In article qph2d.201376$mD.75730@attbi_s02,
David Banahan wrote:
When I was young I got my license the week I turned 18. I left flying when
I left my first wife. I would like to resume flying, but want to focus on
IFR simulation (most cost effective) at home training before beginning
actual flight training. Any advice would be appreciated to help me develop
a cost effective way to re-learn to fly. Thanks David



I too got my private certificate 21 years ago and have just started
flying again.

I found that the air work came back very quickly -- level flight, turns, etc.

The biggest problems I ran into were landings and airspace changes. I was
also pretty rusty on communications procedures. Then again, I was starting
to fly again from FRG, not quite rural Alabama where I had learned.

It took me 6.5 hours with an instructor to get a flight review signoff. That
included a night cross-country since my night hours were so low.

Also, I had spent a good amount of time before getting in the air going over
the airspace changes. I also read as much as I could on communications
procedures and interpreting the Metars and TAFs.

Since my signoff I have been doing mostly cross-country flying -- just
enjoying it again. I have not taken any passengers yet. And I am still
limiting myself to runways 3000' or greater (C172) until I am happier and
more consistent with my landings (my go-arounds are great though!).

Good luck on getting back into the air -- it's worth it.

John