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I've signed up for flying lessons at a local airport. I know there's a few board members that fly and I had a couple questions/comments.

1. Flying lessons aren't cheap. It costs about $3500 for the 40 hour single engine prop license. Is it really as exiting to learn as it seems it will be? Is it worth it? I want to fly pretty bad so I'm into it, just asking for a heads up here.

2. What do they teach you? Is there stuff about the engine, stalling and what not?

3. The next step up is the instrumentation license (learning to fly without the horizon). Is that expensive?

4. Should I take it as far as I can? I mean, if I get a multi-engine license how feasible is it that I could start a business doing cargo or people?

5. Lastly, how much do you enjoy flying?

I'm interested in hearing about this also. With all the traveling I've been doing I'm really thinking I'd like to see out the front window and not out of the side window for once

Who was it again that had a plane up in Canada?

Damn it, I just typed you a huge response and then it didn't post!?!

Here's some short answers since I'm impatient now. Ask if you want more info, I'll respond later.

creel wrote:1. Flying lessons aren't cheap. It costs about $3500 for the 40 hour single engine prop license. Is it really as exiting to learn as it seems it will be? Is it worth it? I want to fly pretty bad so I'm into it, just asking for a heads up here.

Yes, manuevers are fun. Only worth it if you really want it.

2. What do they teach you? Is there stuff about the engine, stalling and what not?

Yes, depends on instructor and school, some go more in depth than others.

3. The next step up is the instrumentation license (learning to fly without the horizon). Is that expensive?

Yes. Inst. planes are about $45 more than private trainers per hour. Instructors might cost more too, since they are CFII rather than just CFI.

4. Should I take it as far as I can? I mean, if I get a multi-engine license how feasible is it that I could start a business doing cargo or people?

Take it as far you want to. Not very feasible to start your own business, many rules and regs. Better to fly for exisiting company.


5. Lastly, how much do you enjoy flying?

Not anymore. My interest waned from huge to minimal near the end of getting my Private. By the beginning of Instrument lessons I no longer cared, so I stopped. Lives would have to be in danger for me to take the controls now. I'm the wrong guy to ask this question.
I can sell you pretty much all the Private and Instrument books you'll need, great condition, the Instrument ones were never used.

Flying rules. Took a lesson many years ago, in a Cessna, always wanted to get back into it. For all who are interested in this sort of thing, check out this link for kit planes:

http://www.vansaircraft.com/public/kitprice.htm

Someone rebuilt an EJ22T, just needed different pistons in order to be a reliable aircraft engine. Interesting...

Thanks for the responses. This has piqued my interest even more. I guess I'll do the discovery flight to see if it's for me first. An ej22t eh, that's cool.

CCR engines in colorado redoes EJ22T blocks for small airplanes.

Word. I knew I read somewhere about that. CCR Engines and an EJ22T - a nice alternative to spending $22,000 for a small aircraft engine.

These delta cams to change the curve on the engines to better suit flying. One of the employees told me that they do cheap regrinds so i too bought the delta cam regrinds.

I have a friend who's brother is going to fly aircraft for the USAF. He started around 11 I believe.

I took a lesson, but didn't have the money to continue and my enthusiasm has waned since, but I still get wood over WWII fighters.

Steve

Another option besides earning your Private cert. is to get a Sport Pilot cert. It has less priveledges than a Private, you are restricted in the airspaces you can enter and so forth. Kind of like a pilot on a leash. But it would be cheaper/easier to earn and it might suit your needs.

Look around here:
http://faa.gov/avr/afs/sportpilot/sept1.cfm

I’ll chime in here a bit late here. I went to the U of ND for their Aviation program wanting to be a commercial pilot. If that is your aspiration it’s a pretty good way to go as most airlines want the ratings and a 4yr degree. When I started school airlines were hiring like crazy, but 9-11 has really slowed that down. The industry is just now recovering, and the only reason they are hiring young just out of school-just rated pilots is because they are forcing out so many pilots who are near retirement so they don’t have to pay their salaries and pay smaller retirements. I got my Private and almost my instrument and got an Aviation Management degree instead of the commercial aviation degree where you pick up your CFI/Mulit/Commercial/Tickets. I did this because it was getting too expensive and I didn’t want to fly for an airline anymore. I’ve decided to go the military route. So Enlisted in the Air Guard. And after a fellow guardsmen got a pilot slot with our unit after getting a general studies degree from the ND State and his bare minimum Private Pilot ticket, I knew that was the way to go. He went from getting his private pilot in a 1960 somthin Cessna 150, to getting his complex/multi/turbine/instrument in a Cessna T-37, and then training in a T-38, and then F-16 training….and that’s cool. Enough about me though, I said all of that just because I was having much of the same thoughts as you a few years ago. Something that hasn’t been mentioned yet is the Medical. You’ll have to find an AME, aviation medical examiner. It’s not a big deal if you’re in good health and costs 60-300 bucks depending on what class. You only need a class 3 for student/rec/private pilot. There may be an even lesser one for the Rec. pilot ticket. Things to worry about on a medical are really bad eyes, seizure disorders, and heart problems. If you’re looking to make a career out of it watch the driving record and no booze or drug problems. All that said have fun, there’s nothing like it. PS. I got to sit in the cockpit of an F-22 two days ago

F-22, sweet!
So if you are going pilot slot/F-16 route, you must have 20/20 uncorrected?

Good call on the Medical. Sport/rec. pilot requires 3rd class medical.
Someone planning on becoming a commerical pilot probably should get a 1st class to make sure they will qualify in the future as well. Yes, there is a "pee test" and you will have to cough.

The army tried desperately to recruit me after HS to get into some kind of program to service Apaches in the field (or that's what he told me). I told him I'd only do it if I could fly the thing or at least be the gunner. He checked out my glasses and extolled the excitement of keeping the aircraft in good repair. With all the Blackhawks constantly crashing I bet I would've ended up on them instead.

As a note, a helicopter license is really expensive to get.

Steve

I do personally have good vision, but the minimums are not as high as you may think. There is some speculation about what will be accepted, as long as your eyes are correctable to 20/20, you can pass the depth perception test (which is a bitch for anyone from what I understand), and the color blindness test you are good to go. I have another friend who just got a F-16 pilot slot with another air guard unit who's eyes are corrected to 20-150 or something. I don’t think the military is accepting any of the laser surgeries for fighters, but are accepting certain ones (as is the FAA) for the “heavy’s.” I guess they don’t know how that kinda stuff responds to 9G. Choppers with the Army are still a possibility for me, Warrant officer positions are cool. You get the commissioned pay but all you do is fly, no political/desk job bs like most officers have to deal with. One more Raptor story, the day I got to sit in one of the flyers here it had just come back from a training flight. It was a mock battle with 8 F-15C’s and one F-22. When they fight like this they give the “game on” and as they manuver and such just like kids playing cops and robber or something call out when they have locked on to somebody and “fired”. The radio conversation went something like this (translated so it’s understandable): AWACS: “Clear to start engagement” F-15 lead: “Fight on” about a minute later, F-22 Pilot: “Kill” AWACS: “Which one” F-22 Pilot “All of them.” The jet is almost too good at what it was designed to do, fly high, very fast(still classified, and only A/C that can go supersonic W/O afterburner), be very stealthy, and kill before even being detected. And it can wax our current air superiority fighter 8:1 without breathing hard, and the F-15 has few natural enemies. Which is why the program is under attack. It is Soooooo expensive, how’s 1/4Bill catch ya, and its abilities are so beyond the requirements of any mission.. Ok so that went a bit long, if I say anymore I’ll have to kill you.

I'm too old to join the military I think. I'm just looking to see where it will take me. I don't know if getting a degree is the way I want to go. I have two of those in electronics. Who knows, maybe I can find a way to feed it into my electronics. I always wanted to fly a jet but, like I said, I'm pretty sure 33 is too old unless there was some emergency. Although I have heard that they're raising the age. My vision is 20/16 in both eyes so no problem there. My piss is clean. My heart is in good shape and I'm not overweight. My driving record is a bit spotty. I've got some speeding fines and some dumb paperwork things. I also have another blight but supposedly the ard will clean that off my record. But I'm under no illusion that the proper person can't see things that are "cleaned but still there".

"The Man's" page on Medical stuff, I had to do some searching for myself and came across this.
http://www.cami.jccbi.gov/AAM-300/amcdfaq.html

The FAA now has the new "Sport Pilot" classification in effect, and no medical exams are necessary--just a valid driver's license. Of course, there are many other rules but you can get information from the EAA's website: http://www.sportpilot.org

Flying is great fun, but bring your wallet!

Don

I could learn to fly if I wanted to... Even better, the lessons would be FREE! My dad has been a pilot of small planes and an instructor for decades now. He taught my brother how to fly and my brother is now a single-engine instructor.

idk... I just don't have the interest to take lessons... I grew up around it all my life, so its nothing special to me i guess. Not to mention that if I wanted to fly anywhere after I got my license, it would still be $$$$ for gas and a plane rental.

Maybe I will take lessons one day... but right now, i lack the motication...At least I have a brother and a dad that can fly me wherever i want!

Andrew