Perspective pilot needs insight

[mhcasey]

and now have an opportunity to pursue that interest through pilot training as well as online schooling.

What's special about now? Wish there were more guys like you so I could have some work instructing...

Also can having a couple of minor arrest with no convictions impede this. I believe they are all sealed.

I'd pay for a background check to see what comes up. There was a thread on this within the past year with more information...search for arrests or DUI or anything else that sounds slightly shady. But really man...a couple? To me it ceases to be "minor" after you hit 2...But I've got extra time on my hands so I'm going to try to help you out anyway.

Instruction rate is 55 - 65 an hour, and aircraft rental 89 - 139 an hour. Also Instrument rating would be another 9k then commercial for 4k. In total it would be about 22k and 20 months for all three If I went once a week.

• Instructor rate is high...but could be deserved. I had pretty solid instructors, but if I could do it over I'd pay a little extra cash for someone who really knew wtf they were doing. I'd want to see some serious credentials for $60/hr though.
• Aircraft rates...probably about the norm. If you're <170lbs and your instructor is too (and you're not at an airport at like 9k feet) then a C152, Cub, whatever you can fine for cheap will work fine. If you have the cash, cheap gas, competent maintenance, etc. in your area you might consider buying your own bird at some point. The market is good now...
• Do not ever believe any any quote for an entire rating. Everyone is different. Planes are different. Examiners are different. Way too many factors. A closer picture for total cost based on your rental cost above (I think you can find cheaper) is something like:
• $120/hr for the plane X 250hrs = $30K
• $35/hr for instructor X 80hrs = $2.8k (notice the aircraft costs much more...don't go with the $35/hr instructor if the guy charging 45 is way better).
• Books/Supplies = $500
• Examiner fees = $1k
• Total = Somewhere in the $35k ballpark range. That's before CFI or Multi, though there are certainly ways to factor those two things in to save some cash. I'd plan at least $40k from 0 time to new CFI/CFII/MEI.

Biggest question I have is....what is a perspective pilot?

You beat me to it. Second biggest question: Does your keyboard have an "Enter" key?

Tell us more about you man. What works for one does not work for another. Do you have a career now? Any debt? Any college? Etc.

 

[DL31082]

1k for examiners is low, at least it is around here. If you are looking to get all of your ratings up to CFI, CFII, and MEI it will probably be more like 2500 for the examiner. I know most of the examiners around here charge 350 to 450 a checkride.

 

[TheresaPilot]

Well, I went to Embry Riddle and if you can find anything better than these prices its good in my book.

PPL $11,000
Instrument $8,000
Commercial $8,000
CFI/CFII $10,000
Multi $ 6,500
MEI $3,200

Which is why I chose not to go to ERAU, even with as much as I loved the summer camps...



I usually quote about $7,000-$9,000 for a private certificate (dependent upon the level of aircraft the student chooses to work in and how well they grasp things). I actually find the students do much better when they fly 2-3 times per week, this way flying is more progression as opposed to review. Once a week for a 3 hour block (half/hlaf) is not enough. My students get on 2-3 times a week for a two hour block each time-15 minute brief/pre-flight, a little over an hour flight, and about a 15-20 minute de-brief. I've found that it helps the students remember a little bit better--and getting the private done much quicker, allows for less money to be spent.

I think if you are getting into the industry now, you may have a chance at getting a job... After we all do first, that is. Lol. Things will pick up, it's only a matter of time. I just suggest that you look around at FBOs because $55-$65 an hour for instruction is crazy--unless it's the Chief Pilot you're flying with. My school charges $40 an hour for the instructor, and many instructors, you will find, would much rather get paid $20 in cash, than have you pay $40 and they only actually get $16 when the paycheck comes along.

Good luck with everything and hope to hear about your flying.

 

[leap24]

Thanks for all the replies. I meant Prospective. I could have wrote prospective pilot needs pilots perspective. Right now I do not have a career, working oddball jobs. Looking for a potential field to get into I found an online school with low enough tuition that I would be able to use the remaining federal stafford loan award to finance my ppl. The ppl would be spread out over such a long time because I would only receive so much each semester. I dont have the credit or co signer to get a personal loan right now.If I find a cheaper rate I can go more then once a week. Right now I am 24 and the arrests I spoke about came as a teenager basically hanging out with the wrong crowd where that was enough to get you arrested. I am definetly going to get my record checked out. I would love to find a way to make this work for myself but I want to be realistic. Another option for me would be to get in another feild and go for my ppl when I am more established just to fly for recreation. As far as the economy goes I hope that its starts working again for all of our sake.

 

[wheelsup]

What's the game plan after you use the federal loan money to get your private? You still need at minimum your instrument and commercial and the likelyhood that you'll find a job with those credentials are essentially 0% in this economy.

 

[moxiepilot]

Here's my $.65

More than half of the students flying out of my FBO spent between $6k and $10k for their private, with inst rates of $45 and a/c at $115.

To me it sounds like $9k is this guy being honest with you. That goes a long way in my book. It also sounds like the instructor you obtained information from is reaistic - 9 months, 3 hour sessions.

Good luck

 

[flyinguitar]

$9,000, and 3-hour sessions sounds about right, but once a week and 9 months does not. You need to fly at least twice a week to make good progress, otherwise there isn't enough continuity between lessons and your progress will go much more slowly.

Also, the correct way to evaluate how expensive a particular school/instructor is is not by the total price they quote for the whole license, but rather by the price of the plane and instructor per hour. No matter what anyone tells you, any estimate of total cost is just a guess based on how many hours they think it will take. I've seen it take anywhere from 45 hours to 150 hours to get a private license. There are three main factors in how long it will take you, in order of importance (my opinion):

1) How willing you are to study hard. Learning to fly efficiently takes lots of bookwork, consistently showing up to lessons already having studied what you can about the flight, and taking time after lessons to reflect on what was learned.

2) How quickly you pick up flying. We all like to think we're super-pilots, but the truth is that some of us will just need a little (or a lot of) extra time to figure out cross-country diversions or short field landings.

3) How good your instructor is, and how good of a match the two of you are. This is subjective, but at a minimum your instructor needs to be professional, knowledgeable, committed to completing your training in the shortest time possible (for you), and have a plan of how to achieve that. Don't assume that lots of hours and a high price tag will guarantee you quality (although quality is certainly worth a high price tag). In addition to talking to the instructor him/herself, try to speak with a few of their former students.

Good luck!

 

[Number1atNumber2]

Flyinguitar is spot on with those points.

Welcome to JC! This place is great to get all kinds of information, and wish I knew about it years ago.

Ask yourself why you want to be a pilot? Is it because you have a love for flying? like the lifestyle? the pay? the image? etc.

The reason I say this is because you have to really examine why you want to do this. If you love it for it's own sake, then go for it! If it's for the glamor and pay, you will be VERY rudely awakened. Not trying to be a jerk, just saying to do through soul searching. You will have to make some large sacrifices for this. Again, if you love it, then it can be worth it. Not everyone gets into this for the right reason and this industry tends to chew em up and spit em out, battered and bruised and much much poorer.

Next I'd say, if you're going to do this you need to fly AT MINIMUM 2-3 times a week. The less often you fly, the longer it will take you and the more it will cost. Flying is not like riding a bike, you will forget things, sometimes at an alarming rate if you're like me. :buck:

As far as cost goes, do some shoping around, $9k does not sound unreasonable for a private license, but you can probably do better depending on where you live.

Beware of any flight school the promises you a job, or a flat rate to get your training done. Most of the costs involved are based on the minimum time required by law to be eligible for your checkride. If you drop a couple grand to a place that promises you your license, once you pass the minimum time (40 hours for a private) they are not going to just let you fly for free after that. In reality, most people take longer to get ready. I saw students that had over 120 hours and were still not ready for their checkride. These people often flew once a week or less. I can only guess how much those guys have blown on their training.

So just keep a watchful eye out, there are more than a few scam flight schools out there. There are plenty of threads here that discuss places that do that junk.

Also, keep in mind training is not something you want to rush. You don't get any points for doing it quickly. In fact, it can be better to take things slow and if you end up needing more flight hours, that can help you
get a job later. I took my time to get my ratings and I am glad I did because when I got my CFII in 2004 the industry was still in the crapper, and it remained there for several months. I started when I was your age and got my private license right after 9-11. So considering where things are right now, I'd be in no hurry to get done.

Please please whatever you do, no matter how much you fall in love with flying, do NOT become one of those guys that say "I just want to fly a jet, you don't have to pay me (much) to do it" as that is most definatly a path to the dark side (and not in a cool way).

Again, welcome aboard JC man, the industry, as always, is a hell of a ride.

 

[texas_pilot]

Glad to see you're doing the preliminary groundwork to become a pilot!
From your perspective, it will take an arm and a leg ( or maybe a kidney)
to become qualified to be hired as a commercial pilot via the civilian route.
Your best bet is take the long, safe road. First-make a plan-either get an education or find a trade and still get an education. Don't rule out the military to accomplish both- particularly if you like a place to stay and regular meals and decent paycheck included. Whichever path you choose, get yourself well established.
I don't think the Stafford loan route is smart- you'll be in debt, with no education, owing the banks and probably no money to continue the full training. If you need some more suggestions, PM me and I'll lay it out better.