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Rave: With my head high in the clouds, finally fulfilling my dream


Rassah
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I've always wanted to learn to fly. I've been flying flight sims since I was a little kid, probably since 1993, and wanted to join the air force to learn it for real, but decided against the air force due to glasses, and never got around to doing it privately due to the expense. It costs $7,500 ($135/h plane rental, $50/h instructor, one to two hours a day, two days a week for about 40 hours total)  to get a private pilot's license (if you're wondering why we don't have flying cars, that's a big reason). Recently, a friend of mine started using his GI Bill to pay for his training, making me jealous and wanting to chase after him, and another friend of mine who really wanted to fulfill her dream of flying passed away, making me realize that I shouldn't put off my dreams. So I got a part time job driving for Uber and Lyft to pay for this expensive hobby (getting about $100 a day)...

And today I finally took to the skies for my first flight class! :D

All that flight sim time really paid off too, since I already know all the instruments, flight concepts, and controls. Flew nice and smooth without any bumps or jerking too hard. Never landed myself yet, which I'll start next week. Super excited! Hoping this makes the world feel even smaller for me.

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30 minutes ago, AshleyAshes said:

Seems more like you just wanted to talk about your money again.

To be perfectly fair Ashley, I found it helpful that Rassah included the price. Sure it was a bit showoffy but it also lets me be aware how much money I'll need to get the training and license for myself.

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2 hours ago, Kinharia said:

To be perfectly fair Ashley, I found it helpful that Rassah included the price. Sure it was a bit showoffy but it also lets me be aware how much money I'll need to get the training and license for myself.

You can do it for way less money. 

I have a friend who owns two planes and teaches flying. 

Depending on how you do it you don't have to pay a lot at all. 

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Awesome Rassah, enjoy it! As for the cost that's actually very reasonable these days. The school here was renting a 172 for $155/hr plus instructor. You can indeed do it cheaper, buying your own plane is one way believe it or not. Pay a couple hundred per month for a loan, then gas money, then sell it when you're done and get your money back. Lots of options out there if you stay away from the big schools. Anybody here interested in learning can feel free to hit me up, the resident flight instructor of the forums ;o)

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Regarding the price, yeah, I just put it up as a comparison. Honestly I had no idea how much it would be before I started. Years ago it was about $5,000. Guess inflation and gas prices have gone up? The various schools I checked around at charged $7,500 to $8,000. This one also does a 5% discount if you put in a $2k deposit. But, this isn't a single price tag. Just the total as you pay a little bit for every class.

A cheaper option suggested to me was joining a plane club where you pay an annual club fee and share the cost of the plane. At those they charge you for the time the engine is actually spinning, not for the hour as soon as you start your rent period. Prior to this, I was learning gliders, and it was taught by an old dude who just wanted an excuse to fly and teach, so as long as you paid the $15 to get a tow to 1,000 feet, he'd teach you for free, as long as you managed to stay in the air. Doubt I'll ever get that lucky again.

I did almost buy a plane with a friend. Another acquaintance needed the money desperately and was selling his Piper Comanche really cheap, and that friend who's also learning wanted to go 50/50 with me, but we found it that plane hasn't been inspected for over two years, and didn't want to risk buying it, only to find out it needs almost as much in just repairs.

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A Comanche is a great plane but not a good trainer. It's fairly expensive to maintain with the constant speed prop and retractable landing gear, not to mention the fact that they are up there in age, which alone isn't a problem but there's many years of potential abuse, neglect and corrosion plus ordinary wear and tear that needs to be kept in check. I used to have an Apache 235 that I loved and put a lot of time, money and work into but I knew if I didn't sell it Id have to eventually have to put around $50,000 into it for new engines and paint and so on...  We are getting close to having our Pacer finished with its ground up restoration, can't wait to have that one flying again :o) what can I say, I've got a thing for old Pipers...

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  • 10 months later...

Grats. 

 

Also, those complaining at Rassah about mentioning costs in this thread are hella drenched in irony sauce. Cost inclusion was a good way to prove why flying cars/everyone learning to fly are yet to be a thing, not to mention to demonstrate some of the obstacles blocking the way of many who legit want to learn to fly someday. Now if Rassah said something like how he earned 50 dollars an hour and felt super bad about seeing a hobo and buying them a burger to make themselves feel good but still feel bad at the same time but at least they have a buttload of money, then we'd have issues. 

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11 hours ago, Toshabi said:

Grats. 

 

Also, those complaining at Rassah about mentioning costs in this thread are hella drenched in irony sauce. Cost inclusion was a good way to prove why flying cars/everyone learning to fly are yet to be a thing, not to mention to demonstrate some of the obstacles blocking the way of many who legit want to learn to fly someday. Now if Rassah said something like how he earned 50 dollars an hour and felt super bad about seeing a hobo and buying them a burger to make themselves feel good but still feel bad at the same time but at least they have a buttload of money, then we'd have issues. 

I prefer making them play that catch a quarter game to win their burger. Gotta make'em work for something. 

Also congrats Rassa. Let the haters hate and watch the money pile up. 

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On 1/5/2016 at 11:03 PM, Wrecker said:

Good on ya, congratulations...

I'm pretty sure nobody cares how much it cost...

When do we get pictures of the ol' private yacht with bitcoin painted across the side of it...

I know I'm a year late but I had sex with this post

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