Learning to fly
- Thread starter cheechm
- Start date
Thanks so far for the positive response guys! 
For anyone who wants to know how much it is, I can tell you that it'll be roughly £7,500. You never know until you've finished, but you can see the costs I'll incur here.
I've played a lot of Flight Simulator in the past. In fact, many moons ago, it was FS98 that got me interested in flying. I was stuck in my dad's office one day and his colleague set me up with the game on the default settings (at Meigs Airfield with a little Cessna). So from then it's been something that I've always been interested in doing, and a gap year, where I've had time to earn the money is an ideal time.
As KatanaDV20 said, the sim is only so helpful. Without it, I wouldn't know half the stuff I know today (bearing in mind this is pre-PPL). The sim has given me a basic understanding of the instruments you'll find in the cockpit of a light aircraft. Flying on VATSIM (sort of like FS multiplayer) gave me an insight into the radio communications side and things such as circuits. So I wouldn't say that sim has been unhelpful, but as KatanaDV20 was stressing, flying VFR (visual flight rules as opposed to instrument flight rules) requires you to look out the window, and be able to keep the plane straight and level without looking at the roll indicator or the vertical speed indicator.
I have been up in a couple of light aircraft including a C172 (4 seater) which is what I plan to be flying.
Although I'm going to the states, I will be completing a European course (therefore ending up with a JAR-FCL PPL).
At the moment, I'm not sure how much further I'll take it. I reckon for now, my PPL will be sufficient. However, I then have the option for any sponsored cadet programs (if any exist in a couple of years). I'm going to uni in October anyway.
As you mention the regularity of which I can fly is a big bonus for me. I mean, look out of your window tomorrow morning (assuming it has snowed like it has in London), and then you'll see my problem. If you look at the page with the cost comparison you'll see that it is in fact a bit cheaper. (If you notice I haven't put flights out there, it's because luckily I get free airmiles flights).
Thanks for you note about budgeting for some hours back here. I've heard the airspace over here isn't quite the same as in the States!
For anyone who wants to know how much it is, I can tell you that it'll be roughly £7,500. You never know until you've finished, but you can see the costs I'll incur here.I also have a question. How much (if any) time do you spend in sims? Would you say it's useful to become competent in them?
Have you actually been up yet?
I've played a lot of Flight Simulator in the past. In fact, many moons ago, it was FS98 that got me interested in flying. I was stuck in my dad's office one day and his colleague set me up with the game on the default settings (at Meigs Airfield with a little Cessna). So from then it's been something that I've always been interested in doing, and a gap year, where I've had time to earn the money is an ideal time.
As KatanaDV20 said, the sim is only so helpful. Without it, I wouldn't know half the stuff I know today (bearing in mind this is pre-PPL). The sim has given me a basic understanding of the instruments you'll find in the cockpit of a light aircraft. Flying on VATSIM (sort of like FS multiplayer) gave me an insight into the radio communications side and things such as circuits. So I wouldn't say that sim has been unhelpful, but as KatanaDV20 was stressing, flying VFR (visual flight rules as opposed to instrument flight rules) requires you to look out the window, and be able to keep the plane straight and level without looking at the roll indicator or the vertical speed indicator.
I have been up in a couple of light aircraft including a C172 (4 seater) which is what I plan to be flying.
Although I'm going to the states, I will be completing a European course (therefore ending up with a JAR-FCL PPL).
At the moment, I'm not sure how much further I'll take it. I reckon for now, my PPL will be sufficient. However, I then have the option for any sponsored cadet programs (if any exist in a couple of years). I'm going to uni in October anyway.
As you mention the regularity of which I can fly is a big bonus for me. I mean, look out of your window tomorrow morning (assuming it has snowed like it has in London), and then you'll see my problem. If you look at the page with the cost comparison you'll see that it is in fact a bit cheaper. (If you notice I haven't put flights out there, it's because luckily I get free airmiles flights).
Thanks for you note about budgeting for some hours back here. I've heard the airspace over here isn't quite the same as in the States!
Assuming from your location you're flying heavies? How do you think you'd handle a little Cessna now?Quite an experience Scuzi, and def a learning day! Each to there own of course but there is no way I would have made a sea crossing with an engine I didn't have 100% confidence in! Saying that I don't feel comfortable with less then 2 engines now!
A fly-in would be great fun! Sadly my a/c wouldn't fit into any of your airfields haha, and sadly my SEP expired years ago! I'll be someones navigator though!
I'm not sure how much you know about getting a job flying so excuse me if you already knew all of this, but with a PPL there are several steps you need to take:
With a PPL (and Class 1 Medical) you need to start your ATPL theory exams (14 theory exams which come in at just under £2,000 for exam fees/learning materials etc). These can take some time to achieve. There's not much point in hour building, unless its for fun, because let's face it, if you can't do the ATPLs then it can be a massive waste of money!
With ATPLs done, you can do your hour building (so you can get your CPL - commercial pilots' license). You need 150 hours total with 100 hours as P1. (Although you'll be needing 200hours before your license is issued)
Then you'll need to do a CPL (Single Engine) which is another 25 hours of flying. (Probably 20 on a Cessna or something and then 5 on a complex aircraft). Just the skills test for a CPL is a little shy of £1,000.
With a CPL, many people go on to do a multi-engine rating, which is about 6 hours on a multi-engine aircraft, a multiple choice exam paper and a 1 hour check ride. Multi-engine aircraft are expensive to hire. Looking at a minimum of about £300/hour.
After CPL, the next step is an instrument rating. You'll need to already have 70hours P1 including 50 hours P1 x-country and a CPL (to make things "cheaper"). IR is mostly in a simulator, and then about 15 hours in a multi. So that's not cheap.
Once you've completed all of the above, you'll have a frozen ATPL. Cost is between about £80,000 and £120,000. Only then will you be able to even think about getting a job. There are a few options people take:
1) Use their CPL to fly Cessna Caravans in the bush etc...
2) Do the flight instructor course and build hours by instructing (add about £8,000)
3) Buy into a job, as Scuzi was explaining. For instance, you pay about £40,000 and you'll get a 737NG type rating, and a job in an airline in Asia, for 500 hours.
Its a lot to think about. And you should bear in mind that a lot of training is cheaper done abroad, like the States. So there's some big choices/decisions to make.
With a PPL (and Class 1 Medical) you need to start your ATPL theory exams (14 theory exams which come in at just under £2,000 for exam fees/learning materials etc). These can take some time to achieve. There's not much point in hour building, unless its for fun, because let's face it, if you can't do the ATPLs then it can be a massive waste of money!
With ATPLs done, you can do your hour building (so you can get your CPL - commercial pilots' license). You need 150 hours total with 100 hours as P1. (Although you'll be needing 200hours before your license is issued)
Then you'll need to do a CPL (Single Engine) which is another 25 hours of flying. (Probably 20 on a Cessna or something and then 5 on a complex aircraft). Just the skills test for a CPL is a little shy of £1,000.
With a CPL, many people go on to do a multi-engine rating, which is about 6 hours on a multi-engine aircraft, a multiple choice exam paper and a 1 hour check ride. Multi-engine aircraft are expensive to hire. Looking at a minimum of about £300/hour.
After CPL, the next step is an instrument rating. You'll need to already have 70hours P1 including 50 hours P1 x-country and a CPL (to make things "cheaper"). IR is mostly in a simulator, and then about 15 hours in a multi. So that's not cheap.
Once you've completed all of the above, you'll have a frozen ATPL. Cost is between about £80,000 and £120,000. Only then will you be able to even think about getting a job. There are a few options people take:
1) Use their CPL to fly Cessna Caravans in the bush etc...
2) Do the flight instructor course and build hours by instructing (add about £8,000)
3) Buy into a job, as Scuzi was explaining. For instance, you pay about £40,000 and you'll get a 737NG type rating, and a job in an airline in Asia, for 500 hours.
Its a lot to think about. And you should bear in mind that a lot of training is cheaper done abroad, like the States. So there's some big choices/decisions to make.
Ryanair's fleet is only 737-800s (about 300 of them), and they basically offer a buy-in scheme. They're more than happy to take low hour CPL holders, who have a type rating. I also forgot, you'll need to have an MCC for any job in an airline. Only another couple of thousand £££.
ATPL exams? Much fun.
Flying is just about going. Expensive, but good fun. I must get some pics up when I have a chance.