Is the PPL actually worth the cost?

[DangerousDan]

I went and priced the local flight schools (FAA 61 schools) for the cost to get the the PPL. The price was anywhere from 6k-9k for the minimum 40 hours and then 9k-11k for the "average 60 hours". I have the time and the money to fly multiple hops a day and push everything together as much as possible. I know Id love to do it, but still thats a lot of money. The problem I have is I'm expecting to get sent overseas for any where from six months to two years and not expect to be able to fly and considering holding off until after I get in a position where I can continue flying after training.

I'm wondering if it would actually be worth the cost to get the PPL or if it would just be a money pit? Or is there a way it could be useful to me in a job somehow without having to get a Commercial.


Oh just for everybody's information: I didn't get to take IFS and it wouldn't help me since with flight school since its been 3 years since I flew at VT-4 as a SNFO. I just want to do it so I can prove to myself I can safely fly despite what some instructors wrote in my ATJ.

 

[xj220]

I got my PPL after I finished IFS so it didn't cost as much, but I think it was worth it. Not so much in terms of helping with primary but because I love flying and it was great to be able to grab a plane and take off whenever I felt like it. Civilian flying is a lot of fun if you do it out of a small, local airport and do it to cruise around.

 

[PCHomerun_4]

I agree. If you love flying and have some time, do it. I've had my private for 4 months and have taken full advantage. It's a blast, but if money is a problem save up before and then knock it out all at once.

 

[SDNalgene]

Go for it dude. Flying's fun. I had a blast in a Cessna.

 

[SemperGumbi]

If you are doing it for enjoyment then by all means, but if you want to get your PPL to get ahead in primary then I think you are wasting your money. You don't really get accelerated with just a PPL, maybe one flight, maybe, and that doesn't help you at all. There didn't seem to be much difference in skill between guys with a PPL and guys with IFS. HOWEVER, guys with their instrument rating and commercial license with a couple hundred hours behind it, well yeah, they tended to kick the crap out of us IFS only kids. PPL isn't much more time than IFS, and the added time doesn't really do much to prepare you for primary. It certainly isn't going to hurt you though. My 2 cents.

Ummmm.....I don't think he cares about any of this stuff.

I agree with above posters saying it's a matter of doing it for fun. I fly civilian, too, and it is just a blast. I take a lot of my friends and family up. They all seem to really enjoy it too. Chicks dig it.

After your deployments you will probably just need a refresher and restan for your club (unless you buy your own plane). Your skills will fall off a little, but they come back pretty quick. I just started flying civilian again about 6 months ago and at first I was like, "Huh? VFR what?" But in 2 flights I was back on top of it all.

FAA wise I am not sure about the regualtions for currency and taking up passangers. Can anyone else chime in here to prevent me from actually having to look it up? I usually fly enough that its not a player for me.

So yeah man, if you want to fly it is in no way a money pit. If you are looking for it to spring-board you into a flying career, stand by for a MUCH larger money pit than the PPL on your way to a legit-pays-the-bills flying job. Much larger...

 

[SDNalgene]

Okay, so I should read the entire post before responding. Noted.

 

[Morgan81]

It is a lot, but what good is money if you can't enjoy spending it. Getting your PPL is a blast, go for it. There are some student loans for flight training (not sure of the interest rate) if you need a lump sum to pay for some accelerated training to fit within your schedule.

 

[Kickflip89]

FAA wise I am not sure about the regualtions for currency and taking up passangers. Can anyone else chime in here to prevent me from actually having to look it up? I usually fly enough that its not a player for me.

3 full stops within 90 days to be current enough to take passengers.

 

[FLYTPAY]

Don;t take a student loan for flight training.......bad idea. 6000-9000 is a steep price quote. 60 hours average is for a non-coordinated person who flies once a week intermittently. It should take you about 3 months to complete and ~45 flight hours.
25 dual=$3125
20 solo= $2000
20 hours "ground"=$400
checkride $300 examiner +$150 plane
Total=~$6000
What airport? How much is the plane rental per hour and what make/model? How much is the CFI costing you? Be very careful on how the CFI charges you on "ground". Because a CFI has a pretty much impossible task of working 8 hours straight, they will try to gouge you on the ground instruction. STUDY beforehand and make sure they are not just sitting there opening your book and telling you what you already know. My technique was a quiz during the brief=15 minutes, 5 minute pre-flight, fly a 1.2 to 1.5, 10 minute debrief. Instruction during taxi served as a distractor and useful instruction time. Wallah, student not taken advantage of. More than $20 for flight instruction is ridiculous at the PPL level.

3 full stops within 90 days to be current enough to take passengers.

That is for night currency which automatically gets you day currency.

 

[Bugsmasher]

Yes, provided you do those full stops at night Touch and goes are fine for day passenger-carrying recency, and they're more fun anyway.

 

[SemperGumbi]

Yes, provided you do those full stops at night Touch and goes are fine for day passenger-carrying recency, and they're more fun anyway.

Sorry for minor thread jack, but is it still 3 touch+goes for day or a different number? And doesn't it have to be in the cat/type aircraft? (I seem to remember them saying T45 night full stops didn't matter for civilian currency or something if you weren't typre rated in a hi-po complex.

 

[navy_or_bust]

I am gonna agree that 6-11k is pretty steep. I got mine for probably close to 3k. See if you can join a flying club. I was able to rent a 152 for most of my time at 45 an hour, although I paid 38 and hour for the instructor. Another thing to consider is doing something like Sporty's video ground school. I used it, probably not the best on the market, but the priciple was good. It came with a syllabus and some good books you will want anyway.

As for waiting or getting it now, if you think you will be gone in 6 months I would suggest waiting but if you have longer than a year I would go for it.

Finally, if you want to do anything related to flying in the civilian world commercial it pretty much a requirement.

 

[MasterBates]

I got my PPL add on (already had Helo rating) for about $2500-3000

But that was in 1999 or so.

 

[Crowbar]

Sorry for minor thread jack, but is it still 3 touch+goes for day or a different number? And doesn't it have to be in the cat/type aircraft? (I seem to remember them saying T45 night full stops didn't matter for civilian currency or something if you weren't typre rated in a hi-po complex.

Yes, three. Your club/FBO might impose different rules, I've been in a club that required 3 every 60 days instead of the 3 every 90 days the FAA requires. Unless I'm mistaken, for currency purposes, landings have to be in the same category and class, meaning if you fly a multi-jet or prop, then those landings/T&Gs don't count for currency in a light civil single.

Here's an itemized list of what it cost me to finish my PPL.

 

[puck_11]

I haven't flown civilian in two years, but on a few other civilian aviation forums people are complaining about the high costs of renting, so I don't think that 9k is all that outrageous. A lot of the FBOs are now renting gucci airplanes with glass cockpits and the 152s that everyone used to get for $50 an hour are not there anymore. That coupled with avgas at $4 a gallon and rising insurance costs and you can see why aircraft are in the mid to high $100's for renting an hour.

I'm wondering if it would actually be worth the cost to get the PPL or if it would just be a money pit? Or is there a way it could be useful to me in a job somehow without having to get a Commercial.

Not sure what you mean by getting a job, but you won't be flying anything for pay without a commercial certificate. If you know you're going to get deployed and can't finish your PPL in time, why not go out and take a few flights anyways. Maybe you can hook up with someone out at the airport who will take you flying with them.

You can check out flightinfo.com for more information.