About to start PPL lessons!

[Plasmech]

Hello all, first post. I have been looking and looking for a good, ACTIVE aviation forum to meet other pilots and students and hopefully get advice on learning how to fly. Before I even get too far, is this the correct forum for this, or must one already be a pilot to post within the rules here?

I live in southeastern PA and am planning to pursue a PPL at KOQN.

[Saab Dastard]

Hello Plasmech,

You are welcome here at any stage of your aviation career. There's a vast range of knowledge and experience across the membership in this forum, and most of them won't bite (much)!

Do use the search facility - not only is it very informative, it also stops some of the more sensitive souls from complaining about the umpteenth time that a topic has appeared on the forum. They have a point, it has to be said.

There is still something of a UK-bias in this Forum, as it was founded by an Englishman, in England, but the reach is now global. The site is now owned by a US company and "located" in LA, so US members can now be welcomed as "natives". ;)

It's the same sky, and mostly the same aeroplanes - just the language divides us!

Enjoy flying and enjoy talking about it here.

SD

[Plasmech]

Thanks Saab!

I have absolutely NOOOO problem whatsoever with this being a "UK" forum. Aviators are aviators no matter where they're from, I know that and I'm not even one (yet!).

I keep hearing and reading that "general aviation" is dead in the USA...for example just today I read an article about how many thousands of light aircraft are being sold by US owners to European owners and flown across the Atlantic. I find it hard to believe that G.A. will soon be a thing of the past in the US...is there any logic behind this thinking? Is it as simple as the economic downturn? I guess this is really my first question...do I spend a lot of money getting into something that is (allegedly) on the decline?

[Lister Noble]

Re language,don't take offence,it's about the same difference between Twickenham and Norfolk.
We drive chariots with knives on the wheels,they drive Smart cars;)
We have the most beautiful Broads,they have the Thames.:)

Broads is the name of an area,not the inhabitants.

lots of GA in the US including some really interesting stuff-

http://www.j3-cub.com/smf/index.php

Happy flying

[Pace]

Plasmech

If GA dies in the USA it dies everywhere. From a practical sense with often hundreds of miles between your cities GA had to be a practical solution to getting around.
Your whole attitude is more inclined to success and showing that success.
In europe we are more inclined to big brother is looking over your shoulder and if you are successful dont show it.
We have all suffered a global recession which wont help matters but go for it as your in the best place for GA believe it!!!

Pace

[Plasmech]

The baby boomer concept...now you know that does make perfect sense.

One thing that has always kept a lot of potential good people out of the air is prohibitive costs. At my local airport, it's going to cost $106 plus tax to rent a Cessna 152 for one hour. This is a very old, very dilapidated, VERY high time VFR aircraft from the early 70's. An instructor costs $55/hour, which honestly I can't argue with. 100LL fuel is about $5.75/gallon.

The Cessna 162 was supposed to help in this department in a big way. Initially, it was going to cost less than $100,000 (!). But now, the advertised cost is something like $112,500 and the actual cost is over $130,000.

Now, I'm not sure we'd really want private flying to be dirt cheap, otherwise we would have everybody and their brother buzzing around the local airport like bust bees on sunny days...but certainly if it were 30% less expensive that would be a super help!

How much does what I described cost in the UK?

The other thing everybody is worried about over here is our over-controlling government talking about banning 100LL. Currently there are very few aircraft that run on 94 octane un-leaded.

Nonetheless, I have wanted to fly since I was 5!

[JOE-FBS]

Plasmech, you lucky, lucky person.

I fly a 152 at a not-for-profit club and it costs about GBP 100 an hour i.e. about half as much again as you are paying. At a school that has to make a profit, it's about another 20%. At least in the US the instructors seem to be properly paid. Here something like GBP 15 (USD 25?) seems common.

Avgas here is I think (it's included in the club rate so I don't know accuratly) about GBP 6 (about USD 10) for a US gallon!

[Plasmech]

Yea, would much rather learn in a high wing Cessna than a Cirrus (as if I could afford that). We are, very sadly, losing people left and right over here in SR-22's. Something about the wing design, as well as, and I am not joking here I lie not, doors popping open in flight.