Naples budget?

[jonasj]

Hi!

I'm wondering if Naples Air Centers budgets for JAR PPL are realistic. Is it normal to manage to get the license with 45 hours or what is the average need?

[razzele]

hi jonas..

Naples airport has short ground waiting time before takeoff. depending on the RW in use it can take as little as 1 minute to get down to the T/O holding point. The airspace is conducieve to efficient training time. So yes, I would say these are realistic budgets assuming you have the sufficient ground knowledge before going up.

[Charlie Zulu]

Hi Jonas,

Firstly I'll make it clear that I didn't do my PPL with Naples, my PPL was done here in the UK five years ago. What I did do atin NAC though is the FAA CPL/IR.

As razzele says the airspace is conducive to efficient flight training. The practice area seems to be to the south over the shoreline, around west abeam Marco Island. This is only 8-10nm south of Naples airport. No other controlled airspace except Fort Myres Class C to the north (around 20nm north) and Naples own Class D. There are a couple of Victor Airways but they are Class E and no clearance is necessary if VFR which you will be when you're doing your PPL.

NAC charge aircraft hire / instructor time by the hobbs meter, so as soon as you start the engine to shutdown you'll be paying. However the times in your logbook are when you start taxiing to brakes on (stop taxiing after landing). This works out around .1 extra on the hobbs than time in your logbook each flight.

Air Traffic Delays... None with the exception of a minute or two when waiting for IFR release with Fort Myres Departure (but you'll be VFR). Two runways. Taxi times vary, but average around 1 minute for R23, 2-3 minutes for all other runways. Took the Arrow IV up on my own to practice some landings the day before my CPL flight test, taxi'd to R05, called ready for departure and Tower asked me to taxi all the way back to the other end (where I came from) as the wind was now favouring R23... (I saw it change nearly 180 degrees whilst doing my power checks).

Whilst I was there the PPL students were all pretty young (most in the 20's but one 16 year old). Nearly every single one of them were obtaining their JAA *and* FAA PPL's within the 45 hours. One of them passed his checkride with 39 hours so had to burn another 6 hours off (did the FAA bits in the process) If not then 50 hours would have seen them finish. So the 45 hours were including 5 hours at night as well.

One thing to note... ground school is charged at $35 per hour including briefings / debriefings (before and after flights). But its only going to be a little $5 or so extra per flight.

I spent around $20-$30 per day on day to day living. BUT this was with evening meals at the nice restaurants in Naples!!! I stayed at the Wellesley Inn which as it was in their off season (July) was only $33 per night including tax.

I'm going to NAC next March for the FAA Multi Engine Add-On to the CPL/IR (and will probably also do the JAA Multi flight test as well), when are you thinking of going?

Best wishes,

Charlie Zulu.

[bailey]

All above is accurate except:

What's on the hobbs ...goes in your logbook. There is nothing left out. Only if you are doing an IR, then the time logged as instruments time is only when you are under the hood. All other times which the engine is running is logged.

One word of advice. Try not to get over here with the exact money for the course. It can quite well take more hours which if you haven't the money can leave you in a fix. Bank for the hours plus 10. You will definitely be safe. You should quite easily get the PPL within the minimums quoted but the stress of being so tight on budget can effect your performance:uhoh:

Bailey:ok:

[leefo13]

Hiya,

Spent the whole of November at Naples doing my JAA PPL.
The experience was very enjoyable, good instructors and a pleasant learning atmosphere.
What the other people have said is spot on in regards to ATC delays - Minimal. I think the longest I had to wait was 5 mins and that was due to a global express taking off in front of me :D .
Wake turbulance allowance etc.

To answer your question on the budget, I did 53 hours flying, 5 of that were for my night qualification. I had no hours when I went out there. On the day I left I had 12 cents left on my account so there estimation on costs was spot on.

I would have no hesitation in recommending Naples Air Center to anyone.

If you have any further questions drop me a private message

All I am waiting for now is the CAA to issue my License. :cool: