How does one add flight hours?
 

I'm 16 and will be flying on a piper warrior aircraft soon, I was wondering how trainee pilots log hours. Like how much would someone have to pay per hour to hire a aircraft?

Piper Warriors these days run between 110 to 130 per hour. Also depends if that's a "wet" rate (fuel included) or "dry" (you buy the gas you use). A new plane in a larger city will go for more and a plane in some out of the way town could be less but could be just barely airworthy too.

Based on the fact that you said "hire" and not "rent" I'm making the assumption that you are not in the USA. Therefore you will probably pay significantly more than that $100-$140 that we would pay for a Warrior in the USA. Best thing to do is to call local flight schools where you are planning to train and ask...

Wouldn't that rate cost you like several thousand dollars? How long did it take you guys to gain 40 hours for your PPL

I think 50 hours is a more realistic goal to shoot for. That way, if you have the money for 40 hours but get to that point and need more time before your check-ride, you have the money to do-so. I flew 2-3 times a week and got it at 45 hours, so about 4-5 months.

And yes, it's several thousands of dollars. For the school i went to, the average program was $8,300.00 in a 152.

In the school where I teach, we have airplanes starting at $99 an hour wet (C-172s, Warrior, Katana, and a couple others). We did some research and it looks like our average student is spending close to $10,000 by the time they are done with their private pilot certificate.

If you are looking to go all the way to commercial pilot, expect to spend at last $40,000, and closer to $60,000 when you are all said and done and employable somewhere at a beginning job.

Wow......Just the private is 6-10k. Flying is not cheap.

Yeah but after you get your PPL and CFI license can't you just become a flight instructor and gain the rest of the hours

Yes, that's what many people do.

When asked how much money flying takes, he responded, "Why, all of it!"

I didn't read your quote correctly. You can't become a CFI until you have your commercial certificate and instrument rating first. So like I said before, expect to spend around $50,000 before you are in a position to start getting paid to gain hours.

No. Your ratings will go, most likely:

Private Cert
Instrument Rating
Commercial Single Engine
Commercial Multi (add on) *optional
CFI
CFII *optional
MEI *optional

Plan 40-80,000$ to complete. I would budget to the higher end.

Hello,
Here is the deal if you want to learn and build hours in the most affordable way,,, you need to buy your own aircraft. Yes, you must learn about maintaining, insuring and keeping your aircraft, but the $$$ saved is immense!

It can be done if you are driven and inclined. My son is 17 years of age and owns his own aircraft. Yes it is airworthy and flies (full IFR with appr GPS). It can be done... the question is: how bad do you want to fly cheaply?

There will be some here on APC that will claim that the cost is beyond affordability... I call b.s. on them.

Here is an approximate breakdown based upon 200 hrs/yr for an ownership period of two years. (400 hours total)
Hangar $300/mo x 24 months = 7200, Insurance $2200 (2 yrs), MX/ annuals and non-routines $2200 (2 yrs), Fuel at 400 hobbs (approx 360 tach) $11,600, Parts & oil $1800. A grand total of $25,000 divided by 400 hours logged = $62.50 an hour. Again these are approximate values but are based on my experience of aircraft ownership for the last 26 years.

I did not include the cost of the airframe because at the end of your 2 years, you will sell the aircraft.

Depreciation is not a factor and at this time, appreciation will be enjoyed for the next few years.

The key to doing this affordably is to learn and know your aircraft mechanically. If you are lazy in this regard, the aircraft will eat your lunch financially.
I pulled two ads from barnstormers below just to show the cost of purchase is reasonable.

1961 PIPER PA-22-108 COLT • $14,900 • AVAILABLE FOR SALE • Wonderful NDH and super low time Colt Fresh Restoration and shop OH engine. Even has the original factory engine and prop Includes all logs and paperwork back to Day 1 at the Piper factory. No excuses or Hangar fire stories here. Only a few owners and has been hangared for the past many years. 2,150 TTSN and 100SMOH. Runs/flies perfectly. Flip Flop Digital Nav-Com and t'ponder. Built in intercom. Fly many hours and still have a low time engine and airframe. Deluxe model with dual wing tanks making it a fabulous cross-country machine. See attached spec sheet. Call or Text anytime • Contact Andy Isburgh located Conyers, GA USA • Telephone: 770-843-9128 . • Posted April 19, 2014 • Display Specs Page • Show all Ads posted by this Advertiser • Recommend This Ad to a Friend • Email Advertiser • Save to Watchlist • Report This Ad • View Larger Pictures

1966 CESSNA 150G • $10,990 • AVAILABLE FOR SALE • 1966 Cessna 150G, TTAF 4503, SMOHE 1703, Tach 2866, Compressions All In The 70's Plus, New Tires And Tubes, Wheel Pants, Fresh Annual, Push Button Starter, Original Air Frame Logs From Day One, Engine Logs Since 1972, One Year Old Battery, Radio Needs Work, Come Pick It Up. • Contact Charles Webber, Owner - located Livingston, NY USA • Telephone: 518 537-7433 • Fax: 518 537-7433 • Posted April 19, 2014 •

thats a great deal for hour building!

PM me if you would like a dose of reality about aircraft ownership. I am not calling bs on this post but these numbers are if everything went very well.

I gotcha Clarence... that's why I said you can't be lazy about knowing your aircraft mechanically. I currently own two aircraft and have been an aircraft owner since 1988. It can be done.
What I find is that most people want to fly cheap but don't really want to invest the time in learning about their aircraft. Anybody wanting to build time in a rental, end up paying $130 plus tax per hour for an old beat up DA20 or 152. The savings is all in your effort.