The Turkey goes to school!

[TheFlyingTurkey]

Most of the guys in my class are having their PPL checkrides this week, and most are in the 55-65 hour range. I dont know how others before me have done, other than there were some forigen students who had to stop flying and go take some english classes. I think most end up right at the national average of 60 hours.

I requested more time to study for the checkride. My instructor suggested I didn't go to long without flying, so we have a review flight on Wednesday, and the checkride will most likely be Friday. I want to get it over with already, but the study time will help, I dont want to screw it up.
I have spent the last 2 days studying for the oral, and I feel much more confident now. A little more work on all the weather crap we have to memorize, and I think I'll do fine.

The Turk.

 

[rausda27]

I dont attend Pan Am but am a t a 141 school very close. It seems that the time for the PPL is very high. If I remember correctly I took my PPL with just over 39 hours under my belt, which I think is a litte higher than what the syllabus calls for. Do you guys do somehting other than PPL prerequistes, like time building or cross country time? Your PPL must cost a fortune at that rate! Perhaps it is because you are part 61..I dont know what the syllabus is for 61 schools....

 

[TheFlyingTurkey]

Here is the Pan Am PPL program:

45 hours dual
10 hours solo
60 hour ground school
2 hours for checkride
22.8 hours preflight/postflight briefs and stage check flights

The stage checks usually add up to about 4.5 hours of flight time.
So most people end up with anywhere between 55-65 hours. The minimum flight time for part 61 is 40. Part 141 is 35.
The hourly rate for the Archer is $94.00

The Turk.

 

[Guest]

So, I have to ask,
what is it that ft pierce is doing differently than phoenix. Considering that the average here is 80-90 and the top aviation wiz's average over 70!

is there anyone who has gone to both campus' that can enlighten me.

 

[d_gelling]

crooks.....

 

[dakovich]

i'll have to say that the fort pierce average in my dealings has been in the 70 hour range. i was one of the quicker guys and i think i did mine in about 65 hours or so...i still have to audit my logbook to be exact though. i regularly see people head into the 70's and 80's, but mostly stick to high 60's and mid 70's. anything beyond that with an average student means something doesn't smell right....sniff sniff

 

[d_gelling]

doesn't it sem a bit "strange" that a place that markets itself as one of the best flight schools in the country can average 70-80-90 hours to train somebody for the PPL when the national average isn't even near that high (mid 60's). You can say all you want about how thorough the training is, how they prepare you for more than just the practical, but something here stinks to high heaven......and the BS is getting a bit deep don't you think? Heck, Joe Schmoe's FBO can get you a PPL a lot quicker than that.

 

[theman]

Thats why I am soooo thankful I did my ppl at an FBO (had I have known better, I'd have done all but my multi-engine work at the FBO too...) The instructor knew what he was doing and, under part 61, had me prepping for the check ride at 40 hours.

 

[aviator]

Those times seem very high.
My last student earned her private (141) with 35.0 hours on the nose. 3 weeks before her ride she had never even been in a small airplane.

 

[TheFlyingTurkey]

I did it! I passed my FAA checkride today!!!!

It was a piece of cake, I had no problem what so ever with the oral, or flight. And I had the sweetest soft field landing I ever tried, perfect timing. I am a private pilot! and it feels great!

It took me 6 weeks, (7 if you count the 5 days of studying I did for the check ride. Which it turns out I didn't really need.) and a total of 61.4 hours. Add another 1.4 for the checkride, and I topped out at 62.8. I guess it is up to each individual as to how long it will take them to finish. Did I have a really good instructor? Yes. But I like to think I had something to do with how good I did. It's not totally up to the school or the instructor to get you done in short time.

Anyway, now its on to the fun part of the program. Time building. 2 weeks of freedom! Flying all over the state from Key West to Jacksonville, racking up the time. Once that is done, its on to instrument ground school, and back to the books. I will countinue to give updates on the time build portion, just to let you know how it goes. Until then... happy flying!

The Turk. <--- a real pilot now!

 

[dakovich]

if i remember, the little magic book for the PPL sylabus won't allow for anyone to finish in under 50 some odd hours. if you complete all the lessons in it as written it comes out to over 50 hours (if i remember correctly). so, even if you are super pilot, there is no way you'll even be allowed to finish in anything less. guess you benefit from adding more time to your logbook and have extra time built in to perfect your skills...i guess

 

[Snow]

Way to go Turk! Good on ya mate!

Yeah well flight time is flight time, the more the better I say. Better to get it learning to fly than paying a regional for time in my opinion.

 

[dakovich]

i used to see it that way also....but you forget you gain many many hours as a PAID flight instructor, so why would you not want to minimize your costs up until the point you begin to get "free" loggable flight time as an insturctor. why spend the extra few thousand to log a couple extra hours when you'll have plenty of CFI hours logged in the near future.

if you can master the skills and knowledge quickly, why spend more money to keep repeating the same things??? worry about logging the hours when you start to get paid!

 

[panampilot]

I agree with you Dakovich. I hated it when my instructors used to say, "Well, at least your building your hours up." I'd rather get paid to build up my hours then pay to build up my hours.

 

[FLDiver]

Wise words Dak and Panam Pilot.....wise words.

 

[aviator]

When you guys start Instructing you'll find out that the time is not "free" by any stretch of the imagination.
The reality is that you bust your A$$ for every click of that hobbs..............

 

[dakovich]

free as in you don't have to write a check for it, not in the terms of effort to attain the hours.