Can people afford to flight train?

[CoffeeIcePapers]

I've wondered why more schools/owners don't do this. The national average for mogas is around $3.50 and will definitely drop if crude continues to sink. If we froze everything up right now the operator could save $10-15/hr by switching to mogas. If the plane flies 50hr/month that's >$500/month or $5,000/year/airplane. How much does the STC cost? Do you guys use your own truck, or does your field have mogas for sale?

If they don't have mogas at the field, then the logistics of getting it from the auto gas station to the airplane would be too cumbersome or too expensive. Not to mention ethanol is around in most major cities now.

 

[Wolfy]

Wolfy, I gather that your position on this is partially informed by the fact that you reside where a large portion of the nation's wealth is concentrated. I have spent a LOT of time in your neck of the woods and the level of wealth there is astounding compared to a place like, say, Terrell, TX or Lake Charles, LA, or Macon, GA. So yeah - where you are, there are lots of rich people with money to throw at flying.

If I made the kind of salary that would allow me an equivalent lifestyle in Sonoma, Napa, or anywhere NEAR the Bay Area, you can bet your sweet bippy I'd move in a heartbeat.

Flying for fun is a luxury. And lately, I've met more ex-pilots than pilots. Invariably, the main reasons have been economic.

You're completely right. I've seen the wealth in this area and know for some people "bad times" is a very relative term. These are the people who will continue to fly as it gets more expensive. It's a very small population compared to all of America, and I'd hate to see them be the only ones flying.

 

[cfii2007]

I'm glad all my flight training was paid off....long ago.

 

[mhcasey]

I personally feel that an effort should be made at protecting the ability of professional aviators to earn a livable wage is much more important than trying to make sure flight training is cheap.

Well said. I blew all of my money on flight training through school. I wouldn't say I regret it, but at this point I'm seriously considering cutting my losses and moving into a different field in the next year or two and continuing to instruct on the side for enjoyment.

If they don't have mogas at the field, then the logistics of getting it from the auto gas station to the airplane would be too cumbersome or too expensive. Not to mention ethanol is around in most major cities now.

I saw several guys in Anchorage pumping fuel from their own trucks into their float planes. I'm sure it wasn't real cheap to get the equipment for this, but if it's less than <10k and you operate 2 airplanes at the rates I mentioned earlier, the investment will cover itself in less than a year.

The ethanol thing is pretty interesting. Not to thread hijack, but I've really never heard anything good mentioned about ethanol outside of the greenest of green circles...

 

[redrumracer]

I hated when my school went up to $100/hr(includes instructor and fuel) from $85 over the summer, and thats for a Warrior III

 

[SpiraMirabilis]

You could buy gas like the gas station (or farmers) buy gas -- in bulk. The huge truck comes to you, fills up your tank and leaves. You'll just have to make sure your tank is secure -- there has been a rash of gas theft from setups like this.

 

[DeltaAVL]

Our 2006 SP G1000 is $160 with instructor. Got cheap gas here though. No question it is quality training.

Man, and I was talkin' 2001 steam gauges for the $183 price.

Our 2006 SP G1000 (they must be popular) is $203 with instructor.

There is no underestimating my jealousy. :drool:

 

[SpiraMirabilis]

IFR 172 was like 130/hr wet with instructor in SAT.

 

[DeltaAVL]

Besides a regulation banning all GA or oil going completely parabolic, there will always be people who flight train.

Even at the high price my school's at now, I'd still be training if they raised it higher. Prices aren't going to stop peoples' goals and ambitions. People will find a way. Always have, always will.

 

[Dilla]

That's crazy! I've been paying $60 for a 150 wet...

That's a little more that what I pay...for those of you in the Northern IL-Southern WI area, look into Westosha Flying Club (at 5K6):

$45/hr for C152 wet
$60/hr for C172R wet
$72/hr for C172SP wet

 

[av8or91]

Around 120 dollars an hour including fuel surchagre for the new172SP w/G!000 at UND.

 

[Customx]

That's a little more that what I pay...for those of you in the Northern IL-Southern WI area, look into Westosha Flying Club (at 5K6):

$45/hr for C152 wet
$60/hr for C172R wet
$72/hr for C172SP wet

Those rates listed on the website are from November '06. Are you telling me they haven't changed the price in nearly two years?

 

[Prino]

out where i was training charges 110 an hr for an 05 Cherokee 161 with gps (wet, and with instructor) was 90 solo

 

[Dilla]

Those rates listed on the website are from November '06. Are you telling me they haven't changed the price in nearly two years?

Nope...the only things that have gone up slightly are:

monthly dues: $55/month
instruction: $35/hr

The rental rates have not changed and planes are in good shape!

 

[pilot4500]

I did all of my flight training in 2001 and 2002. I paid $23,000 in tuition to go from 0 time to CFI-I. I trained at Airman Flight School in Norman, Ok, which went out of business a few years ago. I'm sure it would cost me at least double to do the same training today, no matter where I went.

 

[Nihon_Ni]

How much does the STC cost? Do you guys use your own truck, or does your field have mogas for sale?

I bought one for my AA-1 from Petersen Aviation/EAA. It was about $1 per horse power. It took my A&P about an hour to endorse my logbooks and put the tags on my plane. After that I transported gas to the airport in the back of my truck. Easy as pie and 50% cheaper than AvGas (at the time)! As a bonus, since my engine was designed for 80/87 AvGas, it ran better on MoGas than it did on 100LL.

 

[Bignellyxx]

Around 120 dollars an hour including fuel surchagre for the new172SP w/G!000 at UND.

I was waiting for a UND guy to come on here and comment. All i have seen on that forum is how overpriced the planes are. Hopefully more people read this thread to get a better perspective.

 

[OldTownPilot]

We really haven't seen a decrease in flight training up here in the past couple of years. Its getting expensive though.

 

[ArcherII]

Down here in Argentina, the average salary is about US$ 700...
And if I want to fly an Piper Archer II or even a Warrior, it would cost me around US$ 140...
It's difficult to do training that way...better don't talk about time-building!:banghead:

 

[IslandFlyer]

It's expensive to flight train either way you go.

My PPL cost me almost 10k here in Hawaii (just over 40 hrs in a 172).

I have VA bennies that cover UP TO 60% of my instrument and commercial stuff. Even using that, it's costing tens of thousands of dollars.

If you work somewhere that pays enough to think that 150/hr for a rental is cheap, please fill me in. I'm all ears!