Hi guys. I am currently a high school senior getting ready to go to college. All of the colleges I am loooking at are 500+ miles away from home. I would like to get my private liscence so I can come home and visit more often. Any suggestions on planes??? I can afford fairly nice plane but want to keep my per mile cost low. Also, any other tips you have for me in getting my liscence would be appreciated!!! Thanks!!!
Flying in College
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robert lomax
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just bought 6329R 66 PA 28 Im a plane owner mpg
Buy your own Cessna 150 for less than 20000$, most economical flying you can do, much cheaper than renting for training,,
find a private CFI,,,, fly your a$$ off as fast as you can, get your PPL,, no wasted time or money.
Visit home often.
Trade up to some other plane if and when you may want to in the future,, or dont...
Anymouse
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Total Stud Bush Pilot
That $15/hour at McDonalds must be great!! 
Don't sweat buying a plane. Instead, use that money to get a commercial and CFI ticket. Then do flight instruction as a college job.
Don't sweat buying a plane. Instead, use that money to get a commercial and CFI ticket. Then do flight instruction as a college job.
Possum
Pre-takeoff checklist
I wish you the best. First, check to see if the prospective college has a flying club that you could join and obtain some lessons and perhaps a PPL. Consider taking a few lessons now to introduce yourself to aviation. Fully understand what is required to obtain a PPL; ground school, medical or basic med, and most importantly the amount of personal time that will be required of you. Your dream plane will change with every click on Barnstormers until you have a set budget. Your idea of a 500+ mile cross country to see mom and dad could be interrupted by weather or high winds, grounding you at home for a few extra days with the parents. Not trying to lecture you but a first semester freshman year is filled with fraternities, girls, football, and challenging college classes [which require studying] . You may want to have a little college time behind you before pushing the PPL. I did obtain my PPL while in college [Clemson] and was a member of the Aero Club. Did my flying during my junior and senior years. Great experience. Again, I wish you the best.
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Aztec Flyer
If you need to get home and back on a reliable schedule, fly commercial, or buy a decent road vehicle.
If you want the challenge of getting your PPL and flying a light plane post #2 makes good sense. If not a Cessna 150, then a 152/172, or Cherokee 140 to 180 would a good start. I got my private when I was going to engineering college, but I was a renter and flying club member for the next 25 years before buying my first plane.
If you want the challenge of getting your PPL and flying a light plane post #2 makes good sense. If not a Cessna 150, then a 152/172, or Cherokee 140 to 180 would a good start. I got my private when I was going to engineering college, but I was a renter and flying club member for the next 25 years before buying my first plane.
150/2 should do it. Just be prepared to wait it out or cancel some flights home. You’ll build a lot of time going 500+ miles home in a 150!
Hank S
En-Route
Get your license now, before starting college. Spend a few more dollars, get something faster than a 150 / 152, they will take as long to fly 500 miles as it will for you to drive it, since airplane fuel stops seem to take much longer tha pulling your car up to the pump.
Then leave the plane at home your freshman year, see how much time it takes to read, study, write reports, etc. If it's good the first semester, fly back to school after Christmas. Use the break to reacquaint yourself with the plane, with a CFI of course. Expect to cancel some trips due to weather . . . .
Then leave the plane at home your freshman year, see how much time it takes to read, study, write reports, etc. If it's good the first semester, fly back to school after Christmas. Use the break to reacquaint yourself with the plane, with a CFI of course. Expect to cancel some trips due to weather . . . .
Rushie
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Agree with the others, C150 or at most 172 but only if you are swimming in money and aren't going into debt to get your college degree. Far more important to graduate debt free. Consider the O&M costs carefully, don't forget taxes, insurance, annuals, repairs that will be needed (assume surprises) etc. Do your homework.
If you can afford this, go for it. I first flew when young in college, one of the best things I've ever done.
But before you go any further into this, look into your medical certification. There are things in a person's history that will trip you up, like ADHD, or DUI, etc.
If you can afford this, go for it. I first flew when young in college, one of the best things I've ever done.
But before you go any further into this, look into your medical certification. There are things in a person's history that will trip you up, like ADHD, or DUI, etc.
Lachlan
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If Mommy & Daddy are foot8ng the bills for school and airplane, well, why not get something faster than a 150/172/Cherokee? Get an RV-7, etc.
SkyDog58
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Canis Non Grata
Give him a break. He is only a senior in high school. They don’t teach spelling these days until college.
Matthew K
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This is what I'd recommend if you have the opportunity, as it is what I did. I figured it will be much harder to find the time and money in college(and after for that matter) to work on it than during high school.
HEY! I resent that
Matthew K
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Might as well go with a Gulfstream then
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Greg Bockelman
Hey, let’s not shred the newbie just yet. I have seen unintentional spelling errors from a lot of people here.
Thanks guys, I really do appreciate all of the help. You guys have some great ideas that I would not have thought of!
Yes “Mommy and Daddy” will be helping with the bill. My family actually works hard at our jobs, rather than wasting our time picking on high school kids on the internet.
Yes “Mommy and Daddy” will be helping with the bill. My family actually works hard at our jobs, rather than wasting our time picking on high school kids on the internet.
Lachlan
En-Route
Once you get out of school you’ll be able to sit around and pick on kids on the internet, too. You just have to wait your turn.
It sounds like you’re a very hard worker if you can afford “a fairly nice plane.” If you are buying it with money you earned then that’s the coolest thing I’ve read in a long time. If M&D are purchasing it, well, then, uh... good job on being born into a family with great finances.
I like your idea of flying back and forth to school. When I was in school I would never have had the time to fly regularly enough to stay current, let alone proficient. And now you’ll have to have a job on top of school to pay for oil/fuel, tie-down or hangar, insurance, maintenance, annual inspection, repairs... Good thing you have a solid work ethic! Good luck on this venture. Hope it works out for you.
Matthew K
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Speaking of this, have any suggestions to make money while in college besides selling my organs?
mscard88
Touchdown! Greaser!
Speaking of this, have any suggestions to make money while in college besides selling my organs?
Male stripper.
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Speaking of this, have any suggestions to make money while in college besides selling my organs?
Gigolo.
Matthew K
Line Up and Wait
Hank S
En-Route
Speaking of this, have any suggestions to make money while in college besides selling my organs?
Many work fast food (not fun; if Chick Fil A is nearby, they give scholarships after 2 years) or retail (also not fun). You can deliver pizza, but hard to do without a car (remember, you flew to school).
What else?
- Selling plasma doesn't pay much, and you'll have to carefully schedule donations and flying . . . Missing one donation will cost a bundle.
- If you're good, offer tutoring, it pays well. Just don't get suckered into doing their homework for them.
- Sign up as a test subject for the Psych grad students experiments, they don't pay a whole lot but can be interesting.
- Work security / traffic / crowd control / refreshments at football, basketball, baseball, soccer, volleyball games--whatever sports are large at your school.
- Campus security often pays student "officers" to walk female students around campus at night to keep them safe (you get paid to meet girls! And some food places will give you a discount while working--I often met a buddy who did this for late-night, half price pizza).
Anymouse
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Total Stud Bush Pilot
You'll do good here kid!!!
Seriously, ditch the idea of owning a plane for now. Since your parents are footing the bill, do your best to get your commercial ticket and CFI. Get a job at an airport near your school as a CFI. Use the money to help pay for your tuition. Rent one of their planes to get back and forth when you want to go home. Be a chick magnet.
Internet troll. You have good experience and I hear Soros pays well.Speaking of this, have any suggestions to make money while in college besides selling my organs?
455 Bravo Uniform
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If you only want to learn in order to get home more often, consider flying commercial. It's cheaper, can be faster, and more reliable. Not trying to discourage. You should learn to fly anyway.
Ken Ibold
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Not sure where you live or are planning to go to school, but also keep in mind that there will be many, many trips you cannot make due to weather. In most parts of the country, be prepared to get an instrument rating on top of the private certificate if you want to have any hope of maintaining practical use of the airplane. Even then you have to consider things like icing, especially when you make those trips home for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Flip side, night flights are great for dating! So I'm thinking right there it makes it worth it.
Flip side, night flights are great for dating! So I'm thinking right there it makes it worth it.
Hank S
En-Route
Start this spring at home--wash and wax planes at the airport. Start with the flight school, ask to be paid in flight time. They will show you what to watch out for, 'cause it's not exactly like washing a car. Other pilots will see you doing it, and ask about getting theirs done.
When you head off to college, you will be an experienced plane washer with your own supplies, ready to get back into it. I figure washing a normal 4-place plane is about equal to 3 cars (top and bottom of the wings and tail, plus the belly . . . Nobody washes the bottom of their car, much less waxes it!).
When you head off to college, you will be an experienced plane washer with your own supplies, ready to get back into it. I figure washing a normal 4-place plane is about equal to 3 cars (top and bottom of the wings and tail, plus the belly . . . Nobody washes the bottom of their car, much less waxes it!).
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe
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What kind of degree will you be working on? Most of my engineering students are able to find part/full time internships at any number of companies in the area (Auto, robotics, etc.)Speaking of this, have any suggestions to make money while in college besides selling my organs?
Badger
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Badger
OP,
do a little math. From school, 20 minutes to airport (guessing). 30 minute fuel and preflight. Now find out the speed for a C172 and multiply by 500 miles. Add 30 minutes at destination for tie down, and other post flight items. Now you need a ride to home, etc.
Since you are still in high school you don't know your schedule yet, but I doubt you will be able to fly Friday after class home before dark. No problem after dark for some people.
You didn't say where you are located. Texas is very different for 500 nm than the northern states, over mountains etc. Right now, there are plenty of areas that are dark by 5pm. Getting back to campus on Sunday is the same equation in reverse. In short, it's a handful for a weekend. It would be a great experience, but it will be time consuming. I haven't even mentioned weather challenges.
If this is for trips home over long breaks such as thanksgiving, Xmas, spring break etc., I'd suggest renting or airlines, then rent/fly while home. You can learn different planes and see which you like best, among other advantages.
FYI: I have 2 kids in college, one with her pilot license. I am familiar with the demands of flying and college life. As others have stated, start on your PP now, get it done before college. Spend available college hours learning to extend your comfort zone a little, work on instrument, occasionally fly home. Buy a plane down the road. When you chose a college, see if they have a flying club or team.
do a little math. From school, 20 minutes to airport (guessing). 30 minute fuel and preflight. Now find out the speed for a C172 and multiply by 500 miles. Add 30 minutes at destination for tie down, and other post flight items. Now you need a ride to home, etc.
Since you are still in high school you don't know your schedule yet, but I doubt you will be able to fly Friday after class home before dark. No problem after dark for some people.
You didn't say where you are located. Texas is very different for 500 nm than the northern states, over mountains etc. Right now, there are plenty of areas that are dark by 5pm. Getting back to campus on Sunday is the same equation in reverse. In short, it's a handful for a weekend. It would be a great experience, but it will be time consuming. I haven't even mentioned weather challenges.
If this is for trips home over long breaks such as thanksgiving, Xmas, spring break etc., I'd suggest renting or airlines, then rent/fly while home. You can learn different planes and see which you like best, among other advantages.
FYI: I have 2 kids in college, one with her pilot license. I am familiar with the demands of flying and college life. As others have stated, start on your PP now, get it done before college. Spend available college hours learning to extend your comfort zone a little, work on instrument, occasionally fly home. Buy a plane down the road. When you chose a college, see if they have a flying club or team.
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Matthew K
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Most likely mechanical engineering. One of the colleges I'm applying to has a lot of engineering centered companies nearby, the other, I'm not sure.
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe
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Light and Sporty Guy
Finding out would be a good idea - working part time for an engineering firm is going to pay better than flipping burgers - and it's going to be huge on your resume (assuming you don't stay with the company where you intern.)
Matthew K
Line Up and Wait
I agree, the college that I said I'm not sure about doesn't have any huge engineering companies nearby that I'm aware of, but I'm sure there are some small ones that would take interns, I need to ask around and find out. I don't "need" to have a job while in college, but it definitely would be nice to have the money to stay current with my PPL and for misc. Most importantly having an engineering focused internship(paid or unpaid) would be for the resume of course.
Ken Ibold
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Ken Ibold
We have 35 offices around the country and hire engineer interns routinely. But not before their junior year.
Matthew K
Line Up and Wait
That brings up a good point, it is probably a common theme that companies don't hire until at least a year or two into college. What company?
Ken Ibold
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Matthew K
Line Up and Wait
Here's some irony, they have an office less than 30 minutes away from me.
Brad Z
Final Approach
Particularly if the reason for coming home is a girlfriend back home. Those tend not to last more than a semester away.
Also, did the OP mention whether flying was a career interest? Perhaps building hours wasn't his objective.
Nevertheless, a 12 year old Cirrus SR-20 is reasonably affordable and has enough electronic gizmos to keep a young person entertained, and modern enough to not turn off a potential passenger. My best memories of college were using plane rides to go on dates. Have fun.
I left that part un-said. It's not just the girlfriend. The buddies from HS are off to college somewhere else. As for those who remain local, after a while you realize that you don't have all that much in common with them.
If there is still some time until college, getting all the way to CFI would be the best use of parental funds. That may or may not include an aircraft along the way. With a CFI ticket at a school with either a flying club or an active GA airport, there would be at a minimum the opportunity to get most flying going forward paid for by others.
Along the way, I have met a couple of CFIs who instruct through college on the side. Not a way to get rich, but beats working for beer money (and if you fly actively, you won't need too much of a party budget to start with).
