Recreational Permit first or Straight for Private?

[germb747]

I personally don't like to take more FAA checkrides than I absolutely have to; I still enjoy a 100% pass rate.

Will that extra PIC time you can log with your instructor in preparation for the PPL going to make that much difference anyway? So you have to wait a few extra hours before getting the instrument ticket, hours you may need before you're ready anyway. Take advantage of those extra hours and do some real-world IFR cross countries with your CFII and make that rating printed on your certificate worth something. Does it really matter if you get instrument rated at 90 hours TT? Besides, that "PIC" time you're logging while you're getting dual is worthless in terms of getting a job.

 

[flyguy]

I personally don't like to take more FAA checkrides than I absolutely have to; I still enjoy a 100% pass rate.

Yeah, but when you consider there is actually quite a few tasks on the PPL checkride which IMHO makes it a pretty dang tough checkride, especially for a first checkride. If you break it down into two rides, you turn one pretty tough ride into two really easy ones. Looks like Nihon ran the numbers and that looks good two me. Whatever works. Good luck!