Agreed. Initially I planned to fly at least once a week. I quickly realized that in order to meet that goal, I had to schedule at least twice a week so that at least one session would be a go. Toward the end of my basic training, I started scheduling three times a week, with the hope that two sessions would be a go.
Want to start flying…
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Agreed. Initially I planned to fly at least once a week. I quickly realized that in order to meet that goal, I had to schedule at least twice a week so that at least one session would be a go. Toward the end of my basic training, I started scheduling three times a week, with the hope that two sessions would be a go.
aterry1067
Line Up and Wait
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Alpha_Delta_Tango
Don’t discount the idea of “chair flying” to save money. You can take a picture of the cockpit that you will learn to fly in, and memorize that picture. Then you find a quiet place, sit in a chair, close your eyes, and mentally fly the airplane. The idea is to create muscle memory and learn where all items are located in the cockpit. It’s much cheaper to learn that in your kitchen for free than with an instructor in a plane with a turning propellor at $4 a minute.
Chair flying also helps to keep your mind engaged in the act of flying when you can’t physically fly the plane.
Chair flying also helps to keep your mind engaged in the act of flying when you can’t physically fly the plane.
Gilbert Buettner
Cleared for Takeoff
Highly recommended! I learned to fly back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, and we actually would sit in a straight-backed chair and use a plunger as a stick.
Pinecone
En-Route
Spreading things out will make it take longer and cost more.
If you fly once a week, typically about half of each lesson is getting you back to where you were at the end of the last lesson, leaving the other half to progress. If you fly every other day, less than 1/4 each lesson will be repeat.
In USAF pilot training I flew an average of 17 per month, some people were over 22 hours per month. We did the equivalent of start to Commercial Multi engine Instrument in 10 months of flying.
If you fly once a week, typically about half of each lesson is getting you back to where you were at the end of the last lesson, leaving the other half to progress. If you fly every other day, less than 1/4 each lesson will be repeat.
In USAF pilot training I flew an average of 17 per month, some people were over 22 hours per month. We did the equivalent of start to Commercial Multi engine Instrument in 10 months of flying.
Pinecone
En-Route
Chair flying is VERY good.
Even a bit better, if you can, go sit in the airplane and do the same thing. Nothing running, but mentally do your flight.
Graybeard
Filing Flight Plan
To the OP, or anyone else looking to start flying with the same basic questions. The biggest unknown that you can't totally control (at least in the beginning) is the honesty, ethics and ability of both the flight school and the instructor that teaches you. At some level you are going to have to use your gut feelings, based on experiences outside of aviation, dealing with people and questioning whether they are feeding you a line or are honest about the cost/time/commitments (both yours and theirs) to teaching you to fly. Ask questions, based on what you learn here, what concerns you have about your ability to pay for or commit time to reaching your goals. You will need to talk to someone above the level the instructor who will teach you, to get an idea of whether they are the right for your goals. A big training academy may be a good fit for you, but if your just looking to get your private license and take it no farther, and or you are clearly not able to afford the training and pace of that type of institution, than you will be poorly served by that school if they are not honest about the type of client that they normally serve. Likewise, a small mom and pop school with old beat up aircraft, few instructors and (by all appearances) and causal attitude toward business/the customer, will probably be a poor choice, particularly if you are looking to go from start to finish and hope to fly for a living.
I've had several friends and sons of friends be poorly served by instructors that lasted only a couple hours than where gone, and flight schools where the aircraft never seemed to be flyable on the day they where scheduled. The affect, for them was not positive. Good luck, and keep asking questions and learning from others experiences.
I've had several friends and sons of friends be poorly served by instructors that lasted only a couple hours than where gone, and flight schools where the aircraft never seemed to be flyable on the day they where scheduled. The affect, for them was not positive. Good luck, and keep asking questions and learning from others experiences.
Tantalum
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San_Diego_Pilot
Yup. True story. Loads of people spend more time and money than they need to for various reasons, either because they weren't made known up front the time and cost commitment or because their instructor bails 15 hrs into lessons to go to the airlines and the student, err, learner is left having to "start fresh"
It's a very personal experience.. tiny cockpit that you share a lot of time with someone in
For what it's worth, instructors are supposed to, and expected to, have a code of ethical responsibilities towards their learners.
If you are going to go to the airlines, at least pass your student off to a CFI friend who can finish them up, don't leave them hanging having to start fresh and waste a few lessons just to get back to where they were.
tsts4
Pattern Altitude
I'm thinking this might be where going with a 141 program, if any are locally available, might be a preferred option. In theory at least, with the 141's structure you should be able to go between CFIs without missing a beat. I did 141 for my instrument and that was definitely the case for me.
It's true that flying more often will reduce the number of training hours and save you money, but I'll offer a different perspective for you to consider.
First of all, saving money on training should not be your first consideration. A consideration, certainly, but not at the top of the list. Your top priority should be learning to fly safely, and if that takes a few more hours, so be it. You want to be a safe pilot when you get that certificate. Spend whatever that takes.
Second, understand that to get ready for the checkride, you'll have to reach the point where your skills don't atrophy significantly between lessons. IOW, you'll reach the point where your skill retention is a few days, a week, or two weeks, or whatever rate you're training at.
Third, this isn't a race. Whether you're flying with an instructor or not, you're still flying. You'll be at the controls of an airplane, in the sky, learning to do cool things. HAVE FUN! Enjoy the lessons! The experience of flying, whether in training or not, should be something you enjoy and look forward to.
Now, with all that in mind, ask yourself how often you will fly after you're licensed. What will your budget allow? Twice a week? Once a week? Twice a month? I suggest you train at a similar frequency. That way, when you finish training, you'll have skill retention that at least matches the gap between your flights.
Some people save up a pile of cash, rush through their training in a few weeks, and then can't afford to fly again for a long time. By the time they can get into an airplane again, their skills have atrophied and they need a few hours with a CFI before they'll be safe.
First of all, saving money on training should not be your first consideration. A consideration, certainly, but not at the top of the list. Your top priority should be learning to fly safely, and if that takes a few more hours, so be it. You want to be a safe pilot when you get that certificate. Spend whatever that takes.
Second, understand that to get ready for the checkride, you'll have to reach the point where your skills don't atrophy significantly between lessons. IOW, you'll reach the point where your skill retention is a few days, a week, or two weeks, or whatever rate you're training at.
Third, this isn't a race. Whether you're flying with an instructor or not, you're still flying. You'll be at the controls of an airplane, in the sky, learning to do cool things. HAVE FUN! Enjoy the lessons! The experience of flying, whether in training or not, should be something you enjoy and look forward to.
Now, with all that in mind, ask yourself how often you will fly after you're licensed. What will your budget allow? Twice a week? Once a week? Twice a month? I suggest you train at a similar frequency. That way, when you finish training, you'll have skill retention that at least matches the gap between your flights.
Some people save up a pile of cash, rush through their training in a few weeks, and then can't afford to fly again for a long time. By the time they can get into an airplane again, their skills have atrophied and they need a few hours with a CFI before they'll be safe.
Pinecone
En-Route
And there is nothing wrong with that either. As long as they realize and do some time with an instructor.
And skills atrophy at a different rate for different people. The first time I took time off from flying, I went about 6 years. Was signed off on a BFR on one flight. One more flight for a instrument check. Second time, I took about 20 years off. Approached it as, let's start flying and see what happens. Signed of on the BR in one flight. I was safe, but not to the proficiency I was happy with, but that just took some more flying. Without an instructor. IPC took a session in the sim and a flight for the landings from approaches. Again, I was safe, but NOWHERE near where I wanted to be. A couple of flights with friends as safety pilot and it got to the point I would actually consider flying IFR requiring an approach, but not to mins. A few more flights, and I was good to go.
My point is (after rambling) was not only is each person different, but you need to do a GOOD self evaluation. If the instructor says you are fine, but you don't feel you are, get some more dual. Or, if you feel safe enough, maybe just fly solo (less distractions) for a few flights and practice.
The idea of saving money on training is, why spend 75 hours and $15,000, when you could do it in 50 hours and $10,000 and then do some flying to USE the rating?