For the guys who already have their PPL...
I've been planning to get mine, for a long time. I've just never gotten around to it. I want to do it soon, just don't have a ton of free time at the moment, not to mention the thousands of dollars required for the flying time.
I know you can do one of those one-hour "intro" flights for less than $100 that counts towards your training. I've never even taken one of those, because I know that as soon as I do, I'll be hooked, and I'll want to start flight training immediately.
So for the guys who have it already (I think we even have a commercial pilot or two on CP?), what kind of commitment does it take? And I mean an overall commitment, including (but not limited to) financial investment and the time required.
- I haven't looked into it in a long time, but I somewhat remember that it can be done at your own pace? Sort of rent the aircraft and instructor hours as you go, rather than all at once. At least in regards to the in-aircraft instruction. The ground school is more all at once at regular intervals?
- Those cheap "intro" flights, are they worth it? Does the instructor let you do anything, or do you just sit there and watch him and look outside?
- Do PPL holders have to re-certify every year, and is there a cost to that? I wouldn't fly very often, but I'd rather go straight for the PPL rather than the RPP, because of the ability to fly with more than one passenger, at night (with a night rating obviously), etc.
- Do any of you actually rent a plane and fly yourself somewhere (within driving distance) on vacation, or strictly just for fun out of YBW? Obviously you can't do that for a long trip because of the rental and parking fees (plus a car rental at your destination), but it would be quicker and more fun than driving!
- What's the best flight school at YBW?
- Any other tips for a 'newbie'?
In hindsight...instead of going into IT, I should have just gotten the PPL at 17, then gone into commercial flying. If only I had a time machine...
