Any pilots here? learning to fly

[Jackman]

Might try flight school single engine Cessna for recreational pilots license, how hard can it be? Always wanted to learn to fly finally at 50 I'am going for it, it starts with a one hour intro just to get a feel and then unless I change my mind it a 65 hour course.

[Marlin T]

Now this is some fantastic news, congrats.

The only thing that I can afford to fly is my flight simulator. (FSX)
Even that can be quite expensive.

[jack404]

i've done part of both fixed wing and rotary , but health stopped me going further ( costs too), but i did the ultra lights and nav courses so can fly ultralghts here

fly my first one from just north of adelaide to emu plains west of sydney caught the train to town, partied some and caught the train back and fly home ( 6 stops each way for fuel )

suss out affordaplane ... i'm about 1/3rd the way through building it now ..

[Bobitis]

Very cool, and good luck.

I did a couple years of college in pre-engineering. Heavy in math, science, physics, etc. I decided I needed a break, and took a course in aviation. It went right over my head (no pun intended).

[bamajoey]

I got my licence in 1975 when you could rent a Cessna 150 or 152 for $14 an hour solo or $21 dual. I quit 15 years later when it got too expensive.

Jackman, what does it cost now?

[Jackman]

Getting ahead of myself the cost may screw the whole idea, but I am doing the one hour intro , its a 1/2 hour preflight and a 1/2 hour flight were I get a little control time, cost is 95 dollars. The 65 hour course with a C-152 is just under 10,000 , got to run the cost through my head a bit to decide if this is a go or no go...


Aircraft Hourly Rental Rate
C-152, $97/hr
C-172, $112/hr
C-172 IFR (G430 equip.), $125/hr
Instructor / Pilot Rate: $47/hr

[jack404]

thats cheap compared to here

[jack404]

$28,000 for basic pilots, another $26,000 for commercial and that was almost 4 years ago

thats here in Oz..

[Jackman]

It gets even cheaper with the recreation pilots license that limits you to day time flights with in a fifty mile radius of the air strip.

Probly go even cheaper than that with the ultra lights but I an't got the guts for those bad boyz

[dons2346]

Got my license in '72 when I rented a C-150 for 7-13 bux an hour. Instructor was 7 bux. It took me 37 hours for the private ticket. Got my commercial in '75, instrument in '76, and commercial free balloon in '82.

I flew commercial balloon rides until '86 until the insurance rates went out of sight as in from 900/yr to 5,000/yr

At the prices you quoted, I wouldn't do it unless I could figure out a way to use the aircraft in business and then if I could fly a couple of hundred hours or more a year. Anything less just makes you dangerous.

[millwright]

Originally Posted by Jackman

Might try flight school single engine Cessna for recreational pilots license, how hard can it be? Always wanted to learn to fly finally at 50 I'am going for it, it starts with a one hour intro just to get a feel and then unless I change my mind it a 65 hour course.

I'd be extremly interested in how the program goes these days ! The 65 hours isn't IMO too far "off" for a private license ! A lot depends upon your air work, and later, navigational ability !

Just a suggestion that served me in good stead. Fly everything you can get seat time in ! Learning to fly "aeroplanes" is far more important than learning to fly just one type/mfg ! Flying is a dynamic/analog experience involving pilot and environmental inputs to a machine governed by aerodydnamic laws ! Its in the interplay of these where "piloting" comes into play !

IAC, let me know how you're progressing ! I might be able to offer a hint or two on the flying aspects ! >MW

[flyingtiger85]

What airports are you going to fly out of.The L.A basin or something similar would be scary with a recreation pilot license.It's mostly IFR flying with the smog.You don't get safe or competent until you have 80 or 100 hours or so.The flying,landing and takeing off is not to hard.Most people have difficulties with radio communication and navigation.The math is just basic math,nothing hard.Have enough money ready to fly at least once or twice a week at first not once every two weeks until you start getting the hang of things.

[bamajoey]

Originally Posted by dons2346

Got my license in '72 when I rented a C-150 for 7-13 bux an hour. Instructor was 7 bux. It took me 37 hours for the private ticket. Got my commercial in '75, instrument in '76, and commercial free balloon in '82.

I flew commercial balloon rides until '86 until the insurance rates went out of sight as in from 900/yr to 5,000/yr

At the prices you quoted, I wouldn't do it unless I could figure out a way to use the aircraft in business and then if I could fly a couple of hundred hours or more a year. Anything less just makes you dangerous.

That is another reason I quit, along with the fact that I live in one of the most congested military flight training areas in the U.S. Navy youngsters learning to fly love to "buzz" civilian aircraft.