Author Topic: So, whats it cost to learn how to be a pilot? (Read 976 times)

RTR · « **Reply #30 on:** June 20, 2006, 08:58:43 PM »

Quote

Helicopter will be hideously expensive.

Mav has that exactly right.

It cost me $35K back in the day to do my commercial.

Nowadays, up here, it's going to cost a minimum of 40K for a commercial, or 25K or so for a private.

Enstroms *shudder*...... don't care if I ever see one again as long as I live. Flying farm equipment.

Those who only do a private find it next to impossible to find one to rent for an hour to exercise thier licence. (most private helicopter pilots up here are those that have the funds to buy thier own).

Insurance rates are pretty steep in the rotory wing world, hence the reluctance to rent them out like a cessna.

cheers,
RTR

B17Skull12 · « **Reply #31 on:** June 21, 2006, 12:35:17 AM »

Im an exception but look for around 7k in florida. I shouldn't be that hard hawk.

Yes Helicopter kills the wallet though if you want to become a police helicopter pilot it more than pays of latter. Plus not to mention you rack up the hours like crazy.

RTR · « **Reply #32 on:** June 21, 2006, 08:53:40 AM »

Problem with that Skull, is a brand new commercial helicopter pilot is not going to be hired to fly a police helicopter. The flying experience just isn't there.

Up here, it's very hard for new pilots to get that break and actually land a flying job right after training.

The schools pump these kids out with 100 hrs and a brand shiny new CPH.
Most customers require that the pilot we send to fly for them have a minimum amount of hours (usually 500 to 1500 hours , depending on the customer).

So, the problem becomes trying to find some flying for these kids. Most new commercial heli pilots end up spending a couple of years working on the ground (that is if they can even find an employer in the industry who is willing to hire them).

It's a tough row to hoe, but some do make it. They need to be somewhat of a jack of all trades. Most who make it and start flying have something else to bring to the table. (IE they have experience in oil field or gas plant operations, or are a carpenter, electrician, etc etc.)

Also, in general as a helicopter pilot, the pay is not as great as you would think. If I was in it for the money, I would be doing something else. There is an old saying in the industry. "If at the end of the year you want to have 100K in the bank, start out with 200K"

The personal rewards and the life experiences most cetainly make up for the lack of high pay though (for me anyway).

Just some info to chew on, for any who think about flying helicopters commercially.

cheers,
RTR

Maverick · « **Reply #33 on:** June 21, 2006, 01:25:31 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by B17Skull12
Im an exception but look for around 7k in florida. I shouldn't be that hard hawk.

Yes Helicopter kills the wallet though if you want to become a police helicopter pilot it more than pays of latter. Plus not to mention you rack up the hours like crazy.

It's far easier for a Police agency to train a cop to be a pilot than it is to train a pilot to be a cop. They bring their pilots up from inside the agency. I knew one guy who figured he'd make the odds in his favor by getting his helicopter license on his own then putting in for the position. It didn't work.

republic · « **Reply #34 on:** January 18, 2007, 11:05:08 AM »

Is there a time limit?

Like if you start training today, do you have like X many years before you must complete or you start over?

I've always wanted my pilots license, but the cost has always made me think it would be impossible. My family and I live on a Oklahoma teacher's salary so...I pinch my pennies.

Chairboy · « **Reply #35 on:** January 18, 2007, 11:11:40 AM »

The only time limit I know of is how long the results of a written test are valid. If you waited until near the end to take the written, that wouldn't be a problem. Realistically, the longer you spread your training out over, the more it costs because of time spent re-learning things you've forgotten. Also, I imagine that from a subjective view, the guy giving you the checkride might raise an eyebrow at hours that are 5 years old, especially if your total is near the minimum, and you might expect some pretty spectacular grilling. Just a guess, though.

One common theme in aviation is that if you can't afford to fly a lot, you'll have a hard time staying safe. Lately, because of cash flow problems, I haven't really done any solo flight because I'm more aware of my limitations. Anytime I go more than a month or so without flying, I go up with an instructor to make sure my rust isn't giving me any bad habits, and that's an extra expense, but worth it IMHO. I'm sure this will get a bunch of eye rolling from Golfer, but meh, what can you do?

lukster · « **Reply #36 on:** January 18, 2007, 11:12:47 AM »

My brother tells me that American Eagle is hard up now and hiring pilots with as little as 300 hours.

Halo · « **Reply #37 on:** January 18, 2007, 01:09:49 PM »

Fun summary of alternatives, Hangtime.

Grayeagle · « **Reply #38 on:** January 18, 2007, 01:59:02 PM »

Ok .. some other things to consider that havent been mentioned.

You fly Aces High .. you know what an aileron is, what flaps do, what a good approach looks like, a little on how to flare, and what all the important gauges are (airspeed, alt, rate of climb/descent, attitude).

You even know some about stall recovery and what not to do.

You will be amazed at how much time this will cut out of any flight training program.

Example: I was into stall recovery in my first hour of dual. I placed 3rd in a spot landing contest ..with my instructor alongside me (and would have been 1st place if instructor hadn't insisted on that one, last, blip of throttle)
..(even the judges asked about that -grin-) .. on my 3rd hour of dual.
I solo'd at just over 7 hours.

Aces High is an excellent platform to shoot approaches with, because these planes come in a heck of a lot hotter than a 172 with flaps hangin out. You won't have any problem bein ahead of the airplane

IMHO Aces High has a better/more correct 'feel' to it than MSFS.

Read 'Stick and Rudder' if you havent already ..some real gems in there on how to tell where your gonna put the rubber when yer settin up your approach.. among other things.

You will find the Cessna will put you back in the seat when you gas it, and hang you from the straps when you cut throttle and start hangin flaps out.
The frame rate is at least 120fps, the screen resolution is great, and it is very much full-motion

It is a *BLAST* to do ..there isn't anything else that comes close.
IMHO.

-GE

Rino · « **Reply #39 on:** January 18, 2007, 06:10:35 PM »

One thing about training, might want to think timing as well. I watched
guys try to start after work during the summer and spend weeks waiting
for decent weather during their block times.

crowMAW · « **Reply #40 on:** January 18, 2007, 07:33:32 PM »

Well, I guess older threads have been revived before.

Hawk...not sure if you are still interested...but go to Herlong Field and check out the glider ops. You can get your ppl-g for about $2-3k. Soaring is a great way to fly for a person interested in flying just for sport.

FBBone · « **Reply #41 on:** January 19, 2007, 06:20:26 PM »

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Originally posted by Hangtime

Model Aviation: A great 'american pastime'. Lots of winter evenings on the building benches; lots of beautiful days down at the flying field tooling around the sky with your awsome model airplane. Like most of the 'great' hobbies.. a similar 'great' investment in time and cold hard cash. To get to the point of being rated a 'decent' pilot and obtaining expert building skills.. at LEAST 5 grand, and probably double that.

Wow, do you actually fly model aircraft? If so is it turbines? IMAA legal only, maybe? The cost you quoted here is WAY high to get to be a decent pilot, building skills depends on the builders background and experience when starting out. That said I've seen guys spend well beyond the level that their skills dictate fir that uber plane, just to re-kit it 5 seconds after takeoff.........