Wife surprised me with a flight lesson on Saturday

[Bad-Karma]

My wonderful wife surprised the heck out of me for my birthday on Saturady and got me an hour and a half flight lesson. I was impressed before with WWII pilots (and pilots in general) but after experiencing it for myself that amount is 100 fold!

I did pretty well for my first time (especially since it was particularly windy) but found myself glued to the instruments instead of really enjoying it and flying by feel. I'd really like to persue my private pilots license but with a 7 month old it's a pretty expensive persuit. Anybody want to become my personal benefactor ?

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I know how expensive it is. Working on mine myself.

 

[Marcel]

Feeling the same thing, not only getting the license but also keeping it is expensive and consumes a lot of time. Time this father of two kids doesn't have

 

[Capt. Vick]

That's why I did it before I got married and had kids!

 

[at6]

Congratulations. My last time up was 15 years ago in a T-6. Had an hour with aerobatics. Don't think that they would let me fly now with the stent and CAD.

 

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

Congratulations BK!!!!!!

 

[Airframes]

Great stuff - maybe I should get another wife !
But, these days, due to the Rheumatoid Arthritis, even if I could afford to renew my PPL, I doubt very much if I'd be allowed to fly without a check pilot in the right hand seat. In fact, I doubt if I'd even be able to climb in to most light aircraft, without the aid of a winch, or at least a ladder !!

 

[bobbysocks]

my suggestion is if at all possible take out a loan that you can pay off over time...it doesnt hurt as bad that way. but you can also get your hours whenever the weather is good. if you dont think you can afford to go the whole route to a private license....you should be able to get a "sport pilot" license for between 15 to 20 hours. that will get you in the air with restrictions and let you build time...you can get your private cert later...but at least you can get your feet off the ground now and then...

 

[Airframes]

Not sure about the US, but in the UK, most flying clubs offer a 'package deal', where you'll go through the flying, ground school for Nav Met etc, right up to the hours needed to go solo and get the licence, with a monthly or quarterly repayment scheme.
With the less than perfect flying weather in the UK, some clubs were offering the same deal, but with the flying taking place in the USA or Portugal, often with return flights and accommodation, from 'bunkhouse' to '5 Star', thrown in, with these 'over seas' courses aiming to get you to qualification within between two to four weeks, depending on progress and weather.

 

[ScreamingLighting]

I'm working towards a recreational flight license myself. It really is quite expensive, but I enjoy the whole affair anyways. Try to get out when the weather is fair, like it has been here recently. I just recently logged two hours of flying with my instructor. Hopefully I'll be able to get the license by September (Work allowing). Best of luck to you B-K!

 

[Gnomey]

Very cool! Certainly an expensive pursuit but well worth it.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

my suggestion is if at all possible take out a loan that you can pay off over time...it doesnt hurt as bad that way. but you can also get your hours whenever the weather is good. if you dont think you can afford to go the whole route to a private license....you should be able to get a "sport pilot" license for between 15 to 20 hours. that will get you in the air with restrictions and let you build time...you can get your private cert later...but at least you can get your feet off the ground now and then...

That is kind of what I do. I use my Credit Card and then use my GI Bill to pay it off. Of course I can only use my GI Bill because I am doing a college program in professional pilot. About more years and I think I should have my instrument, CFI, Multi Engine and Commercial.

Only think holding me back is the damn Midwest weather. I sometimes get stuck without flying for 2 to 3 weeks.

 

[Wayne Little]

Happy wife, happy life...

 

[Bad-Karma]

Thanks everyone! If anybody is reading that's never done it before I highly recommend doing it at least once. It's definitely an amazing experience. It's not unreasonable either, they usually have groupons for under 200 bucks.

my suggestion is if at all possible take out a loan that you can pay off over time...it doesnt hurt as bad that way. but you can also get your hours whenever the weather is good. if you dont think you can afford to go the whole route to a private license....you should be able to get a "sport pilot" license for between 15 to 20 hours. that will get you in the air with restrictions and let you build time...you can get your private cert later...but at least you can get your feet off the ground now and then...

That's not a bad idea at all. I think I might take some more lessons first and see how rapidly I want to persue it. Does your flight time expire?

Not sure about the US, but in the UK, most flying clubs offer a 'package deal', where you'll go through the flying, ground school for Nav Met etc, right up to the hours needed to go solo and get the licence, with a monthly or quarterly repayment scheme.
With the less than perfect flying weather in the UK, some clubs were offering the same deal, but with the flying taking place in the USA or Portugal, often with return flights and accommodation, from 'bunkhouse' to '5 Star', thrown in, with these 'over seas' courses aiming to get you to qualification within between two to four weeks, depending on progress and weather.

I'm afraid to ask how much that package deal is! Why didn't I persue this when I was a bachelor!?

Happy wife, happy life...

Yeaaaaa I'm pretty sure after this I'm gonna have to get her something sparkly for her birthday . Do you think I could get her a handmade card and explain I'm trying to save up for my private pilot license?

 

[Airframes]

Buy her a spare head set - then run !

 

[bobbysocks]

Thanks everyone! If anybody is reading that's never done it before I highly recommend doing it at least once. It's definitely an amazing experience. It's not unreasonable either, they usually have groupons for under 200 bucks.



That's not a bad idea at all. I think I might take some more lessons first and see how rapidly I want to persue it. Does your flight time expire?



I'm afraid to ask how much that package deal is! Why didn't I persue this when I was a bachelor!?



Yeaaaaa I'm pretty sure after this I'm gonna have to get her something sparkly for her birthday . Do you think I could get her a handmade card and explain I'm trying to save up for my private pilot license?

flight time doesnt expire per se....but you lose the "touch" and sort of have to relearn if you wait very long. that is why say get a block of flying time paid for ( up to solo at least ( or sport pilot cert which is about the same time )). the closer the time between flights the more you retain...at least i did. when i got my license back in the early 80s it was $2500ish...i imagine it had doubled....and another reason i push the sport pilot route. "should" cost you half of what a private will.

i have always found a very nice gift goes a long way in helping you get what you want. i let my wife get an expensive dog....so i could buy an airplane...lol

 

[bobbysocks]

That is kind of what I do. I use my Credit Card and then use my GI Bill to pay it off. Of course I can only use my GI Bill because I am doing a college program in professional pilot. About more years and I think I should have my instrument, CFI, Multi Engine and Commercial.

Only think holding me back is the damn Midwest weather. I sometimes get stuck without flying for 2 to 3 weeks.

i got my license in oklahoma so i know what you mean about the weather....and it can change with the tick of the second hand. were i younger i would be doing what you are....at this stage of the game i am protecting my chances of getting off the ground and going the UL/sport ac route.

 

[gumbyk]

Another way to reduce your costs is to purchase a part-ownership stake in a small training aircraft. You do have the large up-front cost of purchasing it, but your hourly costs of flying do come down quite considerably. And, at the end of it you've got either an aircraft to keep current with and take your mates flyig, or you can sell the share, usually for the same price as you bought it for.

 

[Glider]

Try gliding its a lot cheaper (in the UK anyway) and you learn not to rely on that noisy thing at the front with a bit that keeps going in circles. This thing that normally causes considerable panic if everything goes suddenly quiet and it stops going around.
You can enjoy the silence instead of being scared of it.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

i got my license in oklahoma so i know what you mean about the weather....and it can change with the tick of the second hand. were i younger i would be doing what you are....at this stage of the game i am protecting my chances of getting off the ground and going the UL/sport ac route.

It's crazy, all this week 25 to 40 knot winds.

I just need one final solo cross country and then my checkride.