how to afford flight training without loans

[Spike]

Everyone wants to be a pilot and nobody has any money.. I almost posted on the other thread to spew my thoughts on the subject but figured I'd present a way one could accomplish everything they imagined without breaking the bank and without taking loans to do it.

 

This assumes no experience but could be tailored to any stage.

 

Cash is king and you don't want to give that flight school anymore than they deserve... if they're only going to hire you because you dumped 65k into their pocket then go somewhere else.

 

1st.. keep your day job, get cheap housing, lose your cell phone, no cable, no eating out..etc..

This may require you to move to an area of the country that has CHEAP flight training and housing.

 

2nd.. get your private airplane rating at a small one man op type place that will cost you @$4000. TT40hrs.

 

3rd.. get your rotorcraft add-on.. DON'T go to a school unless they are charging under $200/hr. wet..instructor will be additional. Cost to you @$8000 TT75hrs +-

 

4th.. get your instrument airplane..$5000 TT115hrs +-

 

5th.. get your rotorcraft instrument add-on and commercial add-on.. $7000 TT150hrs +-

 

6th.. get your rotorcraft CFI.. $3000+-

 

7th.. you have all your ratings for under $30000... now keep working your day job and slowly take advantage of deals that come up... ie..traffic watch in the bell 206.. R44 time under 250/hr.. etc..

 

This proposal doesn't include minescule things like books, written tests, checkrides..etc..

 

Come on now... $30k and all your ratings... now I know your thinking you only have about 60-75 hours in the helicopter and no one will give you a job... well it was unlikely you'd get a job anyway if you had all helicopter time and you've now got alot more opportunity... If you keep working and saving you could spend an additional $25k to get 200TT helicopter... You can do that SLOWLY over time and you may not even have to get that much time.

 

Now the final disclaimer... I'm just trying to think outside the box for those itching to fly but don't think they can afford it on their own.

 

While I appreciate you efforts to “think-outside-of-the-box”, this method is not realistic for someone who wishes to fly helicopters for a living. I’ll agree there’s maybe a couple of individuals out here who’ve taken the nontraditional route like you describe but the reality is, these folks are the exception and not the norm (by a long shot). Furthermore, you can be assured you’re not the first person to rethink this dilemma. Shoot, people have been trying to do gain their ratings cheaply since the Wright Brothers took flight. Helicopter flight training is not a fast-food, Masters Degree from the University of the Internet, textmaster, fly-by-night, quickie endeavor. The fact is; there are no shortcuts. Repeat, there are no shortcuts.

 

My suggestion for someone who doesn’t have any cash is to get as many jobs as possible and earn the cash. That is, work 24-7 if you can. Earning and saving while living cheaply is the key. If you can’t do this, then this business probably isn’t for you.

[apiaguy]

you're right.. I could have just said.. If you don't have the money, then you can't be a helicopter pilot. But the truth is that anyone can be a helicopter pilot with time and dedication. The price is not out of reach of normal individuals... becoming a career helicopter pilot may take 10 years to acheive and many will give up during that time. Nothing new there.