See Thread Title.
It has always been on the to-do list. The FI got me some flight lessons for Xmas which seems like it may finally start the process.
Pretty familiar with the process, just curious about people who do and fly regularly, costs, etc.
illusion20’s father recieved his pilot’s license not too long ago and bought a plane. I’m sure he can chime in.
In because im curious too.
I’ll guess I’ll add more info.
I had always wanted to fly, originally was on track to do it in the military route but long story short, that changed but it is why I ended up with the aerospace direction in my engineering degree.
I’ve always wanted to learn. I think realistically now it would be to learn (as the primary reason) but I also think it would something I’d use on the weekends for get-aways. I have a friend that has a plane here locally, but it seems to sit most of the time.
I’m curious about peoples experience with the cost of flying, either owning (and how that has played out) or renting. I’d expect that it would make the most sense for me to end somewhere in the middle. (Owning being too expensive for the low level of flight but wanting to fly enough that renting would get awfully expensive).
I’ll probably start taking lessons next year as well. I think the small aircraft industry is going to start changing quite a bit in the coming years.
Definitely curious about the owning/using costs too.
I have my ATP certificate for Multi-Engine Land aircraft, and Commercial certificate for Single-Engine Land. I also have a Flight Instructor with CFI, CFII, and MEI ratings. Did my Private training about 10 years ago.
It’s pretty expensive to do it nowadays. What I would do is join a local flying club. That usually costs a couple hundred bucks, but your rental rates are a lot cheaper than renting from a FBO. Paying the instructor is usually the cheapest part of the whole gig. I used to charge $40/hour when I did freelance instruction. Most flying clubs will have a couple instructors in the club. Fly with a few of them, then make your decision on who you want to train you for your certificate. If you don’t get along with someone, it’s very difficult to learn from them. You can PM me if you want more specific details on anything.
Expensive, like EvilSrt said, IF you can get in with a club, do it, theres only 1 big one around here, its also expensive, but cheaper in the long run.
Out of akron, cessna 152 (2 seats, about 115mph tops) will cost about 75-80/hr after fuel and charges. Instruction is usually 40/hr. DON’T go to Bob Miller flight training, cocky SOB and charges an arm and a leg.
Cessna 172, bigger, 4 seats, about 120 - 135mph, about 95- 102 /hr after fuel and fees, (Plus tax). More comftorable and wider.
BUT, if you do get it, do us pilots a favor and STAY current and proficient, meaning try a minimum of one flight every month, preferably every couple weeks.
I’m a CFI (instructor) also
I have my Private - Single-engine Land also. Haven’t flown for years - got too expensive to keep it up.
While Bob miller and you might not get along, in the Buffalo area, he is the only full time outfit that I would recomend. I’ve been doing this for 10 years and have been to every school around, one time or another. They all have their goods and bads, but the biggest one is having enough staff and planes that are in good condition, and you can kick it up and down, he has both.
Second, you have to look at is if your flight instructor is looking to move up, or wants to be an instructor. Again, he has 2 instructors, that are not going to the airlines any time soon.
And he does charge alot, but he also pays his instructors 3 times what anyone else in the area pays. He pays a fair wage, vs the others that FUCK every instructor because they are usually young, and don’t know any better. But he does draw mature adult clients, that understand that you get what you pay for. I’ve never paid a dime to BMFT or have ever worked for him, just a person that thought he was the devil of flying until I got to a point where I could look around.
With all of this aside, if you want to get your license, now is the time to do it, no matter where you do it. Once the economy bounces back, prices of flight training will sky rocket because the flight schools are starving right now, and cannot raise rates. Its a bad business to be in, unless you can swing a proper rental/instruction rate.
I fly coporate now, so I’m out of the flight instructing world. Just fly my little plane for my fun.
Oh and for most people, this is the painfull truth unless you have some way to own. If I didn’t own, I could never fly for fun.
father does fly out of lancaster airport. cessna 182 he learned with bob miller and his instructors, he was very happy with the experiance.
saw some posts in there about it being expensive if you didnt own. my grandfather has his twin piper apache for sale, '62 i believe but has since changed wingtips and nosecone. his friend that did alot of work on it as well as inspections has said it was the nicest plane of its vintage that he has ever seen and hes seen thousands of planes. its up there in price though.
Plus you need a multi-engine rating, and 50 hours before insurance will cover ya, very expensive indeed.
I have my Private, single engine land. I trained at Akron. Haven’t flown much lately, because as was stated already, it’s expensive to keep up.
Another way to get into ownership a bit cheaper is with a partner or two. You’ll see part ownerships up for sale all over if you head into your local airport and look at the posting board.
Bob Miller is dangerous and is EXTREMELY lucky he hasn’t gotten a student hurt or killed. Some of the shit he pulls is just ridiculous. I’ve watched him fly out with students in, shall we say, “questionable” weather, listened to some of the “sage advice” he tries to pass on to anyone willing to listen, , watched him wack a prop going thru the grass on a tie-down, run over a runway light, and watched some of his antics with students in the pattern. Dangerous. I would never take even a checkride from him.
There are a lot of flight instructors in the area…I’d suggest going to a couple of different local airports and talk to them. You’ll figure out pretty quickly if they’d be a good match for you.
Once your in the industry, you will realize that Bobs biggest problem, is he talks too much. There isn’t one flight instructor in the area that hasn’t done everything you just said. Thats what happens when you let inexperianced people try to land airplanes. You gotta let em mess up, sometimes it looks ugly from outside. Weather, well if we waited for clear blue/22 then no one would ever fly up here.
All of this I didn’t understand until I was a full time flight instructor.
Good instructor, poor instructor, I’ve had both. If you put the effort in and understand the fundamentals you’ll succeed. As in any endeavour you’ll find that there are 10 retards for the one individual who knows what they are talking about.
Commercial Pilot Certificate with Instrument Rating.