Student Drop-Out Rates...why?

I had to quit several times before I finally had the time and money to get
the ticket, but each lapse was heart-rending. I started in the Air
Explorers, paying for lessons with a paper route. That was not sustainable
while in college -- I managed to log only two hours dual during those years.
Later I scraped together $500 for a solo course in gliders, and then
couldn't afford to continue after solo. When I finally went out on my own,
living near an uncontrolled field and with no real responsibilities, I dove
in and got the PP in 41 hours flat (including the time logged in Boy Scouts
and college). Built hours flying for CAP. Couldn't afford to buy (and
maintain!) my own airplane until after the ex quit spending my money.

I introduced one good friend to flying. She immediately dedicated her life
to it and within three years was a CFI and owner, with her newly-minted PP
husband, of a rag-wing C-170.

The important element is passion. Only a small proportion of the population
possesses passion for anything, but where it lives you can't hold it back.

Seth
Comanche N8100R


"George Patterson" wrote in message
news:qavNe.134$Fq2.14@trndny03...
Jay Honeck wrote:

That aside, can you name some other reasons for the abysmal drop-out rate
of student pilots?

I've known three people closely who took lessons and quit. One took an
introductory lesson, agreed that the feeling was great, took one look at
the bill, and said "maybe after Peter graduates from college." (Peter was
at that time about 12). One took one or two lessons and then moved to
Vermont -- far enough out that wood is the preferred heating method for
the houses in his area. That also involved a job change with lots less
money, so flying went back down to a "maybe someday" status item. The
third guy took several lessons and was doing pretty well. Then things got
a little hectic at work, and he couldn't fly often enough for the lessons
to do any good. His wife is also terrified of light aircraft. She was very
good (so he says) about not pressuring him to quit, but I'm sure it played
some small part.

I obtained the AOPA "mentor" packages for all three of these people. I
sort of gave up after that.

When I was in training myself, two other people at work got their tickets.
One later bought a "fixer-upper" of a house. About the same time, a
relative left him an old Mercedes. What with fixing those items, he didn't
have any time or money to spare on aviation. Last I heard, he doesn't even
find flying interesting. The other guy kept studying for his instrument
rating. Two years later, he was still studying for his instrument rating.
Got married and when the kids started to arrive, he gradually quit flying.

Shortly after I got my ticket, a young lady at work expressed an interest
in flying, and my boss introduced us. I drove her out to the airport,
showed her around, marched her up to the counter, and let them take over
from there. When I next asked, she had gone for an eye exam and discovered
that she had no depth perception. I could not convince her that it
probably wouldn't make a difference in her flying. My personal suspicion
is that she was disappointed by the spartan interior of light aircraft (as
another poster has mentioned).

Basically though, in nearly every case it's lack of time and/or money.

George Patterson
Give a person a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a person to
use the Internet and he won't bother you for weeks.