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29 Mar 2024, 02:47 [ UTC - 5; DST ]


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 Post subject: Intro - prospective pilot needing some advice
PostPosted: 01 Jan 2021, 12:15 
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Joined: 11/28/20
Posts: 16
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Location: 0W3
Good morning and Happy New Year everyone! I've wanted to fly since around the time I could walk and have finally decided to get going on it (no, not a New Year's resolution thing). I've had a couple conversations with the guy who runs the local flight school, and have already purchased and started studying the Jeppesen ground school training kit. But, I've yet to actually go flying and part of the reason is that I want to make sure I'm doing this as efficiently as I can...that's where you guys might be able to help

My ultimate goal is to be able to take my family on trips we wouldn't otherwise go on. I have two young boys and another kid isn't out of the picture yet, so I'd really like to one day get into a Bonanza or, ideally, even a Baron (seems like the difference in purchase prices offsets quite a few years of increased opex, but that's a conversation for another day). I think either would fit my envisioned purpose quite well. The way I see it, there's a couple different paths I could take right now

1) Earn my PPL while renting a plane from the flight school. Once that's accomplished, I could buy a Bonanza and knock out both my Instrument rating and insurance-mandated dual time all at once. I know there's a percentage of people here who will say that's an excellent way to kill myself, but I take training and continuous learning pretty seriously, so I'm not really too worried about it. Or...

2) Buy something like a Musketeer now for ~$30-50k, use that for my PPL as well as my Instrument rating, and move up to what I ultimately want to get into once I've built up some more time. A Musketeer would still allow me to take my family (or at least a kid) on some day trips or sight-seeing flights, and I probably wouldn't get hammered on re-sale.

I'm sure there are scenarios I haven't considered, but I figured I'd post up my ideas here and let some others who have gone through it share their thoughts. By the way, I'm located in north east Maryland, right in between Harford County (0W3) and New Garden, PA (N57).

Thanks!


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 Post subject: Re: Intro - prospective pilot needing some advice
PostPosted: 01 Jan 2021, 12:20 
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Joined: 04/15/19
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Location: KJAQ
Aircraft: Cessna 182J
I bought a 182 before my first lesson, I don’t recommend that approach. Learning to fly is like drinking from a firehouse, and learning about aircraft ownership is the same. Doing both at once can be overwhelming and puts extra pressure on you. Personally I would rent a plane for the first 10-20 hours, make sure you’re going to really enjoy it, probably solo, then go buy your plane and finish up in that. It probably isn’t the cheapest but it’s what I would personally recommend.


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 Post subject: Re: Intro - prospective pilot needing some advice
PostPosted: 01 Jan 2021, 15:46 
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Hi Philip, welcome to BT! Yeah, probably a good idea to rent for the time being. As you learn about flying, your thinking on what plane you might prefer may change. Enjoy, it is a lot of fun! :thumbup:

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 Post subject: Re: Intro - prospective pilot needing some advice
PostPosted: 01 Jan 2021, 15:53 
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Username Protected wrote:
Good morning and Happy New Year everyone! I've wanted to fly since around the time I could walk and have finally decided to get going on it (no, not a New Year's resolution thing). I've had a couple conversations with the guy who runs the local flight school, and have already purchased and started studying the Jeppesen ground school training kit. But, I've yet to actually go flying and part of the reason is that I want to make sure I'm doing this as efficiently as I can...

Medical 1st

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 Post subject: Re: Intro - prospective pilot needing some advice
PostPosted: 01 Jan 2021, 15:57 
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Joined: 10/27/10
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Location: Cambridge, MA (KLWM)
Aircraft: 1997 A36TN
Go take a first lesson almost ASAP. No sense making a lot of dreamy plans if for some reason you don’t end up liking it or can’t pass the medical. For me, I was hooked before we passed the far end of the runway.

I bought a 182 about 15 hours into my training, before I soloed, soloed in the 172s I’d been renting, then transitioned and finished my PPL in the 182, and flew it another 15 years. I enjoyed that as, once I was signed off for unsupervised solos, I could bore holes in the sky after work at will for just a little more than the cost of gas.

If I had it to do over again, I’d probably have upgraded to an A36 much sooner, but the 182 was a good airplane to learn in (both formally and informally).

But either way: go schedule a lesson and get your beak wet.


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 Post subject: Re: Intro - prospective pilot needing some advice
PostPosted: 01 Jan 2021, 16:00 
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Joined: 11/01/08
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Yeah, number 1. It gives you the chance to interact with the flying community, listen and learn. Look at others planes, talk to them about them. Get the hard early knocks using a rental, by the time your done you’ll have a pretty good idea about what’s what.


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 Post subject: Re: Intro - prospective pilot needing some advice
PostPosted: 01 Jan 2021, 16:29 
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Joined: 05/11/10
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Phillip, I'm with the rent first crowd, until you have rented the plane you can't do without. Then it's time to buy.

Now as far as how to post on BT, I need lessons from you. Great title!

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 Post subject: Re: Intro - prospective pilot needing some advice
PostPosted: 01 Jan 2021, 17:02 
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Joined: 06/28/14
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Location: Pleasanton , TX (KPEZ)
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Here is what I would say.

1) Medical- Get it before you do anything else.
2) Go to weekend ground school- pass your written
3) Start flying lessons. I would rent the plane throughout your lessons.

Then after you get your ticket, keep renting and flying with others for awhile. Take the wife and kids on some short trips to grab a burger for lunch on a nice smooth clear day. Make sure they like it before you start investing in your own plane. I can't tell you how many pilots I know that can't get their wife and kids to take a trip in the plane. It sounds romantic fun, and simply to just load the family up and fly to Disney world for the weekend. However the reality is a flight with the family on board is never simple or easy.

This next part will not be popular but its the honest truth.

Honestly, unless you plan to use the plane many many times a year for family trips driving or flying commercial is probably a better bet. For example if you plan to use the plane to fly 2-4 hours to visit your in laws twice a month, then that might be a good mission for the plane. But if you are planing to fly to Colorado to go skiing in December once a year then not so much. Here's the deal...

When you can drive 80mph on the highways, or fly half way across the country for $139 a person, there is a very small window where GA really shines. Yes there are many benefits to being able to control your own departure and arrival times. Yes you can save half the time if you choose to fly your plane over driving on many trips. Sure its great not to have to mess with the hassle of commercial air travel. But if your only mission is going to be one or two family vacations a year I think you are going to be disappointed in the overall utility of having your own airplane. Inevitably your well planned trip will have to be canceled or delayed because of weather. Or your wife will refuse to fly in the summer months because its to dang hot and she already gets motion sickness. Or you have not flown in the last 2-3 months and you just don't feel ready to load your wife and kids up for a 5 hour cross country. Or you go out to pre flight and you have a flat tire or some other maintenance issue that means you gotta take the mini van anyway. It's always something.

I hate to try and talk you out of becoming a pilot but by the time you spend the $$$$$$$$$$$$ getting your license, ratings, hours, buy your plane, insure it, hangar it, maintain it, etc etc etc... you could probably charter a king air once or twice a year for your trips and come out ahead. Or just drive or take Southwest and come out way ahead.


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 Post subject: Re: Intro - prospective pilot needing some advice
PostPosted: 01 Jan 2021, 17:35 
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Joined: 02/13/10
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Username Protected wrote:
.
This next part will not be popular.....

Correct... :hammer:

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 Post subject: Re: Intro - prospective pilot needing some advice
PostPosted: 01 Jan 2021, 17:42 
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Joined: 05/11/10
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Aircraft: 1991 Bonanza A36
Username Protected wrote:
.
This next part will not be popular.....

Correct... :hammer: :hammer: :hammer: :hammer: :hammer: :hammer: :hammer: :hammer: :hammer: :hammer: :hammer: :hammer: :hammer: :hammer: :hammer:

FIFY
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 Post subject: Re: Intro - prospective pilot needing some advice
PostPosted: 03 Jan 2021, 23:25 
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Joined: 11/28/20
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Thanks everyone! Seems like the unanimous vote here is to rent, which makes a lot of sense.

Funny that the reality of going on trips with family might not be as glamorous as it initially sounds, as my wife and I were just having that conversation...plus our kids are young (4 & 2) now, but as they grow older they're likely to get involved with stuff on the weekends that wouldn't be conducive to flying with Dad

But anyhow, thanks for the warm welcome and advice - I'll be scheduling my first lesson tomorrow and will take it from there!


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