So, how many hours did it take you to do you PPL?

Cruise said:
41.....checkride included. 3 weeks flying almost every day and sometimes twice a day. Lots and lots of studying when I wasn't flying!
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so your checkride was an hour cause i thought the minimum hours needed were 40 before the checkride.
 
socalef9 said:
so your checkride was an hour cause i thought the minimum hours needed were 40 before the checkride.
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That could be or if he was under Part 141 then the min is 35.
 
I think I am the big loser here but I had a ton of fun with it and am not ashamed at all... From discovery flight to private checkride it took me 97 hrs over 4 years. I think I was just sightseeing for the first 10 hours and trying to hold on to my lunch.

I would work and save up and seem to run out of $$, then work and save up more and run out of $$ again... It is amazing how if you go a half year without flying you basically lose all your skills. Flying once a week or every couple weeks is not the way to do it.

Finally went to ATP and zipped through their private program... The key is to do it several times a week. Amazing how that works.
 
I scared myself once in one of those old POS 172s that had the airspeed in MPH instead of Kts. That set me back a tad mentally I think. Not the thing you want to discover while taking off/landing.
 
CaliforniaSonoma said:
Hopefully starting my PPL in a month and a half.

I've heard a lot of talk about the national average (anywhere from 60-85 depending on which FBO you call). Of course, this includes people who fly a few times a month and take forever.

My plan is to go live at the school (Mazzei - seems well regarded or California Aviation Services - about which I can find no independent info).

Seems from a learning perspective if you do something more frequently, less time elapsed between, you learn faster. Common sense.

Mazzei claims that assuming a good attitude and an average or better level of aptitude they can get you done in under 40 hours.

Does this seem plausible?

How many hours did it take you? And, what were the circumstances (flying frequently, etc.)?

I just want to avoid a situation of arriving somewhere thinking it should take this much time and X number of dollars only to find it's really more time and X+5,000.

Of course, I am a variable also. But, assuming I have a decent aptitude and approach it with some diligence.

What's realistic for a school where you are immersed and fly frequently?
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57 hours at KSNA.
 
Timbuff10 said:
I scared myself once in one of those old POS 172s that had the airspeed in MPH instead of Kts. That set me back a tad mentally I think. Not the thing you want to discover while taking off/landing.
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Just like renting a car in Canardia :)
 
It is interesting that most do not just say how many hours it took them. It seems like some are ashamed for no reason because I see ALOT of "it took me XX hours......BUT...only because of....."

unless it takes you more than 200 hours and you had more than one confirmed kill in your training there is nothing to be ashamed of
 
USMC-SGT said:
It is interesting that most do not just say how many hours it took them. It seems like some are ashamed for no reason because I see ALOT of "it took me XX hours......BUT...only because of....."

unless it takes you more than 200 hours and you had more than one confirmed kill in your training there is nothing to be ashamed of
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Alright. 120 hours, and I'll leave everyone hanging on the explanation.
 
flyguy said:
Alright. 120 hours, and I'll leave everyone hanging on the explanation.
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Come on, #ers are boring, we need stories... Don't you feel the need to exhibit the defense mechanisim of rationalization. :)
 
I did my 40th hour the day before my checkride...

BUT!

I was in high school with sharp study skills.

I flew three times per week and had no other distractions.

I lived at home, so I didn't have to worry about food and housing.

A Tomahawk was $38/hr.

I trained at a small airport when I was always the only one in the traffic pattern except on the weekends when the crop dusters would fly in for maintenance.
 
It took me 75 big ones mostly due to things outside my control. Financially I had only planned on 55 or so... the last hrs were tough but thankfully I had some help in that area.
 
Nick said:
37 hours, and it was done in about four months so on average probably two to three flight lessons each week not including ground classes.
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I thought 40 was the minimum?:whatever:

Solo - 11.8 Hours
PPL - 50.1 Hours
IFR - 131.2 Hours (No it wasnt all training haha! I did some trips to Key West and all that fun stuff.)
 
When I finished the checkride I had 92 hrs. I switched CFI's 3 times and moved once during my training. I didn't mind, as I wanted to be sure I passed on the first attempt.
 
Doug Taylor said:
A Tomahawk was $38/hr.

I trained at a small airport when I was always the only one in the traffic pattern except on the weekends when the crop dusters would fly in for maintenance.
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At that price, was that a factory new Traumahawk? I keed, I keeed :)

$38/hr is pretty sweet, sounds like a dreamworld now though.

When I started an older 172 was going for $68/hr. I planned on 40-45 hrs at that price but ended up doing my first 40 hrs of my private in a new 172S model for $95/hr... Oooops!
 
Just finished yesterday with 70ish. It took me that long because I took a few extra lessons to be the best pilot ever, which I am.

But the real reasons are: I switched instructors/planes/locations a few times and messed around soloing a bunch because I got a job that enables me to fly for just the price of gas. My last instructor wouldn't sign me off until everything was pretty freakin good, which wasn't a problem because like I said, by the end I was already the best pilot ever.

On a serious note, I think I could have passed the ride at 40 hours - I could handle/land the airplane just fine at that point - but I've learned a heck of a lot more in the additional 15ish hours of dual since that time. I'm kind of glad things worked out the way they did because I learned some different things from different instructors.

If you're going for a CPL you'll need 250 hours anyway.
 
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