Hi,
I am 17 and i got somthiing along the lines of 50 hours. i keep tryiiing to get to solo but can. the 50 hours i got as so spread due to school and money. and suggestions on what i can do?
All Comments
Frankly it depends on what is keeping your instructor from soloing you. If you are having trouble with landings because you are not flying enough, for example, your instructor is not going to get out of the airplane. They know when you are ready. Once I thought I was going to solo (my instructor hinted strongly) but I had an off day and that was that. I did, however, solo the next time up.
You need to fly often to stay sharp. Try a bunch of lessons, a few days apart if you can afford it, and get it nailed.
Good luck!
(I tried to register but never got the email)
Good job on the solo! Post above yours was from me.
Unfortunately the rental costs and instructor costs have gone up since I learned in the 90s. I paid $35 an hour wet for a 150 and $54 for a 172. It's easily double that now.
You will save some money now that you can fly solo, but you still have more required dual to get your license. I would do as much solo as possible. Around here some people buy into a partnership or just buy an aircraft to save on the rental. I did the math and the rental still makes sense unless you fly 10 hours or more per month. Some of the partnerships have a flight instructor as one of the owners.
I switched to the 172 after solo, and then to the Archers etc., after getting my license. If I had it to do over and was trying to save money I would have stuck with the 150. The larger airplane was better in rough air, though. Bottom line is to bite the bullet and finish up quick. At your age you will have a line of new friends waiting to ride along and help with the gas costs (within the limits of the FARs of course). Everyone wants to see their house from the air.
Good luck!
Flying Pete,
Have you had one instructor? How long have you been taking lessons?
50 hrs is a lot of time prior to solo. Did you ask your instructor why it took so many hours?
Ask your instructor what you can do to be more cost effective. Having a lesson plan ahead of time, reading about the maneuvers and going over it both mentally by yourself, and briefly with your instructor can help. Flying as frequently as you can afford can help too.
Check the AOPA website- they have lots of info on training, how to pick an instructor, etc. Sometimes a given instructor isn't a good fit for you- give changing instructors a thought if you aren't satisfied. He should be giving you lesson plans regaring maneuvers- how to do short/soft field landings and takeoffs, for example. Its your money, and training is expensive.
Personally, I'd say train in the least expensive plane you are comfortable in...
Good luck. stick with it!
Don
Thanks again for all of your suggestions.
the reson i have so many hours pre-solo and now is that i started flying on and off at 14 alswo i did swich instructers for a while and now i have one that got me through the solo and i think he will get me thorug to privet pilot.
Pete,
No matter what angle you take to finish your training, Flying, training and everything else associated with aviation is EXPENSIVE. Don't let anyone else convince you that it is not. Okay....so what to do? Keep your nose clean, get good grades, join extracurricular activities at school, at church or the airport. If you do all of this, chances are you will earn scholarship or grant money. Military ROTC is another way to let the government pay for your efforts. Get a job at the airport. also get your knowledge tests out of the way before you get too far into your training. I have seen more student pilots get discouraged when they were ready for a check ride and they didnt have the knowledge test done. get that monkey off your back! And remember; dream big and set your goals accordingly. Goals are dreams with a plan! Good luck.
Dan R.
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