Comparing aircraft rentals and training costs.

Vishvas Vasuki wrote:
But, either website does not mention anything about checking out pilots
before renting out aircraft for ambitious flights. Is it a common thing?

oh that's not what I meant. All I meant was that if you train and graduate
at some operation A, and then wants to fly with another operation B, said
operation B will want to check you out first; that's very common; actually
I don't know of any operation which will hand over the keys without any
kind of checkout, no matter how impressive your credentials might be;
the time required for said check out will depend on your experience,
the local policy, the type of aircraft, etc.

The point I was trying to make is that you want to plan ahead and take
into consideration the kind of flying you'll want to do when you graduate
with your private certificate; availability of aircrafts for more
ambitious flights, possibilities to undertake more advanced training
(instrument, commercial, etc.)

Note that flying can also be quite a time intensive activity; I have
been a graduate student for a few years, I don't recall having much
free time :-)

all the best in both endeavor,

--Sylvain

"Vishvas Vasuki" wrote in message
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Hi guys,

I am trying to decide where to rent the plane from for pilot training.
But, being the archetypal pauper grad student, I needed your opinion (and
reasons) on which would be the cheaper option:

If things really are tight, you might look and see if there is a local
glider club - you can often get your ticket and fly for quite a bit less.
Later on, when you get steady employment you can add on the power ratings
(assuming you still want to).

--
Geoff
The Sea Hawk at Wow Way d0t Com
remove spaces and make the obvious substitutions to reply by mail
When immigration is outlawed, only outlaws will immigrate.

"Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe" The Sea Hawk at wow way d0t com wrote in message
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If things really are tight, you might look and see if there is a local glider
club - you can often get your ticket and fly for quite a bit less. Later on,
when you get steady employment you can add on the power ratings (assuming you
still want to).

Ab-initio glider training can be pricey unless the club has a winch (rare
in the USA). Early glider training is just like any other flight training in
that lots of launches and landings are involved. The glider itself can be
relativly cheap per hour, and the instructer expense ranges from volunteer to a
"normal" price, but it is the aero tows that can really hit you in the
pocketbook.

If you are in a good soaring area, time building can be cheap once you
start soloing and get the hang of soaring.

Vaughn (CFIG)

Thanks for your excellent replies, everyone!

--
Vishvas Vasuki