Finally have a plan

[eaw913]

So after over two years of back-and-forth decision making, I have decided to go ahead and get a bachelors in Business and aim for my PPL in the process. After I manage to survive that, I plan to enter the Coast Guard either through OCS or on a flight initiative. Either way, I would love to be in the CG regardless, but flying would be the cherry on top

 

Anyway, that is all besides the point for this topic. I wanted to ask people here if there is ANY easy way to obtain a PPL without breaking the bank? I, of course, am a college student (about to finish my freshman year) and am not rich by any means. I know it will cost me, but is there anything I can do to lower the cost? I know a lot of people on here have really good experience with this, but sometimes there is just no solution.

 

If anyone has any tips/advice, I would love to hear it! And if anyone here knows any bit of information about the Coast Guard (specifically aviation), I would love to hear about that as well!

 

Thanks in advance.

[Trans Lift]

1. Study a lot in your own time.

 

2. Do your training as consistently as possible. Normally, guys who do it this way finish in less hours.

 

I'm sure others will have more to add but these two things will help you save some dollars and time. Other than that, it is still going to cast around $14,000 give or take a couple $$$$$!

 

What school are you looking at?

[eaw913]

Once I start, I definitely plan to do it in as least time as possible. If I want to get into the Coast Guard, I need to do it before I am 27.

 

I appreciate the advice. I am looking into Air Atlanta Helicopters (which runs through the Professional Helicopter Academy, I believe).

Edited April 20, 2011 by eaw913

[Trans Lift]

Cool. Don't know much about them but definitely go for an intro flight, if you haven't already! Get some books like the Rotorcraft Flying Handbook, etc.

Talk to some past and present students if you can too, just to get some non-bised feedback on the school also.

Edited April 20, 2011 by Trans Lift

[eaw913]

I actually went in March of last year, so a little over a year. I have been dying to continue with it ever since but I, like many others, am broke

 

I am so ready to get going. I'm afraid if I hold out much longer I might go nuts!

 

Can I find the book at any bookstore?

[Trans Lift]

I know how you feel man, Hopefully you will get there sooner rather than later.

 

Message me with your email. I have a digital copy of it that I can send to you.

[eaw913]

Awesome, I will send you a PM now.

 

Where are you right now as far as flying goes? What path did you take?

[DynamicallyUnstable]

Like Trans Lift already said, study a lot on your own! I have had students that had to have everything spoon fed and students that I basically only had to hit some highlights for them to understand most things.

The students that studied hard before they even came to flight school and studied hard when they were in the program always spent less. The flying is the most expensive part and there isn't a lot you can do to reduce that except (also like TL said) fly consistently. If there are gaps in your flight time, you will spend too much time refreshing what you had done before instead of moving on to the next thing. Also, as far as studying, having a better understanding of what the aircraft is doing and why will help you to put control inputs in with a more understanding thought process and that should help as well.

Just my .02

Good luck!

[r22butters]

If you want to save some money, you could just get your Recreational License, instead? You'll have a few limitations, but at least you'll be a licensed pilot, able to build PIC time!

[zVo]

I used Pilot Finance to help fund my PPL. I was an add-on student, so I'm not sure if that influenced their decision at all, but it is potentially an option.

[SBuzzkill]

Save enough money so that you can do the training all at once, or be sure that you are making enough money that you can consistently fly multiple times a week. You shouldn't have too much trouble with the weather if you are flying in Atlanta.

 

Also, start looking for scholarships. I recieved a $2000 scholarship when I was 18 from a local pilot's association. They are out there and if you have the grades and drive you can probably get one.

 

When you do start flying, hang out at the airport when you're done with your flight. They're not going to charge you for hanging around and you can learn a lot from what you hear while BSing. You might even get some free flights by hanging around the airport.

Edited April 21, 2011 by SBuzzkill

[eaw913]

DynamicallyUnstable:

 

I have heard this from pretty much every single person, and it makes more than enough sense. I would imagine the studying is pretty painless, as it seems like most of the information would be rather interesting, correct? I am usually quick to understand things, so I imagine I will be fine. Sometimes certain things just take longer to grasp. It is definitely good to know that the harder you work, the less money you spend! Seems like most things in life work that way. Many people point out the consistency in flight time. Is this just a difficult thing due to paying for lessons, or does it depend on the person? I would imagine once I started I would plan to go non-stop until I got my PPL.

 

r22butters:

 

What is the difference between a recreational license and a PPL? As far as flight time, etc. Seems appealing due to the money, but I feel like it would be much more rewarding to achieve a PPL. Amen to the PIC time!

 

zVo:

 

It is funny that you mention this. After visiting Air Atlanta the other day, I got some information on average costs and I got a brochure for Pilot Finance. It is very intriguing, but I am just depressed at the thought of paying monthly payments. Once I get a regular job (trying to get one at the airport as we speak) it will not be quite as big of an issue. I actually would much prefer to save up money here and there and put chunks down for flight hours. Issue with this is that I am afraid I may end up pausing too frequently between flight time to refill my savings.

 

SBuzzkill:

 

This is the exact idea I have. I feel like paying for all, or at least most, of the training would be the most beneficial route. That way I do not have to keep trying to find ways to save up and lose time I could have spent focusing on my training. And you could not be more correct about the weather.

 

As far as scholarships go, where do I go to look? Do I just google “flight training scholarships”? If grades and drive are the primary requirements, I’m set.

 

When it comes to hanging around after flights, I know exactly what you mean. I actually learned quite a good bit about Air Atlanta just by spending some time after my intro flight just over a year ago. Hard to believe it was that long ago that I flew. Makes me sick!

 

To all of you, where are you now as far as point in your career? (Especially you, SBuzzkill. How’s the Army treatin’ you? )

[IFLY]

Try here.

 

http://www.whirlygirls.org/mc/page.do?sitePageId=94682&orgId=whg

 

Jerry

 

 

[SBuzzkill]

I'm loving it. The KW is a blast to fly and we literally just go fly around and look at stuff all day. Hard to beat!

 

To find scholarships start asking around at the various flight schools in the area. They usually will have a good idea if there are any local scholarships available because it will be their students using them.

Edited April 22, 2011 by SBuzzkill

[r22butters]

r22butters:

 

What is the difference between a recreational license and a PPL? As far as flight time, etc. Seems appealing due to the money, but I feel like it would be much more rewarding to achieve a PPL. Amen to the PIC time!

 

From what I gather, it seems with the Recreational License all you can pretty much do, is fly around in 'uncontrolled' airspace, within 25nm of a non-towered airport, but you can take one passenger, and,...its PIC!

 

If you want to do any of the other things a Private Pilot can do (like fly in controlled airspace, or beyond 50nm), you need to get additional endorsements.

 

I've often wondered if it would be a better way to go, since PIC time is so important to employers.

 

Since you would become a 'rated' pilot in fewer hours, you would have fewer hours to go, beyond 1000TT, to get to 1000PIC, and since you are 'rated', all those hours you fly to reach the Private level, will be PIC!

 

For the Rec; you need 30hrs total, 15 dual, 2hrs cross country, 3hrs preparing for the test, and 3hrs solo.

 

For the PVT; its 40hrs total, 20 dual, 6hrs cross country(3 solo, 3 dual), 10hrs solo, and 3hrs preparing for the test, plus the cross country's are much longer.

 

Technically its only a 10hr difference, but there's a lot more to do in those 10hrs.

 

Of course you'd have to confirm all this with a CFI.

Edited April 22, 2011 by r22butters

[rotormandan]

Those 10 extra solo hours for a private are all PIC anyway so you may as well just do a private instead of paying for 2 check rides and adding the extra stress for a 2nd checkride. Espically if you plann to do anything at all in the future as a pilot. A private rating is a requirement for all the later ratings.

 

As everyone else said study your heiny off and make sure you get your ducks in a row before you show up to either flight school or ground. Sometimes that means geting your instructor's ducks in a row so you guys have a plan for the next flight/ground lesson and are swimming in the same pond.

 

 

Damn! Was that cheesy or what?