Steve wrote:
I'm considering taking up flying as a hobby. It's something I've been wanting to do
since I was a kid. The ultimate goal is to learn how to fly lear jets or should I say private
light jets. What flight training classes would I have to take and how many hrs would I
have to perform. I can pretty much fly as many times a week as necessary to get the
training my job schedule is highly flexible. I have noticed that most courses run from 5
to 7 k. To get a private pilots license. But what would it take to have the licensing to fly
a lear. And can those courses be taken right after getting my PPL. I saw where I could
get a PPL for 8,000 and get instrument training for another 6,000. Is there another
course needed to fly a lear and can all the classes be taken concurrently.

How flexible is that schedule? You could go to an ab-initio school that
feeds people into the regional airlines in 12-18 months and get all the
ratings, and if you really want, you could get a job with a regional
and get line-qualified as a copilot (FO) in another year maybe, and
quit. They'll probably want you to pay for your training after that,
but if you've got Learjet kind of money that won't be a problem, and
the insurance companies will take you real seriously.

If you don't have quite that much time, you could pay to get a type
rating at FlightSafety and look for work flying right seat for check
couriers, that sort of thing, that don't require such a permanent
commitment, though it's still not going to be a cakewalk. You'll build
hours and get paid almost as much as you might make as an assistant
manager at a hot dog stand.

Also, you might want to consider whether you really need a turbojet
airplane... A Lancair Columbia will cruise over 200kts which makes
500-mile trips go plenty fast, and will cost you a hell of a lot less
in fuel and maintenance, and you can order one new from the factory for
half of what you'd pay for a clapped-out jet, and you can get insured
in one even as a VFR student if you're willing to pay out the nose. Of
course, if you're talking about 1000 mile trips in real weather,
nothing beats a jet, but even the brand-new very-light jets don't all
live up to that, especially when you put a couple butts in the seats.

-cwk.