Flight Training Hacks?

When studying stuff, highlight the important bits to get rid of the "filler words" so people can justify the price of the book.
 
fholbert said:
Prepare! Show up at you first lesson with:
  • A Flight Suit with a rank of Major or better.
  • Epaulets, a must have for the new pilot.
  • Leather Bomber Jacket with lots of patches even if it's 100* or hotter.
  • Aviator Sun Glasses, don't go anywhere without them.
  • A Knee Board strapped on your leg.
  • A Pilots Watch that tells time in at least five time zones.
  • A Coffee Cup that says something like "747 Captain".
  • A Remove Before Flight car key ring.
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MossY approves of this post.
 
Maurus said:
Pay as you go makes like easier after getting the ratings.

Make sure you have the money to cover the training cost for your rating prior to starting unless you know you can fly at least twice a week. Flying less than that will likely cost more money in the end.
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The "pay as you go" argument always kinda makes me cringe a little. It sounds good on paper but very tough to do. You can look at it two ways really. You can drag flight training along for 2-3 years so you can pay as you go and not pay ridiculous interest rates or you can pay those interest rates and get done in <12 months.

Lets say your goal is 121. Those 2 years you took to pay as you go means 2 years of seniority that you are missing out on. At the end of your career that could mean hundreds of thousands of dollars.
 
Goonie said:
The "pay as you go" argument always kinda makes me cringe a little. It sounds good on paper but very tough to do. You can look at it two ways really. You can drag flight training along for 2-3 years so you can pay as you go and not pay ridiculous interest rates or you can pay those interest rates and get done in <12 months.

Lets say your goal is 121. Those 2 years you took to pay as you go means 2 years of seniority that you are missing out on. At the end of your career that could mean hundreds of thousands of dollars.
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^^^ This ^^^ Sure debt sucks, but the sooner you get to being paid to fly, the sooner your certificates start paying themselves back. Now with that said, there is smart manageable debt, and then there is stupid debt.... If you have $250,000 in debt, you're doing it wrong.
 
I used 200 glider hours (worked as a glider ride pilot) towards the 250 needed for the commercial power rating--saved an easy 10K right there.
Passed all writtens with home study.
Took all check rides through the FISDO (free).
Had CFI friends sign me off for the rides/tests.
Had CFI friends do my training.
Rented 152 trainer from friend super cheap.
Fly glider tow plane to build time/earn money/master tail-wheel skills).
Meet visiting airline pilots at gliderport who introduce you to their chief pilot.
Get airline job.

You can make a lot of 'valuable' contacts at a gliderport.

(And have a lot of fun while doing it!)
 
Goonie said:
The "pay as you go" argument always kinda makes me cringe a little. It sounds good on paper but very tough to do. You can look at it two ways really. You can drag flight training along for 2-3 years so you can pay as you go and not pay ridiculous interest rates or you can pay those interest rates and get done in <12 months.

Lets say your goal is 121. Those 2 years you took to pay as you go means 2 years of seniority that you are missing out on. At the end of your career that could mean hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Click to expand...

Having amassed a decent amount of debt for my certificates, if life goes perfectly, this statement is true. But when was the last time that happened. Do this as debt free as possible. Life isn't about the money.
 
Yeah definitely no need to rush, if it takes 5 years vs 2 and you get a proper degree at the same time...

seniority isn't everything
 
My thoughts: Backseat occasionally so you can see how others do the maneuvers, helps it sink in.

Alex.
 
Goonie said:
The "pay as you go" argument always kinda makes me cringe a little. It sounds good on paper but very tough to do. You can look at it two ways really. You can drag flight training along for 2-3 years so you can pay as you go and not pay ridiculous interest rates or you can pay those interest rates and get done in <12 months.
Click to expand...

I read the pay as you go argument as "start saving early" with an aviation fund. Before I got my PPL, I put the entire amount I thought I would need into a savings account. It allowed me to have a buffer to continue flying when I would not have had the cash flow otherwise. I budgeted (and continue to budget) for my time in the air. When things go above budget I have to ask myself, do I reduce the hours? or do I reduce some other expense?

That being said, it is not always possible to fully cover your flight training before starting and it is even tough if you are going to school and flight training at the same time. As others have said, be smart about the debt you take on.
 
mshunter said:
Having amassed a decent amount of debt for my certificates, if life goes perfectly, this statement is true. But when was the last time that happened. Do this as debt free as possible. Life isn't about the money.
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ahw01 said:
Yeah definitely no need to rush, if it takes 5 years vs 2 and you get a proper degree at the same time...

seniority isn't everything
Click to expand...

I'm not saying it is ALL about the money or seniority, but if you do look at it from a financial standpoint it doesn't make that much sense to save for years.

Honestly, how many young kids do you know that are disciplined enough to save up for $40K flight training. And how long would that take?

Realistically you could afford just one training flight working at some minimum wage job.

Now I will agree to stay clear of the smoke and mirrors of the 200K programs out there but getting a loan for 35-40K is not going to kill you on monthly payments.
 
gliderboy said:
I used 200 glider hours (worked as a glider ride pilot) towards the 250 needed for the commercial power rating--saved an easy 10K right there.
Passed all writtens with home study.
Took all check rides through the FISDO (free).
Had CFI friends sign me off for the rides/tests.
Had CFI friends do my training.
Rented 152 trainer from friend super cheap.
Fly glider tow plane to build time/earn money/master tail-wheel skills).
Meet visiting airline pilots at gliderport who introduce you to their chief pilot.
Get airline job.
Click to expand...

This is more or less exactly what I did, minus the "Get airline job" part, and the FSDO rides (depends where you are for this to be practical).

If you are anywhere close to 200 hours TT, getting a glider rating as a commercial certificate is the way to go. If not, add the glider rating and do the commercial glider ride ASAP. 200 hours also happens to be about what you need for insurance these days to tow gliders, which you can do with a PPL... NorCal has absolutely ideal soaring conditions, btw. Getting a glider CFI as an initial is also a great idea. There is far less material, so the preparation should be easier for an initial ride. The other CFI rides will then be add-ons, which will simplify matters somewhat.

I would also suggest doing the commercial and CFI airplane rides back to back with the same examiner. I did mine on a Saturday/Sunday. There is enough similarity between the two that it will be easier to just prepare for both. This may not be ideal advice for everyone, I had already been instructing for a while before doing so.

All that being said, there aren't any shortcuts when it comes to this stuff. You need to study and know the material. You need to make time to make things happen. You need to make a plan for how to get things done. That usually means prioritizing. Maybe sell some cameras and fly airplanes instead of taking pictures of them for a while? You can always buy more cameras later (after you have the ratings done) :)
 
Goonie said:
I'm not saying it is ALL about the money or seniority, but if you do look at it from a financial standpoint it doesn't make that much sense to save for years.

Honestly, how many young kids do you know that are disciplined enough to save up for $40K flight training. And how long would that take?

Realistically you could afford just one training flight working at some minimum wage job.

Now I will agree to stay clear of the smoke and mirrors of the 200K programs out there but getting a loan for 35-40K is not going to kill you on monthly payments.
Click to expand...

Being well set up at the end of the career doesn't matter if you leave the career because you can't survive the first few. If it wasn't for my parents, I would have had to leave it already.
 
Read the appropriate FAA publication(s) for your rating or certificate before you step foot in the airplane.

Getting an instrument rating? Read the instrument flying handbook before you show up.

Trying for private? Read the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowlegde and Airplane Flying Handbook beforehand.

There are not many concepts in aviation that are so difficult to understand that they cannot be learned from reading a textbook. I'll take your money to do an hour ground lesson on steep turns and every other maneuver, but my lesson plans are from the AFH and you could have taught yourself that stuff for the most part.

You do not need to be taking your first look at an airport diagram on the ramp with the prop and Hobbs meter spinning, sweating bullets and money without a clue while I have to start from the beginning explaining the big black line is a runway, the tower controller controls the runways. These gray lines are taxiways, and the ground controller controls the taxiways. We need a clearance to taxi. The hold short lines look like blah blah blah....

Same thing for approach plates, and 1000 other concepts that you wouldn't understand or pick up on if you didn't get that appropriate, fundamental PHAK/Aviation Instructor's Handbook/IFH foundation beforehand.
 
All you need to know about instrument flying:

Keep your scan going.
Small corrections.
Trim.

Everything else is just fine print.
 
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