Hi Bober,
I can see why you would wish to learn in a consolidated block, but with the weather, aircraft and instructor availability that may not always be possible. In my experience, if this helps, our CFI said that on average, a PPL took 18 months to two years to achieve. I have now been learning basically two years; I have 51 hours and no where near taking my skills test!! There are many reasons for this (not least my thick brain cell
) But i've found that if you start to give yourself timescales, you jsut stress yourself out more. if money is not too much of an issue I would take the flying as it comes, don't get too stressed if its taking "too much time" and most of all enjoy the experience. If you find you get a really good instructor you'll enjoy it even more. I think this is the key, as you will be spending many hours with him/her so need to have get on - even if its only on teh professional level and not on the friendship level (as I now have with my instructor!)
I totally agree with the others about your brain being frazzled after an hour in teh early lessons. Now i'm onto Nav and 1hr 30 airborne frazzles my brain! And as Wierdfish says, an "hour" is not an hour. I guess you should allow about three hours for all the preliminary and de-briefing (and chatting in teh clubhouse
) I now basically spend about six hours at the weekend at the club when flying and if flying in the evening, about four hours. Then theres study time outside the practical flying...Its a time (and life!) consuming hobby as well as an expensive one! Learning to fly is definitely one HUGE commitment in time, brain power and money! ...but the best hobby in teh world
Hope this helps
GQ