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Old 6th Apr 2014, 08:30
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BroomstickPilot
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Surrey, England
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Cost of PPL

Hi John TT,

Thing has it about right. About 70% of those who actually obtain a private flying licence (whether PPL or NPPL) fail to renew that licence once it expires. (Many cease actual flying long before their first licence issue even comes to an end). Bear in mind what I have said above applies to those who actually GET a licence. Quite large numbers commence training and then drop out before qualifying once the rate of expenditure really comes home to them.

Thing is especially right about the need to be able to afford to continue flying post licence issue. You need to assess what kind of flying is within your budget and whether it will satisfy your requirements. When I first got my licence fifty odd years ago, for the first several years all I could afford was to do the legal minimum for several years. Eventually, I realised I was a danger to myself and potentially to others and so gave up.

So what to do about it? Provided you have no ambitions about pressing on to CPL or ATPL, I would suggest you consider flying micro-lights or gliders.

Bear in mind, however, that even these forms of flying are very far from being cheap. However as long as you carry out as shrewd an assessment of the cost involved as you have of the 'Group A' milieu, then I am sure you will not make any mistakes.

Thee axis micros in particular are extremely capable aeroplanes, almost indistinguishable in appearance from 'Group A' aircraft, but cost much less to fly. Two axis aircraft are weird contraptions to look at (to anyone from a Group A background) but very safe and apparently splendid fun to fly. Now they represent even cheaper flying.

Others here will know more about this than me, but from my very limited knowledge I suspect that two axis micro-light flying might even be cheaper than gliding, especially when the cost of spending whole weekends at the gliding site are taken into account.

Anyway, that's my two penneth, good luck John TT.

BP.
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