What to tell dad

[bub2005]

I am 16 and want to start training for my private pilots license. Is this too young? Also I am having trouble convincing my dad to let me start. What can I say to persuade him?

 

[abev107]

Tell him you'll never speak to him again if he doesnt let you. Or maybe go on a hunger strike?

I am not sure if there is a magic thing to say to him, I really don't know the guy. If it were me, I would do everything possible to convince him that I am dedicated to learning to fly. Something to prove to him that "I wouldn't throw the toy in the corner after two weeks".

Maybe both of you should take a discovery flight?

 

[bobbysamd]

Parents and Flying

16 is an excellent age to start flying. I instructed a number of young people in my time. Young people have to try hard just as everyone does, but they pick up flying very quickly.

It should be evident to your father by now that you love airplanes. I assume that you read airplane books and magazines, build models, and fly balsa wood gliders and rubber-band-powered airplanes. So, tell him you want to learn how to fly and are considering it as a career, if that's your plan.

You need credibility. Hopefully, you are a model citizen at school, have good grades in school, and are responsible and mature. That way you will have credibility. H.S. guys who are screwoffs, and there are plenty of them, have less credibility. Being responsible has its rewards.

It will help if you state up front that you will get a job(s) and pay for your flying yourself.

Hope this helps. Good luck with your efforts. Don't forget, you have to convince Mom as well.

 

[tarp]

Find the root problem and then work on answers to the problem.

Your parents could have many reasons for not letting you go, you need to convince them that you ARE ready to go.

Let's make a small list of possibles:

1.) You've never had a hobby that you stuck with. (This may not apply to you, but for some folks its a real problem.) You need to convince them that this is not a fad or "wild hare". Negotiate a test. For example, have your parents talk with an instructor and investigate a "ground school" class. Ground schools are relatively cheap, however, without flight lessons intermixed they are also quite tedious. Just going every week, doing the study and taking the tests including the FAA written would be a big test of anyone's endurance - if you can last through ground school and still be interested, then I'd say your hooked.

2.) The money is outrageous. The cost of flight lessons is going to be somewhere between $5000 and $8000. Do you have this kind of money? Does your dad? Two paths to go down. a.) Yes, it's 5 grand, but nobody says that its 5 grand right now. Why don't you take a couple of lessons and see how it goes. There are many "3 hour wonders" out there. These are people who thought they were crazy about aviation, but found they weren't. Usually about lesson three you know if you are hooked or are just not interested. The $300 to $375 for just these 3 lessons is a small commitment from either you or your parents. b.) Who's gonna pay for it. Are you willing to get a part-time job to come up with the scratch? Are you willing to accept a 1992 Chevy Corsair to drive around in instead of the new Civic "S"? What sacrifice are you willing to make to attain this flying dream?

3.) The "safety" thing. You'll need some help and you're going to have to apply some muscle. Get your folks to the airport and talk to the owner of the flight training school. You need an adult to explain that the drive to the airport was far more dangerous than your first flight. Go visit the AOPA website (AOPA.org). Ask an instructor at the flight school to show you and your parents the pre-flight activity and to go over the maintenance records of the plane. They will be amazed by the detail that we inspect and all the official "sign-offs" just for a "little" plane to fly.

4.) The "solo" thing. Yes, after about 10 lessons (give or take 5), you will be allowed to take an airplane up by yourself with instructor supervision. The important things for your parents are: a.) you can't solo until you take a written test from the instructor.
b.) you can't solo unless the instructor says you can (at any time)
c.) you can't get your licence until your 17th birthday (and man is it a great birthday present to yourself!)

So get set to deal with your parents objections on each item as they bring it up. Since you're writing here, I hope you're serious about this. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to get the ticket (pilot's certificate). You will need to show this to your parents. Be patient. Try to break things down into smaller elements.

You want to be a pilot.....but you could live with just taking one discovery flight (by the way, this is an intro flight with a flight instructor where you are sitting in the left seat and just seeing what its like to move an airplane through the sky). You want to solo....but you could live with just 3 lessons. You want to fly like yesterday....but you could live with ground school lessons.

Good luck. Most of us know exactly what this feels like.

 

[LrBob]

i found jumping up and down and crying like a girl works pretty good

 

[uwochris]

Funny, I had the same problem, and in fact, still do!

My dad hates the idea of me wanting to be a pilot. Every year he asks me if I want to switch into engineering, computer science, etc. Although he hates it, he supports me.

Just be honest with your dad. Tell him this is what you truly want to do and that it will make you happy. I'm sure your dad is just nervous because of the dangers involved. He just have to show him it is what you want.

Good luck.

 

[toneal]

tell your dad youll pay him back. in 20 years..... (dont tell him the 20 years part though)

 

[eriknorth]

I was held back as well from my training, but not because of parents. I just couldn't come up with the money yet. So I got the Gleim PP book and the Jepp manual and started studying. Before too long I found a way to get the money and I was ahead of the game because I wasn't learning extreme basics in the air. Your parents will see you studying and know that you really want it. In my 20 short years, I've been through many phases, so I know if I told my parents that they should pay for my training, they probably wouldn't have done it at first either. Study and I'll bet you'll be flying in no time.

 

[Clownpilot]

Idea

You need to make being a pilot seem like a good idea to dad.

Tell him it's either pilot, drug dealer, or pimp.

If that doesn't work tell him female impersonator is next on your list. It might help to start wearing women's underwear or a dress here and there right now....adds to your credibility.