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eightyator In reply to TwistedSailor [2018-03-27 22:41:15 +0000 UTC]

I'm a fixed-wing pilot, so I've never been up in a heli. It sounds super cool, but it's a very expensive rating. 

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TwistedSailor In reply to eightyator [2018-03-28 01:37:42 +0000 UTC]

You've never even ridden one? How hard is it to become a pilot, BTW?

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eightyator In reply to TwistedSailor [2018-03-28 20:59:36 +0000 UTC]

Becoming a pilot ultimately hinges on three factors: Money, Time, and Dedication.

Money: I hate to be discouraging, but this is a very important factor. Before anyone begins flight training, they should have plenty saved up in advance. The last thing you want is to fly a few times, run out of money, wait a long time to save up and fly again, and then realize you forgot everything you learned. There are many scholarship opportunities you can strive for, if needed. To put things in perspective, even a "cheap" C152 is going to be around $90 dollars an hour. I understand that you live near sea level, so a 152 will probably be just fine. However, if you want to fly a C172 which performs better on hot days and at high altitudes, you can expect about $130 an hour. On top of that, instructor fees seem to be at about $60 dollars an hour right now. Be advised, if you find a particularly inexpensive airplane - be weary - I promise there's a reason why it's cheap.

Time: In theory, with adequate funding, you could knock out every rating in under a year. But very few people have that kind of money, and even if they do, they'd be lucky to accomplish this. You will have difficulties getting up in the air! At big schools, it's hard to book an instructor, and you may have to do so weeks in advance. At small schools, instructors are easier to get, but if an airplane is grounded for maintenance, you may be waiting a very long time for it to be ready again. Of course WEATHER ruins everyone's fun. Too windy? Too cloudy? Nobody at the airport bothered to plow the snow? Is there a risk of icing? - All of these factors will keep little trainer aircraft grounded. If you go too long without flying, you will need a flight review before you can get back to business. However quickly you think you can get a license or rating - be prepared that it will probably take longer. 

Dedication: There's no doubt - flying is fun! However, the work you do in the aircraft is only a small part of it. A good pilot does lots of studying. You have to know about your airplane's systems, legal regulations, weather reports, airport operations, medical factors, and all kinds of things. Be prepared to do the book work - you won't get far without it. And you should continue to refresh yourself, you'd be amazed how quickly all that information gets rusty. 

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