Juanchie From United States, joined Jan 2004, 190 posts, RR: 0 Posted (3 years 11 months 1 week 3 days 21 hours ago) and read 643 times:
Ive been flying on the computer for years but just recently became interested in getting my real pilots license. How long on average would it take me to get a pilots license and on average about how much would it cost. Also, is it fairly dificult to do? I am not lookign to become a professional pilot or something like that being able to fly would be amazing.
Juan Carlos
God, forgive me for who I am, and help me be the man I want to be.
Planespotting From United States, joined Apr 2004, 2574 posts, RR: 4 Reply 1, posted (3 years 11 months 1 week 3 days 21 hours ago) and read 605 times:
depending on where you do your flight training, you can expect to spend anywhere from $4500 to $7000 on your private airmen certificate. The longer it takes you the more money you will spend. Minimum hours for a private certificate, Part 61 is somewhere around 45 total time.
It is not terribly difficult, you must put in some effort though, mainly for the book portion (knowing all the required information), the flying part is definitely the easier of the two (learning what to know for the written test and flying).
However if you go though with it, you will find it as probably one of the more rewarding things you've ever done. If the money is there, and you like airplanes, i say do it.
Flyingbronco05 From United States, joined May 2002, 3624 posts, RR: 3 Reply 2, posted (3 years 11 months 1 week 3 days 21 hours ago) and read 606 times:
Average hours is I believe 70 (minimum is 40) and it costs $3000-7000, depending on how often you fly.
It's not hard at all. The hard part is watching all the money go away.
FB05
Do a search on google. You will be amazed on what you can find:
HaveBlue From United States, joined Jan 2004, 1261 posts, RR: 1 Reply 3, posted (3 years 11 months 1 week 3 days 20 hours ago) and read 572 times:
I would say 3-5 months and around $5,000-7,000. Mine took a little over 4 months, but we had 3 weeks of complete down time do to 9/11 four weeks into my training. And my cost was $5,500.
I wouldn't say its difficult, but it is definitely a challenge. And it is far more rewarding than anything else I have done, with the exception of my daughter.
XJRamper From United States, joined Dec 2003, 2008 posts, RR: 34 Reply 4, posted (3 years 11 months 1 week 3 days 20 hours ago) and read 571 times:
I have been flying since november and still am in the process of getting my license. If you have work or school and live in a suspect climate...it might take longer like myself. But I have gained so much experience for the amount of flying that I have done since I started I wouldn't want to have less than 45 hrs now. In case you are wondering, I have soloed but havent done my cross country or my night flying solos yet...perhaps friday.
Type-rated From United States, joined Sep 1999, 1692 posts, RR: 27 Reply 6, posted (3 years 11 months 1 week 3 days 17 hours ago) and read 490 times:
And a few tips here that can keep your costs down... and I am speaking from a CFI point of view...
While working on your license, try to fly as often as possible. If you fly only one or twice a month, you will be spending a considerable amount of time in each lesson "reviewing" the previous lesson. When you fly regularly, like several times a week, this is not usually a factor you "remember" more from the previous lesson.
Develop a good rapport with your instructor (CFI). When I was working on my Private, I had a fantastic instructor that was easy going, really knew how to demonstrate the skills needed very well. When I was working on my Commercial I had an instructor that carried a 3 sided ruler with him. If you made a mistake, he would pop you in the head with the ruler! (Ouch!) We lasted 5 hours of dual time before I told him that we would not be sharing an aircraft with him ever again! I asked for the same instructor I had for my Private and things went well again. I went for my Private Checkride with a 39.6 hours (1970). I have had students who fly only once a month take nearly 90 hours, while the "frequent flyers" have taken as little as 45.
Best of luck to you and Happy Landings!
Fly North Central Airlines..The route of the Northliners!
StevenUhl777 From , joined today!, posts, RR: Reply 7, posted (3 years 11 months 1 week 3 days 16 hours ago) and read 478 times:
Great topic!
One of the things I realized on my recent vacation was that I would rather spend the money and time getting a pilots license instead of an MBA. At least I would enjoy the studying part and it's something I've always wanted to do, and still do. Unfortunately, I was told at a pretty young age that I don't have the right personality to be a pilot, and I gave up on trying to become a pilot. Now, at 31, I find myself doing accounting work that I quite frankly hate and would love to get out of it, but the chance now of flying for a 'legacy' carrier seems slim. I had always wanted to fly DC-10 or 747 for UA...again, chance of that seems really slim nowadays. I wouldn't mind flying for a regional or cargo carrier...as long as I could fly and make money! That would make me a lot happier than dealing with accounting shit, trust me.
Thanks for the cost/time estimates, and one of the things I have going for me is that I am within walking distance of PAE, where there are flight schools, and planes fly over my house all the time.
What are the time/cost estimates to get a multi-engine and commercial rating, enough to be competitive for airlines?
Brettbrett21 From United Kingdom, joined Jun 2004, 436 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (3 years 11 months 1 week 3 days 14 hours ago) and read 439 times:
I'm sure I've read about ''fastrack'' ways to gain your PPL. I think it was for a flight school in Florida where you stayed for 3 weeks and at the end took your checkride, with the cost about $5000.
This seems the much smarter choice to me as the information you learn would be fresh in your mind for the next days flying.
BMAbound From Sweden, joined Nov 2003, 660 posts, RR: 4 Reply 10, posted (3 years 11 months 1 week 3 days 7 hours ago) and read 365 times:
Just some general advice from another perspective. Have all your papers in order. Four weeks after beginning my PPL'ing in the U.S, the INS called and said I couldn't fly. I appearently had the wrong visa (couldn't fly AND go to high school). Ended up spending a large three figure number just to get the papers in order + being grounded for five weeks.
About to finish up (I had just taken a 60-day prep lesson for the PPL checkride), something else was wrong... God knows what it was... I was told the FAA needed between 0 and 90 days to complete some additional paperwork (this was a mere week before leaving the U.S).
Anyways, it turned out good after all and I got my PPL two days before leaving (don't tell me what I would've done if the weather was bad)
Gaining my PPL was the best thing I've done so far, if you have a genuine interest in flying, sign up. An important advice I can give is to book your physical as early as possible (you need that to go solo) and NOT to fall behind on the theory part.
Pilotpip From United States, joined Sep 2003, 2066 posts, RR: 6 Reply 11, posted (3 years 11 months 1 week 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 338 times:
As stated, go for it all out or don't go at all. It will save you money in the long run.
In addition to flying as often as possible, study when you aren't flying. Learn the how and why of what you are doing, of what you are flying. Study outside of your dual time with the instructor is free, and will save you cash when meeting with your instructor becuase you will spend more time doing and less time working on the how and why of what you are doing.
Most important, have fun. It is tough to get your license, but I can honestly say that the most rewarding experiences in my life have been my first solo, and every new rating I have gotten.
Klkla From United States, joined Jul 2004, 319 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (3 years 11 months 1 week 3 days 4 hours ago) and read 319 times:
And a few tips here that can keep your costs down... and I am speaking from a CFI point of view... While working on your license, try to fly as often as possible. If you fly only one or twice a month, you will be spending a considerable amount of time in each lesson "reviewing" the previous lesson. When you fly regularly, like several times a week, this is not usually a factor you "remember" more from the previous lesson.
Very true.... it wasn't until I made the commitment to train two or three times a week that I finally got through the process. Expect to spend at least $6000 for your private pilots license and at least that amount for you instrument training.
'If you can afford it, it's definitely worth it.
Aa717driver From United States, joined Feb 2002, 1549 posts, RR: 9 Reply 13, posted (3 years 11 months 1 week 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 245 times:
StevenUhl--Who's the ****ing Moron who said you didn't have the "personality" to be a pilot? I think I'd go find them and kick their a$$! There is a near-infinite number of personality types in aviation. That's what makes it fun and interesting. No two people fly the same way or think the same way.
Anyone who wants to fly--and knows they want to fly from a young age should do it. If you don't, you'll never be truly happy.TC
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I think I'd go find them and kick their a$$! There is a near-infinite number of personality types in aviation. That's what makes it fun and interesting. No two people fly the same way or think the same way.
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