When Planning Your Aviation Year Ahead, Don’t Just Wing It

Here are nine ideas for adding hours to your logbook in 2025.

Tuesday, December 24, 2024 at 09:00 AM ET

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For pilots with the annual total in their logbook, the start of a new year can be a great time to make a plan. [Credit: iStock]

Key Takeaways:

Pilots should identify and address personal, financial, or availability barriers to flying, then set realistic, actionable aviation goals, including specific 90-day objectives.
Maximize flight opportunities by proactively scheduling lessons/flights in advance, planning around optimal weather, and clearly communicating specific training expectations to instructors.
Commit to continuous ground study and knowledge refreshment, preparing for future ratings, flight reviews, and staying updated on airspace and regulations to maintain proficiency.

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For many pilots, the closing out of a year comes with it a New Year’s resolution to fly more often. In the aviation world, it’s common, especially when pilots review their logbooks and find disappointment with the annual total.

For pilots seeking a larger end-of-the-year number next time around, the start of a new year can be a great time to make a plan. Here are nine ideas to help add hours to your logbook in 2025.

Meg Godlewski

Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.