Pilot's license for more trips?

[yearlightbuzz]

I was out on my long run today and saw a plane. Started thinking. I could go to Walt Disney World for a long weekend easier if I had my pilot's license. Has anyone, after joing DVC, gotten their pilot's license? Does anyone else have their license and use it to go to WDW? Just curious.

 

[Zurg]

I am a recovering pilot.

It has been 10 years since I flew my own plane.

Yes - it is just that bad.

I did fly with a friend a few weeks ago and the old avaition jones is hitting hard. I have picked out planes to buy if we hit the lottery. One for local fun and this one thle twin prop plane unless we hit the lottery real big then I'll cconsider the jet) to fly to WDW for the weekends. I'll also need a zillion DVC points.

 

[Barb]

My husband is a private pilot and we do have our own plane. We use it to fly to WDW every year. We leave here in the morning and we're checked in to WDW by dinner time. Beats driving.
Oh, we joined DVC just a few years ago, but have flown to WDW every year since 1993. As we were going so often, it just made sense to become DVC members.

 

[Shutterbug]

I live very close to a small airport and have always thought about getting a pilots license. I have thought more and more about recently. I really love to fly. Can someone tell me how much it cost and about how long does it take?

 

[janette]

I have a brother & BIL who have flown and owned planes. Neither does right now, brother still flys he's a pilot for a charter company but doesn't have his own plane right now. BIL had an emergency landing a few years ago that he walked away from but decided that he wasn't ready to keep flying.

It is an expensive hobby, there are $$ involved in keeping a plane. My BIL co-owned his plane and that is an alternative for someone who doesn't fly often. My brother kept costs down by doing his own maintenance and I think worked on other people's planes too.

I remember my brother making trips in his plane and my SIL sometimes complained that it could make packing a little tight. In a small plane you have to keep track of how much weight you are carrying. Luckily their girls were pretty small

 

[zurgswife]

It is an expensive hobby, there are $$ involved in keeping a plane. My BIL co-owned his plane

this is exactly why Zurg no longer flys his own plane...a midincome family and flying do not mix.....unfortuneatly after selling the plane zurg had less opportunities to fly and stopped all together.....Oh well maybe I won the lottery last night

 

[Chattyaholic]

DH's father used to be a private pilot and owned a couple planes over the course of his aviation days, the last one was a low-wing 4-seater. I loved going up with him, and went every chance I got. DH knew how to fly the plane, but never got his license or went to ground school. He always talked about doing it but just never did. I remember standing on our deck, crying, when the new owner of my FIL's plane flew it away. We still have the runway here on the farm...

 

[Barb]

My DH got his pilot's license in the early 80's and flew a bit until our 3rd son was born. He gave it up until the early 90's and decided to go back. At that point, he decided we needed our own plane, too. We have a Piper Cherokee 6. Having the plane has allowed us to take some pretty amazing trips, trips we would never have taken without it. Another dream of ours for the very distant future is to have a place in one of those airplane communities where you park your plane right in your own driveway!

 

[SplshMtn99]

LOL --- this reminds me of an old Cosby family episode.

Theo & his friend thought pilots leather jackets were cool & wanted some. They tried to convince Mr Huxable to pay for Theo's flying lessons. Theo's arguement was that if he got his pilots licencse....he could fly the family to the Grand Canyon & other places for cheap.

My Huxable had a friend who owned a plane...and gathered up a list of all the expenses ($$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$).

After showing Theo how long it would take him to pay Cliff back......Theo & the friend decided to simply BUY the jackets....and forget about taking lessons. LOL


I love the Cosby's.!!!! Always a lesson!

 

[dcfromva]

Originally posted by yearlightbuzz
I was out on my long run today and saw a plane. Started thinking. I could go to Walt Disney World for a long weekend easier if I had my pilot's license. Has anyone, after joing DVC, gotten their pilot's license? Does anyone else have their license and use it to go to WDW? Just curious.

yearlightbuzz,
Sadly, I haven't flown in quite a few years (not since DS came along and he's almost 15).
Flying can be a lot of fun. But........the trouble with a private pilot's license is that you have to have the weather coorperate in order to use it--it is Visual Flight Rules (VFR) only. If you decide to continue on and add on an IFR rating (to be able to fly using instruments), then you have more hours and more instruction.... AND, even if you are IFR rated--you have to look at aircraft performance issues....one for example--like is the aircraft rated for icing and can you go into known icing conditions? et'c. et'c. et'c. After all that, keep in mind that even the air carriers will fly around the worst of the thunderstorms.
Now, if you are a patient person, it might work out okay--but how would you react if you had to delay your flight by a day or two because of weather or maint. issues? (Would you still have your Disney reservations? )
I think in the early phases of becoming an experienced pilot, it is better to think of flying as a hobby and something fun to do if the conditions are right. If everything is right, a trip to WDW could be a really fun spur of the moment trip.

(Oh, and then there's the cost --LOL! )
-DC

 

[dcfromva]

Originally posted by Shutterbug
I live very close to a small airport and have always thought about getting a pilots license. I have thought more and more about recently. I really love to fly. Can someone tell me how much it cost and about how long does it take?

Shutterbug,

Costs vary by location and what type of license you are trying to get and how many hours it takes to complete your training. To get a better idea of costs, you could call your nearest Fixed Base Operator (FBO) to get an estimate. Way back when I started to fly (I won't tell you how long ago), a lot of FBO's would offer an introductory 30min flight lesson for a reduced cost just so you could see how fun it was. (It sure hooked a lot of people on flying ).

Here is a link to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)'s web site:How Do I Become a Pilot?"

Link to FAA's web site--FAQs /requirements to become a pilot

Here is a link to Aircraft Owners and Pilot's Association (AOPA)'s web page on learning to fly

-DC

 

[Shutterbug]

Originally posted by dcfromva
Shutterbug,

Costs vary by location and what type of license you are trying to get and how many hours it takes to complete your training. To get a better idea of costs, you could call your nearest Fixed Based Operator (FBO) to get an estimate. Way back when I started to fly (I won't tell you how long ago), a lot of FBO's would offer an introductory 30min flight lesson for a reduced cost just so you could see how fun it was. (It sure hooked a lot of people on flying ).

Here is a link to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)'s web site:How Do I Become a Pilot?"

Link to FAA's web site--FAQs /requirements to become a pilot

Here is a link to Aircraft Owners and Pilot's Association (AOPA)'s web page on learning to fly

-DC

THANKS!!!!!

 

[honeywolf7]

My dad used to have a charter business flying his own planes back in the 70's (at one point it was just charter flights and at another it was medical transport.) I know he had a Twin Beach (spelling?) and I think the other plane he had was called a Bonanza (but can't remember for sure right now.)

 

[Silky]

I have done a fair amount of flying with friends who have owned both singles and twins, but my DW will NOT set foot in them. Soooooooo, we fly only on commercial jets these days......

 

[Crush]

My husband is a pilot.

We've been back and forth about this subject so many times. The costs of owning or renting a plane along with gas rarely ever beats out the cost of a commercial airline ticket. It would be incredibly nice, but then again, wouldn't it be nice to be independently wealthy with no cares in the world???

 

[Zurg]

It is not cheaper than flying commericaly,particularly when you factorin the divorce, selling the house to pay for air time etc.. but it is way fun.

Aviation disease is a lot like drugs, lots of fun but it cost all your moeny, limits you friends to other "users" & takesover your life.

The AOPA link is a good place to start.

I hear heroin is fun too.

 

[captin fink]

It is not cheaper than flying commericaly,particularly when you factorin the divorce, selling the house to pay for air time etc.. but it is way fun.

LOL

I haven't been PIC in over 10 year My BIL has a Twin and IFR rating so I do get to go flying a few times a year. I went up a few weeks ago with him and decided that this fall I was going to get back into it.

 

[katerkat]

My husband is a pilot, and THANK GOODNESS he hasn't wanted to buy his own plane. The Air Force paid for his IFT (uh, introductory flight training?) and he's now training on small jets. There's no way we could have afforded this without the Air Force. Of course, he owes the Air Force 10 years for this training.
Anyway, we've looked into renting a plane, and renting, plus gas, plus the tie down fees, would be far too much. Plus, I'm not sure I would ever get into a plane my husband is flying - I've seen how he drives a car!

 

[yearlightbuzz]

Thanks for all of the info. The thread got moved and it took me awhile to figure out where it went. I wasn't very serious about flying myself, but thought it would be interesting to find out how many people did fly themselves. It would be pretty neat to have the money (I don't) and time to invest. I actually feel better in a little plane then commercial jet b/c I feel I have more control (actually the person sitting next to me). I know the stats don't support this, it's just my feeling. Safe travels for everyone, thanks again.