Private Pilot's License

Haven't begun any training yet. Still considering time and cost factors. One
problem is my job will only avail me to fly every other week, so I figure
it'll take me at least the better part of a year to get licensed. My
question is, after licensing what would be a likely minimum flight time and
frequency to maintain proficiency? Appreciate any helpful comments.

"Vern Torino" wrote in message
...
Haven't begun any training yet. Still considering time and cost factors.
One problem is my job will only avail me to fly every other week, so I
figure it'll take me at least the better part of a year to get licensed.
My question is, after licensing what would be a likely minimum flight time
and frequency to maintain proficiency?

You didn't ask, but frankly, if you're only flying every other week, "the
better part of a year" is overly optimistic. You'll spend enormous amounts
of time reminding yourself what you did last lesson, rather than making
forward progress on your learning.

That's ignoring the fact that flying every other week only gets you about
25-30 hours of training in, for a certificate that has a *minimum* of 40
hours, and the only people who do it at or near the minimum hours are people
who pick up flying naturally, AND who are having their lessons regularly (a
couple of times a week, at least).

I'd guess a person flying every other week could wind up with at least 80
hours before they are good enough to pass the checkride, which is more like
three years at that rate.

As far as your actual question goes: it depends a lot on the pilot, but
generally speaking, flying at least one hour once or twice a month is
probably enough to stay reasonably proficient. For some pilots, once a week
is the absolute minimum, and for others they can pick it up again after a
couple of months. But both of those possibilities are unusual, IMHO. Of
course, it also depends on your definition of "proficient". And more
seriously, it also depends on what you do with those flights. One takeoff
and one landing aren't going to help that much if you only do that once a
month.

Pete

Peter is pretty much right on. I guess the real question is, why do you
want to learn to fly? If it is important enough to you then you will
make the adjustments needed to fly frequently enough to make it
worthwhile. If not, then not.

Once licensed, you should be able to remain reasonably proficient
flying once a month or so, depending on what you want to do.

You might consider taking some vacation time, if that's an option.
It's hard to progress on a fortnightly lesson!

I don't feel comfortable if I don't fly 50 hours a year. That's a bit
more than an hour a week, since in the nature of things (New Hampshire
winters, grass field, Piper Cub) I don't fly much if at all from
January through March. (And yes, I feel very rusty in April.)

I read of a pilot who quit flying because he couldn't maintain the 80
hours a year that was his comfort level.


On Thu, 22 Sep 2005 05:51:55 GMT, "Vern Torino"
wrote:

Haven't begun any training yet. Still considering time and cost factors. One
problem is my job will only avail me to fly every other week, so I figure
it'll take me at least the better part of a year to get licensed. My
question is, after licensing what would be a likely minimum flight time and
frequency to maintain proficiency? Appreciate any helpful comments.



-- all the best, Dan Ford

email (put Cubdriver in subject line)

Warbird's Forum: www.warbirdforum.com
Piper Cub Forum: www.pipercubforum.com
the blog: www.danford.net
In Search of Lost Time: www.readingproust.com

Cub Driver wrote:
You might consider taking some vacation time, if that's an option.
It's hard to progress on a fortnightly lesson!

I don't feel comfortable if I don't fly 50 hours a year. That's a bit
more than an hour a week, since in the nature of things (New Hampshire
winters, grass field, Piper Cub) I don't fly much if at all from
January through March. (And yes, I feel very rusty in April.)

Two of the partners in my 172 have flown probably 25 hours per year in
the last two years. Generally they fly shorter trips, on nice days, and
maybe one longer XC each year. They take instruction every spring
before returning to regular flying. Both are also instrument-rated and
maintain legal currency, but do not fly in IMC.

I think one distinction here is that some planes (a J-3 comes to mind)
require more sharpness on the controls, and some, like a 172 or
Cherokee, are more forgiving. I certainly would not want to ride in the
back seat with either of these guys flying a Bonanza, but I feel fine
with them in the 172.

-cwk.

Haven't begun any training yet. Still considering time and cost factors.
One problem is my job will only avail me to fly every other week, so I
figure it'll take me at least the better part of a year to get licensed.
My question is, after licensing what would be a likely minimum flight time
and frequency to maintain proficiency? Appreciate any helpful comments.

As much as it pains me to say this: Don't get your PPL right now.

If you can only fly once every 14 days, you will spend most of your time
re-learning what you have already been taught. It will be enormously more
expensive, and you will be more likely to get frustrated and quit.

The best way to get your PPL is to treat it like a semester of college.
Fly 3 times each week, Mon-Wed-Fri. Study bookwork on Tue-Thu. By doing
it this way, you will maximize retention of what you have learned, and your
progress will be smooth and quick. My wife, Mary, and I both did it this
way, and it took us each about 4 months, start to finish.

Was it tough, with kids, a house, and two jobs? You bet. But, in the long
run, we knew it was the best way to do it.

As far as proficiency goes, when you're a new pilot you will need to fly
more often to stay in that "comfort zone" -- probably an hour a week, or
more. As time goes on, and your flying skills becomes more ingrained, you
can probably drop down to every other week -- although personally I am not
comfortable flying that seldom.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:
If you can only fly once every 14 days, you will spend most of your time
re-learning what you have already been taught. It will be enormously more
expensive, and you will be more likely to get frustrated and quit.

The best way to get your PPL is to treat it like a semester of college.
Fly 3 times each week, Mon-Wed-Fri. Study bookwork on Tue-Thu. By doing
it this way, you will maximize retention of what you have learned, and your
progress will be smooth and quick. My wife, Mary, and I both did it this
way, and it took us each about 4 months, start to finish.



Excellent advice, Jay. I did it that way too and I'm convinced it cost me MUCH
less in the long run.



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN

VE

You kind of have a dillema. I think to make reasonable progress you're
going to need to fly 3+ times per week on a continuing basis without
missing much. Doing so will get you through in a minimum of time. You'll
also need to prepare ahead of time for each lesson and have some
goals for each one. Flying every other week will have you spending
a good share of lesson time backtracking to get back to where you
were after the previous lesson, and will take a lot longer to get up to
speed.

Taking vacation and flying a whole lot in a week (like 20+) will likely end
up
in overload, especially when you're first learning to fly.


"Vern Torino" wrote in message
...
Haven't begun any training yet. Still considering time and cost factors.
One problem is my job will only avail me to fly every other week, so I
figure it'll take me at least the better part of a year to get licensed.
My question is, after licensing what would be a likely minimum flight time
and frequency to maintain proficiency? Appreciate any helpful comments.

Taking vacation and flying a whole lot in a week (like 20+) will likely
end up
in overload, especially when you're first learning to fly.

Agree 100%.

As a new student, an hour of flying was like running 5 miles. Everything
was so new and intense, I was wiped after a lesson. I remember telling my
instructor, after one particularly intense 90 minute lesson, that I didn't
think any more new learning was taking place in my wee little brain. Mary
had the same experience with her instructor.

IMHO, 20 hours in a week would lead to sensory overload, and would do more
for your flight school's bottom line than anything else.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

I agree 100% with Jay. Having recently (June) passed my checkride,
I can tell you first hand what Jay is saying.

I started out taking lessons in winter 2004 (mistake #1, since I live in the
Chicago area), pretty much on the weekends, with a young newly minted CFII. I
spent almost 6 mos, and about 38 hrs and no solo. Basically could not retain
from lesson to lesson what was taught. I reached a plateau with landings. I
decided after getting advice from the good folks here, discussing it in the news
groups, and with other pilot friends, that I needed to change CFIs.

First thing we did is increase lesson times to 2 sometimes 3/week. I took a
ground school, 1 night a week, to get through the written. I soloed 25 hrs
later (some politics with club policy was involved, as I was ready much sooner).
I then ran into weather issues for cross country/night, etc... training and
work issues, that forced me to finish up about 18 months after I originally
started, at about a 40% more cost than I planned for.

So my advice is don't start until you can put in the time that is required
to devote to it, as Jay recommends and you have the resources committed to pay
for it. Things will go much smoother for you.

As far as retaining proficiency, I have gone 2 wks once, due to weather and
plane availability and that was too long. Basics were good, but the finer
points were a little rusty. Nothing an hour or so of doing touch and goes with
a good crosswind didn't cure. I personally try to fly once a week now, or 10
days max. But I also find I cannot wait that long and develop the need for an
"attitude adjustment" due to other job/life stress. Yes, I fly to help
relieve stress.

But that is a different topic.

Kevin Kubiak - PP-ASEL

Jay Honeck wrote:
As much as it pains me to say this: Don't get your PPL right now.

If you can only fly once every 14 days, you will spend most of your time
re-learning what you have already been taught. It will be enormously more
expensive, and you will be more likely to get frustrated and quit.

The best way to get your PPL is to treat it like a semester of college.
Fly 3 times each week, Mon-Wed-Fri. Study bookwork on Tue-Thu. By doing
it this way, you will maximize retention of what you have learned, and your
progress will be smooth and quick. My wife, Mary, and I both did it this
way, and it took us each about 4 months, start to finish.

Was it tough, with kids, a house, and two jobs? You bet. But, in the long
run, we knew it was the best way to do it.

As far as proficiency goes, when you're a new pilot you will need to fly
more often to stay in that "comfort zone" -- probably an hour a week, or
more. As time goes on, and your flying skills becomes more ingrained, you
can probably drop down to every other week -- although personally I am not
comfortable flying that seldom.