Here is some information that a few of you may be interested in:
When you receive your private pilot’s license, it will allow you to carry passengers in an aircraft you fly, provided that you are not compensated for your time beyond 50% of direct operating costs. The Federal Aviation Administration requires a minimum of forty flight hours to obtain a private pilot’s license, however in reality the national average is 71 hours. Your actual flight time required and cost are dependent on your ability, frequency of flight lessons, and the weather. Our experience at Cal Aggies’ shows that about six months and 55 to 65 hours is what the average student needs to complete the training. I was able to finish at the FAA minimums, and although this isn't common, it can be done provided that you put effort into learning, or at least getting a good feel of the material for the written test, regulations, airspace, instrumentation, radio procedures etc. before starting lessons. As well as keeping the time between flights to a minimum. From Start to finish I took 3 months with nearly one full month of bad weather which grounded me. I knew the "ground" information as I had been reading up on it all for years, and then bought the private pilot books and had read everything twice over before my fitrst hour of dual instruction. I was adept at instrument recognition and interpretation from previous flights with friends and thousands apon thousands of hours in IMC in sims, as well as having some fundamental hands on knowledge about real world flight. . .the R/C planes helped a bit too I am sure, after all they are still aircraft, and the basic laws of flight apply to them too! The ideal thing is to get a current pilot to act as mentor, either informally or through AOPA (
www.aopa.org) I am currently acting as mentor to a recent IL-2 and FB pilot who flies by the callsign Hwkmn. A mentor is not an instructor (and typically isnt rated as a commercial pilot), but is an active pilot who knows (or should know) the basic material that the student pilot is responsible for, and can often act to provide guidance, encouragement and support when the going gets tough, and its nice having someone to quiz you. Having a mentor who flies with you before your training is a good idea too, this way you can get some time in light aircraft and verify that flying really is for you, before making any commitments to a school. (just be sure this mentor is someone who you can trust, and having a bad experience may simply mean that the its that pilot you dont like. . and not flying per se)
Be picky in choosing your CFI, its like getting a roommate, (only this roommate will spend hours shoulder to shoulder with you) and you dont want to have a CFI who isnt on your wavelength.
Now, the big thing for most people is the cost. . so, here's the brakedown assuming you fly the C-152 (most affordable aircraft):
(FAR=Federal Aviation Regulation, the number indicates what part and what section, so 91.135 is part 91 section 135)
Private Pilot Total Cost Estimates
FAA Minimum Hours as outlined in FAR 61.103
20 Hours Solo in a C-152 $1,100.00
20 Hours Flight Instruction (called dual) in C-152 $1,660.00
15 Hours Ground Instruction $420.00
Books and Supplies $277.83
FAA Physical Examination/Medical/StudentPilot's Cert. (Class III) $75.00
FAA Written Test Fee $60.00
FAA Flight Test Fee $275.00
TOTAL COST $3,867.83
Average Hours
25 Hours Solo in a C-152 $1,400.00
35 Hours Flight Instruction in C-152 $2,905.00
15 Hours Ground Instruction $420.00
Books and Supplies $277.83
FAA Physical Examination (Class III) $75.00
FAA Written Test Fee $60.00
FAA Flight Test Fee $275.00
TOTAL COST $5,412.83
Once you have taken an aviation physical/medical examination and received an FAA medical certificate you are ready to begin training and preparing for solo flight. All flight instruction is on an individual basis and can begin and be scheduled at your convenience. There is no requirement to enroll in a formal ground school and ground training does not necessarily have to be completed before your first flight lesson. The ground training is in conjunction with your flight training and will prepare you to pass a national standardized written test. The flight training is structured to teach you those skills that will allow you to operate an aircraft safely as a private pilot. The final phase of your training is a practical flight test in an aircraft and an oral exam on the knowledge you have gained during training.
Once you have your rating, the sky is no longer the limit. . .
Now you can add in other endorsements, like High Performance (aircraft over 200 hp), complex (retractable gear, constant speed prop, flaps), tailwheel, and multi engine. In addition to these, you can get type certificates or a Letter of Authorization after some type specific training to fly pretty much anything. . . from an L-39 Jet, to a P-51 Mustang, to a Boeing 777. . . all with your private pilot cert. If you want to have someone else pay for the fliying get your 250 hours of total time, some training and ratings along the way, and become a flight instructor!!
S!
TX-EcoDragon
