?
Pitch for best glide
put on a pot coffee.

[e30addict]

Old, kinda grainy photos, but a sample of why flying rocks.

[TheIglu]

$66/hr has to be dry. Id be surprised otherwise.