I used to post here about a year and a half ago.

Training was put on hold as I had to work on myself. Well, now here I am all better and ready to fly. However, money's a bit tight. I'd only be able to afford two one hour lessons per month. At that rate, I'll never get any ratings.

Anyways, is there anyone here who has knowledge on getting a loan for a rating? Basically, I'm dying to get my PPL. I was talking to a Skywest pilot and he said the best way is to get a loan and do the rating at once.

Anyone got any tips? Much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Well that would pretty much leave me no other option but to diminish all dreams of flying and to stay on Fs2004. OR, I could wait to get a PhD and pursue my second interest of psychology, then start on my ratings. But, I do not want to wait that long.

Both are unacceptable.

Well than go get a loan and have fun trying to pay it off. You could spend as little as $30,000 to get your ratings if you try hard to cut cost, but most people who are willing to get loans to fly end up going to a major training mill and spend up $90,000. Even if you only spend $30,000 you will work for years making less than $20,000. You need 1500 hours to have a chance at getting a job, and it can take a long time to get form 250 hours to 1500 hours. During that time, you will have loan payments to make while you are instructing making $10,000-$20,000 (if you can get a job). Then, you might get lucky enough to go to a regional and make $15,000-$25,000. You might be able to get your 1500 hours quickly and get to a regional in 2 years, but it will likely take you years longer. It is simple math, and there is no way you can realistically pay off a loan on the pay you will receive.

Everyone has dreams and most never reach them.

I've got no idea what your situation is. And I've got no idea what instruction runs in SoCal. If it's 200 an hour that means you've got 400 spare a month. All the bank will give you, if you have decent credit, is a signature loan. There's nothing for the bank to repossess if you don't pay. For $12,000 over 4 years, you'll pay about 300 a month. Which means when you're done in six months, you'll be able to fly about six hours a year (figuring the plane at 125/hour) for the next 3 and a half years.

And that's if nothing else happens. You say you you don't want to wait to do this and you don't want to give up your dream. I'd say in your present state, your finances are "unacceptable."

SoCal -

Is your plan to try and and enter professional aviation as a career or as a hobby? You mention in your post above about only getting a PPL. The other advice given you is the standard advice going around right now for new people looking to get into the business. You might have to provide a few more details if you want the best advice.

USMCFLYR

Quite frankly, I'm not thinking that far ahead at the moment. All I'm thinking about is the PPL. 8000? That's twice the price for the PPL at Long Beach Flying Club. I'll be soloing pretty much right when I get back into training, so I'm not $4000 away from a PPL.

My concern with going once a month is not that I'm impatient, but once a month will get me nowhere. Obviously...

So yeah in a nutshell, all I want is financing to get my PPL, as I'm not too far off. I'll deal with the other ratings in the near future.

I agree with you, one hour per month is useless.

Okay, so you want to get a private for fun.

You haven't finished school, and don't sound like you are making much money. And you want to go into debt to pay for a hobby you cannot afford once you HAVE the ticket. That is dumb.

Finish up your education, get a job, save some money for a couple years, and THEN pay CASH to go and play. This has nothing to do with flying. It has everything to do with spending money on a roof, food, utilities, building an emergency fund, and start saving for retirement BEFORE you splurge on frivolous things.