Stop Dreaming and Start Flying (rant)

[TXGrunt]

You know I saw this phrase today in "Flight Magazine" and its not the first time I have heard this phrase. I bring this up because in today's world this phrase is not easily attainable. I am thinking the phrase should be more like "Stop dreaming and fly if you have the money". One of the main reasons why I stopped flying is because of the price increase for flying! I just cant afford it anymore! In today's world flying at my club in a C-152 you are looking at $127 an hour including instructor fees. This is just outrageous! So as you can see, the whole "stop dreaming and start flying" phrase probably shouldn't be the selling point in flying anymore...

[Flying Trucker]

Good evening "TXGrunt"...

I hear you and we have preached for years to our children and grandchildren several things.

1  Get your education and flying through the military...
    simple as that...and they are and have

2  Own an aircraft...don't rent if you can avoid it

3  If you must rent then:
    Negotiate and Purchase Block Time Wet (with fuel)
    Purchase ten (10) to twenty (20) hours at a time and
    try to pay for that over time but before the purchase
    hours are up...make sure you check on insurance

    Insurance can be purchased through several ways.
    Clubs and Organisations are the best bet

4  Check out any Government Incentives.

5  If you are in the military do you have a base flying club?

6  Join a flying club that owns it's own aircraft, sometimes
    the club rates are much lower.

7  Keep positive and don't lose the Dream of Flight...

Not sure I was of any help but there are a few of my ideas...

Good luck...

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

[beaky]

I feel for you, grunt, but let's face it- complaining about the ever-increasing cost of flying is like complaining about the weather (another thing many pilots do, LOL). And here in the US, we are still very, very lucky compared to pilots elsewhere... the fuel prices and fees, not to mention the restrictions, are mind-boggling in Europe, etc.

It's more productive to ignore the magazines and do the legwork necessary to find savings wherever you can.

Even with today's nasty fuel prices, if you're paying $127/hr
for dual in a 152 as a club member, you're getting ripped off, IMHO. You'd probably pay less as a 50% partner in a 152, even with a maintenance fund, etc.

[SaultFresh]

Definitely glad I went with rule #4 there, haha. A college education, government subsidized flying, and no strings attached after. Can't complain.

[TacitBlue]

I may be in a unique situation, but here'show I've been getting my flight time lately. I'm an A&P mechanic who is working on getting experience, I do that by working mostly for free at a little airport where a lot of flight instructing goes on. My boss is a mechanic and a flight instructor, so once in a while I get an hour of dual for free. The neat thing is, I get to fly on all of the test flights, so I've been able to fly a few different aircraft.

Admittedly, I'm taking the hard road, I could go work for Mesaba Airlines and make $30K per year, but Mesaba doesn't fly Cessna's, Aeronca's, or Taylorcraft's.

I digress. You don't necessarily have to be an A&P to get this kind of deal. You could be a line-boy or wash airplanes in exchange for flying time. That is if you find a place that is willing to work that kind of thing out with you. I know it sounds crazy, but it can be done.

P.S. I do get a little commission pay on big jobs. Also I have just over a year of experience now.