Originally Posted by Cubdriver

FBOs are not a bed of roses either, but there is more parity between their cost and value of the tickets in todays market. It is foolish to spend $55k for training when $30 will do the trick, and an FBO may not be as slick or as fast, but when you are going to make about $25k for several years in a row you will be darned glad you do not owe that extra money. Personally I do not see how anyone does it even using FBOs these days, but I guess they manage. I've got about that left over from engineering school, and you can bet you won't see me on the flight line any time soon.