Mid Life Crisis gift to myself, Pilot Training

Then, by all means GO FOR IT! I too intend to work through and get my
commercial (US) and then my CFI. With my proposed schedule it'd be just
about retirement time for me and would give me part time job AND let me
share aviation.

Good Luck!!
Chris

That would be my dream retirement. I wish you the best. My immediate goal is
to solo by the end of the year. I haven't started yet. I'm selling a
business and hope to fund my PPL with some of that. My only concern about
the CFI part of the dream is a red/green colorblindness issue. If I can't
demonstrate ability I would be limited to daytime restrictions and might be
disqualified from CFI. Anyone know?

Andy

RandyL wrote:
I certainly don't want to tell you what to do, but here is an
observation. $8500 is a LOT of money.

That's Canadian dollars, don't forget. Not that bad at all. Less than
the price of many other "mid-life crises", as a new motorcycle, flashy
speedboat, or sports car, for example.

Go for it, I say. And so he's not going to find himself being picked up
for a co-jo on a big heavy, but there's plenty of opportunity for mature
flight instructors. Might just be the kind of late career someone's
looking for as they begin to wind down towards (and into) retirement.

Si

A few observations:

1) You're not talking about $8500 vs $7500. With the added hours you're
talking about $33500 vs $7500. As you said you're not likely to become
a commerical pilot, so why waste $25k (or be constrained by rules on
how to spend it if you're allocating it to going up)?

1) $7500 is quite a bit of money, but less than what it would cost to
do the same in AUS. I have a friend here at work that had his
commerical license. It cost him around AUD35000 about eight years ago
to get his PPL and CPL and then he couldn't get a job. He considers it
wasted (but I disagree with that and told him as much). However the
kicker I think is the minimum to get your PPL is in AUS is something
like AUD12-15k. I think your dollar is worth a little more though.

2) If it's what you want to do, and you have the cash to spare (ie no
family commitments etc. you'd have to neglect) go for it. Do expect it
to be hard work (but that doesn't mean it won't be fun).

3) I'd disagree with the other poster about putting the money towards a
plane. Even $33500 won't go far unless you're talking ultralight. But
what about putting $7500 towards a nice computer, projector, yoke and
pedals, extra monitors and build a home cockpit? Have you looked at the
traffic, scenery and weather addons you can buy or download for free?
That's another option certainly within reach of $7500. It's never going
to be as good as the real thing, but if you're just doing it for fun
you won't have to worry about weather, time of day or night, medicals,
motion sickness, currency of your license. Plus if you crash you don't
die or end up in hospital. Just another option.

4) Do you have to decide right away whether you're going for the
multi-passenger or commercial ticket? I'd put that decision off until
the absolute last minute and do as much as possible of the training and
exam that's common to both. Circumstances both medical and financial
change, and you don't want to be out a lot of money or obligated to do
200hrs unless you have to be.

Bottom line is real world flying's what you want to do go for it. Do it
safely and smartly, have fun, and lots of luck to you!

"Sammy" wrote in message
oups.com...
A few observations:

1) You're not talking about $8500 vs $7500. With the added hours you're
talking about $33500 vs $7500. As you said you're not likely to become
a commerical pilot, so why waste $25k (or be constrained by rules on
how to spend it if you're allocating it to going up)?

Presumably, the additional hours would be hours he'd fly anyway as a pilot.
It's not entirely clear how the FBO where he got his quote handles things,
so maybe there's some window of time during which he's required to fly all
of those hours. But a person getting a pilot certificate is presumably
intending to spend money flying, even after they get the certificate. So
general-purpose hours required for an advanced rating aren't really part of
the cost of the rating; they are just a consequence of flying.

1) $7500 is quite a bit of money, but less than what it would cost to
do the same in AUS. I have a friend here at work that had his
commerical license. It cost him around AUD35000 about eight years ago
to get his PPL and CPL and then he couldn't get a job. He considers it
wasted (but I disagree with that and told him as much). However the
kicker I think is the minimum to get your PPL is in AUS is something
like AUD12-15k. I think your dollar is worth a little more though.

Hey, that's two #1's!

Just for reference (as of today):

$1 AUD is $0.84 CDN
$1 US is $1.15 CDN

and just for grins,

$1 US is $1.37 AUD

(in case anyone is trying to compare the costs directly)

2) If it's what you want to do, and you have the cash to spare (ie no
family commitments etc. you'd have to neglect) go for it. Do expect it
to be hard work (but that doesn't mean it won't be fun).

Agree 100%.

3) I'd disagree with the other poster about putting the money towards a
plane. Even $33500 won't go far unless you're talking ultralight.

$33500 would go far enough. You can get a pretty nice used 2-seater (Cessna
150, Ercoupe, etc) for that (well, maybe not abroad, but certainly in the US
you could). You could buy a couple of decked-out ultralights for that kind
of money. Maybe three.

But
what about putting $7500 towards a nice computer, projector, yoke and
pedals, extra monitors and build a home cockpit? Have you looked at the
traffic, scenery and weather addons you can buy or download for free?
That's another option certainly within reach of $7500. It's never going
to be as good as the real thing, but if you're just doing it for fun
you won't have to worry about weather, time of day or night, medicals,
motion sickness, currency of your license. Plus if you crash you don't
die or end up in hospital. Just another option.

Certainly nothing wrong with that option. But IMHO the fun of flying on a
PC and the fun of flying for real are two completely different things. As
much as people like to use the sims as a surrogate for the real thing, they
really are two completely different endeavors.

4) Do you have to decide right away whether you're going for the
multi-passenger or commercial ticket? I'd put that decision off until
the absolute last minute and do as much as possible of the training and
exam that's common to both. Circumstances both medical and financial
change, and you don't want to be out a lot of money or obligated to do
200hrs unless you have to be.

Yes, hopefully he wouldn't be committed to the $8500 until it's time to
continue to the Commercial. I cannot imagine that he would be committed to
the 200 general-purpose hours. Any FBO that would make such a requirement
deserves avoiding at all costs.

Bottom line is real world flying's what you want to do go for it. Do it
safely and smartly, have fun, and lots of luck to you!

Good answer.

Pete

"Peter Duniho" wrote in message
...
"Sammy" wrote in message
Presumably, the additional hours would be hours he'd fly anyway as a pilot.
... But a person getting a pilot certificate is presumably intending to spend
money flying, even after they get the certificate. So general-purpose hours
required for an advanced rating aren't really part of the cost of the rating;
they are just a consequence of flying.

Bingo! Give that guy a prize. That is exactly correct, and that is one
reason why I am not shy about paying for dual on a fairly regular basis, even
though I am not working on any particular rating. The hourly price of a CFI is
only a fraction of the hourly cost of the plane, which I would be flying around
in anyhow.

Vaughn

"S" == "Sammy" writes:

Yes, I agree.

The thing which would probably be better is to rent.

This way you save on the initial cost, insurance, rego, maintenance
costs amd all the hassels.

As the proverb goes:
"If it floats, flys, of giggles in bed: It is cheaper to rent than
buy."


S 3) I'd disagree with the other poster about putting the money
S towards a plane. Even $33500 won't go far unless you're talking
S ultralight. But what about putting $7500 towards a nice computer,
S projector, yoke and pedals, extra monitors and build a home
S cockpit? Have you looked at the



--
========
Thanks.....

Jarod

"Jarod (the puppy)" wrote in message
...
"S" == "Sammy" writes:

Yes, I agree.

The thing which would probably be better is to rent.

This way you save on the initial cost, insurance, rego, maintenance
costs amd all the hassels.

As the proverb goes:
"If it floats, flys, of giggles in bed: It is cheaper to rent than
buy."


S 3) I'd disagree with the other poster about putting the money
S towards a plane. Even $33500 won't go far unless you're talking
S ultralight. But what about putting $7500 towards a nice computer,
S projector, yoke and pedals, extra monitors and build a home
S cockpit? Have you looked at the



You can buy a half, third, quarter or even less share in some a/c.
Basically, you and say 3 other people own the plane, and you just work out
between you who can use it when. You all split the insurance and hangar
costs evenly.
Crash Lander

"HarDeeHarHar" wrote in message
.. .

So I looked at flight training, and here west of Toronto at the Guelph
airport, it's about $4500 allowing me to carry one passenger,

That's called a Recreational Pilot permit...

$7500 to carry multiple passengers,

That's the Private Pilot Licence...

And hopefully you realize that these costs are estimates only,
and usually ends up being more?

or $8500 (plus 200 hrs @ $125/hr) for commercial pilot...(all in Canadian
$$$)

Hopefully you realize that it's not "or", the cost is in *addition* to
the Private Pilot license you already need, so for your commercial
license, youwould be looking at:

$7500+ (private license training)
8500+ (commercial training)
25000 (200 extra hours)
-----------------------------
$41,000+ total

(And again, these are conservative estimates, not set prices.)

So I have time, might as well go for the commercial licence, and
have me some fun...not that it will get me a job by the time I'm
done (I'll be 51 - 52 by my training timeline).

Not only would you need money as well as time, but also please
be aware that for the Commercial rating, you'd need to pass a
class 1 medical, which is stricter than the class 3 that you'd need
for the Private pilot licence.

Jeff Shirton (PP-ASEL)

As others have noted, you might reconsider pursuing the
multi-passenger and commercial licenses.

Assuming you have the money and the question is how to spend it, you
might try:

- a few long cross-countries once you have your certificate. Can you
get your 1-passenger rating and add on night and controlled airspace?
That would be a help on cross-countries though not required. Anyway
the overnight/several-night cross-country trips are a wonderful
learning and aesthetic experience.

- get endorsements/certificates for tailwheel, acrobatic, seaplanes,
gliders, and so on.

- buy into a partnership and own part of an airplane. I own a small
two-seater and have never regretted it. Well ok for two weeks each
year during the annual I am cussing and swearing but otherwise it's
great.

So I have time, might as well go for the commercial licence

US rules are different; we can do our training in stages. Can you not
do that in Canada? Train for the one passenger certificate, and then if
you like it, continue the training.

More valuable (in the US for personal flying) than the commercial
certificate is the instrument rating. Although it may be different in
Canada, it is worth looking into.

Jose
--
The price of freedom is... well... freedom.
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