Help Me Learn to Fly!

[Tristar]

Does this now mean I can't dress in a raggedy pilot jacket and walk around Gastons chanting "alms for the poor?" I had plans ya know.

There were a couple certificates I came up just short and had to find ways to pay for it. Keep in mind the checkride is a big chunk too after the examiner fee and the plane. Keep working at it though. Oh, and of course you've figured out asking for hand outs doesn't work. Half of POA is probably just as broke! Sorry guys, blunt but true! There are a lot of current and graduated college kids, retired guys that don't fly due to cost, and other reasons but thankfully talking and reading about flying is free. No one judges accordingly. Although, if you are friendly and meet some of the lucky ones with airplanes, sometimes they'll take you up for a ride at a fly in. The true treat is in the friends you make though.

Good luck!

 

[TUPilot]

I'm raising money to pay off our nation's debt... Anyone want to help...

[FONT=verdana,arial,helvetica]The estimated population of the United States is 319,211,999
so each citizen's share of this debt is $55,978.02.[/FONT]

[FONT=verdana,arial,helvetica]Let's go people... Let's pay up... Let's pay our honest, hard working, loyal congress![/FONT][FONT=verdana,arial,helvetica]
[/FONT]

319 million people all paying in... I'll be sure to write a check just as soon as my neighbor's four year old cuts hers!

 

[jdennis1989]

Wanted to clear some things up for everyone... This post has brought me a lesson in humility. I have been on a 0 based budget since I started my first job and have $9,000 saved toward my license. Although it looks like I was trying to panhandle from the crowd to get money, I actually got the inspiration for starting this from the experience I stated where I was a runner up for a $1,000 scholarship from an EAA chapter.

I started this thinking (incorrectly obviously) that there were EAA chapters and sponsors out there that donated towards items like this, not individuals that were just going to give me money. I have no doubt that many of you think that I'm lazy and I'm sorry you have that impression of me, I will be at $1000 on my own in no time and I'll be joining you in the sky.

Sorry to waste anyones time.
-Phil

First off, I actually lived in Shelbyville Illinois as a kid. That airport is where my father got his license. Unfortunately that instuctor is no longer at that airport(moved away a few years ago). I am sure they have found a replacement by now. There are also many options in that area... you are NOT 1-2 hours away from lessons....

I spent many afternoons at that airport with my dad, great memories of that place.

Secondly, $9,000 could very well be enough to start and finish your license no problem. I had to spread my lessons out over the course of a year and a half due to "lack of funds" and when I totaled my expenses up including the checkride, rental, books,ect, I actually came in a few thousand under what you claim to already have saved.... Take that $9,000 and go every chance you get. It will click better if you fly more often that I did.

Don't get me wrong I would love to see you get your license, but I have no sympathy for you. I have no degree(still got the student loans), and I did not have any "starting money" saved when I started lessons. I took my first lesson and was hooked just like first time I went up with my Dad. I worked hard and every single penny that I had extra after paying my bills, I used for lessons. Seriously, I cut back on a lot of expenses that was not essential and ate roman noodles sometimes. If I had $100 bucks left over and my fridge was empty, I would sometimes go by a loaf of bread, peanut butter, milk and roman noodles and dined on that so that I could take one more lesson. If you want this bad enough, you will find a way. Don't take shortcuts.

 

[Henning]

If you've got $9k for this saved up, you can get done. First go to the FAA website and download the Airplane Flying Handbook and Private Pilot SEL Practical Test Standards. Between these 2 publications you will have 90% of the information you need to pass all your tests. Look at the other titles, you should end up doing some reading in many of them.Get the Aviation Weather download as well. You'll probably also want a study guide for the written, I like the Gleim products, but there are many to chose from that achieve the same effect.

Ask around of the people at the airports near you about independent instructors. Make it clear that you want to fly 3-4 times a week with any operation you interview. At that rate you make efficient forward progress. A lot of operations will give a discount for buying 'blocks' of 10 hrs of time or keeping some minimum balance on account, usually $500-$1000. This is normal, beware of operations that ask for everything up front. There are big operation like American Flyers and AllATPs that do this that are low risk, they have been around for several decades doing this. Other smaller operations have been known to go under taking all the money, even leaving those they arraigned student loans for deep in debt.

With $9k, you may also want to look for club memberships and partnerships around you. You may get free/low cost instruction from one of the other members as part of the deal.