To become a pilot or not to become a pilot.

[68Wooley]

...But first I'll be smart and make sure I can afford it too.

Sensible guy - if you are doing this for fun, great, but make sure you can finish it because getting half way through and having to stop will be torture.

I'm about a third of the way through my PPL - doing it for fun with no intentions of becoming a commercial pilot. Only comment I'd make is that $5-$6k seems a bit low for me these days. My experience would suggest doubling that unless its being subsidized somehow.

For what its worth, my flying lessons are currently the highlight of my week.

[Jayhawk]

so many things to be said... i too didnt read all of the posts...

few things...

*Where do you live?
*Where are you attending school? some colleges have deals for their students on getting their PPL. AND DO NOT LOOK AT JUST BIG COLLEGES, ALSO MAKE SURE TO LOOK AT COMMUNITY COLLEGES! my local community college is ranked 1 in the country in aviation, so you would be supprised what you would find at them. i get a 40% discount on rentals too because of their program and how its set up (im paying about $90 per hour wet for a piper Arrow). you might be able to find something like this too.
*where/who is your preferred local flight school?
*Where/who are more local flight schools?
*How often do you intend to fly? you can rent aircraft, buy, lease, co-owner or even get into a flying club.
*what do you want to fly? do you just want to fly VFR or do you want IFR, multi engine or only single, etc... i would suggest at least getting IFR if you live in an area where weather changes fast.

*do you ever want to fly commercially? now if you do, your going to be starting out making 13-20K a year flying your bellybutton off at a regional carrier if your in America. now im considering going to Europe and flying their because they start at about 50K a year (american dollars) so there is alot you need to look into.

Thanks for the tips, and my local college does have a club I can join as a student or alumni that can actually let me rent a Cessna for as low as $63/hr, fuel included.

Sensible guy - if you are doing this for fun, great, but make sure you can finish it because getting half way through and having to stop will be torture.

I'm about a third of the way through my PPL - doing it for fun with no intentions of becoming a commercial pilot. Only comment I'd make is that $5-$6k seems a bit low for me these days. My experience would suggest doubling that unless its being subsidized somehow.

For what its worth, my flying lessons are currently the highlight of my week.

I know 5-6K does seem low, I heard 10K was national average.  However talking with local flight school and flight instructors I still believe I can do it for 6K.  Good luck with yours, are you planning on getting your own plane after you receive your license?

[68Wooley]

Good luck with yours, are you planning on getting your own plane after you receive your license?

Thanks. For the time being, the maths suggest renting to me. I'd like to own someday, but that's a ways off.