Which aircraft to get PPL in?

[Timebuilder]

link for AOPA

For the flight surgeon, post an inquiry in the "military" forum. Someone there should know.

 

[Hawker1]

Thanks, Timebuilder. I was looking over some stuff at www.Pilotfinance.com, and I had a question. What's part 61 and part 141 mean? I've heard for a while now, but I just don't know what it all means. Thanks.

 

[Timebuilder]

61 and 141 are regulations that govern two approaches to training.

Part 61 is a on-on-one situation of student and instructor, working at their own pace to meet the requirements of pilot certification.

Part 141 is a structured program, unually under the umbrella of an organized pilot "school", adhering to a syllabus of specific, approved training that proceeds at a more robust pace than the individualized instruction of part 61 training.

If you are going the military route, I'd go for 141 training to prepare you for the pace of military instruction.

 

[great cornholio]

Since you are going into the AF or ANG then it really makes no difference where you learn to fly because they will train you when you get there anyways. So the cheapest route still might not be the 152 though. Even though it is the cheapest per hour it might still cost more in the end. The cheapest way to learn to fly is to get it done quick. This way you don't spend a bunch of time re-learning at the beginning of each lesson. You need to have at least 2-3 flight lessons per week. If the weather sucks and you can't fly go to the airport and do some ground instruction or even a sim cause you have to get three hours of instrument flying anyways. Anyways it does not matter what the plane is for you goal. The 2 most important things are that you can get out to the airport at least 2-3 times a week (go for 3-4 if you can) and that you like the instructor. This will make you learn the most in the shortest period of time which means you spend less money and then you get to go have fun in the AF or ANG.

 

[bobbysamd]

Huh??

I spent about $15K there on my private (newer 172s and I got stuck on landings ) because she was nice and the planes were well kept.

$15K for a Private?? As in $15,000.00?? The price of flight training has gone up drastically in the past ten years, but if that's what you really paid for your Private, you paid far too much, even if you had trouble with landings. Not even the platinum-plated 141 schools will charge that much for a Private.

Please tell me that is incorrect.

 

[goaliemn]

Re: Huh??

$15K for a Private?? As in $15,000.00?? The price of flight training has gone up drastically in the past ten years, but if that's what you really paid for your Private, you paid far too much, even if you had trouble with landings. Not even the platinum-plated 141 schools will charge that much for a Private.

Please tell me that is incorrect.

Unfortunately, I'm not. It was $90/hr for the plane and $40/hr for instructor. the $15K does include "incidentals" like the flight manuals, charts, headset, flight bag and a portable GPS, so that's probably $1.5K or so..

Looking back, I think my instructor may have milked me a bit when I was learning to land. I think I could've cut afew hours off there, but at the same time I didn't know how hard I should push to be "let loose" in the pattern.

 

[dmspilot00]

I just did the math, are you saying you had over 100 hours before you took your Private checkride? Wow. Bad instructor.

 

[goaliemn]

I just did the math, are you saying you had over 100 hours before you took your Private checkride? Wow. Bad instructor.

There was ground training in there as well. 80 hrs flight time before checkride.

The more I think about this, the more it bothers me. ugh. Nothing I can really do about it now.

 

[dmspilot00]

Well, that's not too bad. The average used to be around 70 I hear, until they changed the regulations around 97 to make it easier.

If it's any consolation, just think, if you're going for commercial, you'll have needed the time anyway.

 

[goaliemn]

Well, that's not too bad. The average used to be around 70 I hear, until they changed the regulations around 97 to make it easier.

If it's any consolation, just think, if you're going for commercial, you'll have needed the time anyway.

The extra training I recieved won't be a total waste. I ended up not flying for a year and when I went back for a checkout ride with an instructor it was all right there. They were quite impressed with how long I hadn't flown, but I had done the checklists so many times they were ingrained in my head

 

[Hawker1]

Some people say 40-50 hours, some say 50-60 hours, and then in some 'extreme' cases, it takes 60-70+! What's a solid number to bet on that it will take me to get my PPL?

 

[great cornholio]

There is no real solid number unfortunately. Alot of it depends on how often you can get to the airport. If you can get there 2-3 times a week and take a little bit of extra time at home to study then there is no reason you should take longer than right around 50 hours. However if you can only make it to the airport once a week or less then the number will be closer to 60 hours. It really all depends on you. When I was instructing most of my students were right around 50 hrs at checkride. Actually had one guy that had like 41 hrs at checkride. Then I've seen the guys that come in like 3 times a month and take time off have been working on the PPL for 2 years and have 90 hours and no PPL. So really it depends on you, but if you work hard enough you should be able to get the PPL in right around 50 hours.

 

[Hawker1]

Thanks for the reply. I want to be able to fly atleast twice a week. I know it'll be pricy, but I don't want to have to spend the first 10-15 min. of every lesson going over what we did last time. I would like to be as structured as possible. Meaning, I would like to have certain days of the week where I always intend to fly. I know this won't always work due to weather and other things, but I'm the kind of person that likes to set a schedule and go with it. Thanks for all the help.

 

[great cornholio]

Thats a great idea. Like set your lesson for Noon on Tuesdays and then on like 3 on Saturdays or whatever. And then make sure you go to the airport at those times even if the weather sucks. You can always do some ground work or hop in the sim. Also since you like structure so much I would definately go to a part 141 school because they HAVE to follow a structured program with a syllabus.

 

[Hawker1]

Thanks, Cornholio. I'm def. a structured-type person. I was thinking the same thing about the scheduled times and days. Set those times as the time to fly and just go no matter what.