Should I go Recreation pilot before Priv

[duksrule]

If I were to get my Rec ticket first could I start logging PIC while I do the training to add on the private? If so is this a good idea? Seems like that would net some extra PIC hours that I wouldn't normally have had. Or should I just get the private and move on from there? Is it a big deal to upgrade from Recreation to Private?
Thanks

 

[banned username 2]

According to this site there is a Grand Total of 318 Recreational Pilots across the entire country... By contrast there are 261,561 Private Pilots...

http://registry.faa.gov/activeairmen/PILOT_SUMM.htm

The Rec. Pilot program has been going for almost 10 years now, very few have been issued...

Just go straight to the Private Pilot Certificate, you'll be better off...

 

[bobbysamd]

Private

318 rec pilots? That should give you your answer right there. I always considered a Private certificate to be the "recreational pilot" certificate.

I second Falcon Capt. As a Private you can use the airspace to the fullest extent possible under VFR. Many people discount the value of good Private training and look ahead to the sexier ratings. That is wrong because your initial training lays the foundation for the rest of your flying experience.

Do the whole ball of wax now. You'll be glad you did later.

 

[LR25]

Get the PVT, your there training anyway, might as well do a little extra and get the PVT.

Good luck

 

[Mickey]

No!!!

 

[JayDub]

Those 318

Somthing to think about; most of those come out of the UC program based at I69. For those of you that are unfamiliar, this program is in a cooperative effort with Eastern Cincinnati Aviation. ECA is basically the FBO that the owner of Sporty's runs at the airport. He is a huge AOPA supporter, and made UC make the Rec. a requirement before he would lend his resources to the program. This way, AOPA gets to point to the great success of the program, which is actually a dismal failure if you discount all the UC students. Remember the Rec. license was the brain child of AOPA.

Ain't politics grand?

JayDub

 

[RFtech]

I recommend going straight for the Private, especially if you are planning on a career as a pilot.

 

[PA-44Typed]

Rec. is a waist of time

 

[aldassy]

Unless you have an examiner on staff, you will be wasting $300 on a perfectly useless checkride and rating. Anyhow it will not garner you THAT much more PIC time. Basically all you will need to do to qualify for the Private is a few cross countries. It shouldn't take you more than a couple of weeks to get those out of the way. Happy Flying, aldassy

 

[PRO AV8R]

I agree with everyone else, just get the private, it's not that much more work and you plan on getting it anyway, just go for it.