Can you justify flying?
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Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Chandler, Arizona
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Can you justify flying?
Is anyone else finding it hard to justify the cost of private flying nowadays? I went to a new school last week and was hit with a charge of £185 per hour plus landing fee for a C172 and instructor.
Personally I have the money to complete my PPL, but is there an end to these increased costs?
I am seriously considering hour building in US.
Personally I have the money to complete my PPL, but is there an end to these increased costs?
I am seriously considering hour building in US.
Pompey till I die
Join Date: Nov 2006
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Unfortunately
Unfortunately oil in the world is running out. Couple that with increased demand from developing nations as well as no end in sight to the violence in the middle east and oil price is only going one way.
Hence the spiraling cost of aviation is here to stay.
Hence the spiraling cost of aviation is here to stay.
Join Date: Jun 2003
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I am seriously considering hour building in US
If you want to fill up a logbook, go to Arizona and fly backwards and forwards.
If you want to fill a logbook in the UK, rent a DA40 and fly it backwards and forwards. Or perhaps a C150 or similar; probably will be cheaper overall.
But if you want to fly for a purpose, flying has never been dirt cheap, relative to wages. And at the higher end of the capability spectrum (say, IFR touring) it is certainly more expensive than a few years ago.
Join Date: Aug 2007
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if u want to make your flying cheaper try a non-equity group (google it) some even allow you to train in there aircraft. Most are based up North though so it depends where you live really as they seem to be scarce down south here
Join Date: Dec 2006
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Yes I can, I have spent thousands over the years, I am now a skipper with the orange lot and I also have a share in a plane in the SE. If you have to ask that question then you should not be doing it. It depends on why you are asking the question, do you have more important things going on? Like starting a family, or starting a business, then yes perhaps, but if like me, my monthy flying bill is less than £200.00, then why not, I love every minute of it. Yes fuel cost's will rise but in time they will become more stable. If they don't then I am out of a job and the whole of the western world is in deep trouble!! My advice is go and join a group, you will get a cracking deal at the moment, not only will you fly a bit more cheaply but you will meet some cracking people and maybe find a brill social circle and depending on what you buy you could be a shareholder in a lovely bit of kit, our aeroplane was built in 69 is semi aerobatic and cruises along at around 140IAS on 35 Ltrs an hour, if you guess what it is I will buy you a pint!!
Join Date: Jul 2007
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Who told you oil was running out?
There is plenty there..that's my job...OPEC control the output and thus the price. Saudi used to be able to balance the price to please the USA but they seem less willing to do that anymore. That of course is a huge simplification of world economics, but trust me their will be oil when your grandchildren die. It will be found deeper and deeper and more expensive to recover.the industry is manic at the moment.
A US gallon of Avgas is about $4...tax is the problem in the UK. A gallon of road gas in the States is $3 and $10 in the UK..the difference is tax. UK taxes are the worst in the world.
There is plenty there..that's my job...OPEC control the output and thus the price. Saudi used to be able to balance the price to please the USA but they seem less willing to do that anymore. That of course is a huge simplification of world economics, but trust me their will be oil when your grandchildren die. It will be found deeper and deeper and more expensive to recover.the industry is manic at the moment.
A US gallon of Avgas is about $4...tax is the problem in the UK. A gallon of road gas in the States is $3 and $10 in the UK..the difference is tax. UK taxes are the worst in the world.
Car gas in my neck of the woods is pushing past $4 USD, and avgas is $5.50-$6.00 USD. For us folks in the states, it's going crazy.
I cannot justify flying for the money I spend. Nor can I justify the cost it takes to have and raise children. Financially, it's a losing proposition. But, life is not all about money. I would not trade all the money in the world for my kids. And I would not rather have the money I spend flying in the bank, and sit around miserable.
-- IFMU
I cannot justify flying for the money I spend. Nor can I justify the cost it takes to have and raise children. Financially, it's a losing proposition. But, life is not all about money. I would not trade all the money in the world for my kids. And I would not rather have the money I spend flying in the bank, and sit around miserable.
-- IFMU
Join Date: Feb 2007
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Can you justify flying?
Neither can I justify going out for dinner, playing sports, spending time here on proon, going on vacation and a lot of other things.
But that's the beauty of "free time" and "disposable income". You don't have to justify what you do with it. Just spend it any way you see fit.
Of course flying is rather expensive compared to a lot of other possible hobbies and I have promised myself that if I cannot find the money, or the time, or the motivation to spend at least 12 hours each year flying, I will quit and not regret it.
Join Date: Jun 2003
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Or you could fly RHS and keep current that way.
Otherwise, I agree. Most things in life are not financially justifiable. Like I've said before, if you work all the time, never go out, have no friends, keep your trousers zipped up (or wear two johnnies if you can't), have no relationships (easy to achieve if you have no friends and never go out - except in Austria) then you will die very rich. I reckon anybody, no matter how thick, will be worth millions when they die, if they work on it.
Otherwise, I agree. Most things in life are not financially justifiable. Like I've said before, if you work all the time, never go out, have no friends, keep your trousers zipped up (or wear two johnnies if you can't), have no relationships (easy to achieve if you have no friends and never go out - except in Austria) then you will die very rich. I reckon anybody, no matter how thick, will be worth millions when they die, if they work on it.
Can you justify flying?
It depends, to whom are you justifying it?
I gave up flying 34 years ago because, with a young family and rapidly rising fuel prices, I couldn't justify it to myself.
Then, after 23 years of aching everytime I saw an aeroplane fly over, I started again, with great encouragement from my wife and family. I'm now eating into the family inheritance at a rate which, if divided amongst the five of them, would make very little difference to their lives. And they actually seem to enjoy having and old Dad who can take them and their friends flying occasionally.
So, it provides immense enjoyment to me, some enjoyment to those close to me, and I will continue as long as it does both of those things or until the money or health runs out (thanks to the NPPL that should last a bit longer).
One of several benefits of being old is that there is no point in saving money for the future. You haven't got one.
I gave up flying 34 years ago because, with a young family and rapidly rising fuel prices, I couldn't justify it to myself.
Then, after 23 years of aching everytime I saw an aeroplane fly over, I started again, with great encouragement from my wife and family. I'm now eating into the family inheritance at a rate which, if divided amongst the five of them, would make very little difference to their lives. And they actually seem to enjoy having and old Dad who can take them and their friends flying occasionally.
So, it provides immense enjoyment to me, some enjoyment to those close to me, and I will continue as long as it does both of those things or until the money or health runs out (thanks to the NPPL that should last a bit longer).
One of several benefits of being old is that there is no point in saving money for the future. You haven't got one.
Join Date: Apr 2003
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“140IAS on 35 Ltrs an hour, if you guess what it is I will buy you a pint!!”
A Falco?
If you want to fly something less expensive with some caricter try a Jodel. You can get a share in one for around £3k, £35 per month, £35 per hour wet.
Rod1
A Falco?
If you want to fly something less expensive with some caricter try a Jodel. You can get a share in one for around £3k, £35 per month, £35 per hour wet.
Rod1
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Canada
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Up here in my part of Canada, the cheapest avgas (100LL) is running about $1.60 per liter (consider US and CDN $ about par now). That's over $6 per US gallon, $7.27 per imperial gallon.
Road gas (regular... sadly my car uses premium) goes for $1.35 per liter ($5.11 per USG). It cost me $91.20 to fill up my Passat on Sunday, with premium at $1.43 per liter. My Beech Sundowner holds 227 liters... $363 worth of fuel.
I fly just as often as before though. Just not as long
And with other chaps to help slice the expenses.
Road gas (regular... sadly my car uses premium) goes for $1.35 per liter ($5.11 per USG). It cost me $91.20 to fill up my Passat on Sunday, with premium at $1.43 per liter. My Beech Sundowner holds 227 liters... $363 worth of fuel.
I fly just as often as before though. Just not as long
And with other chaps to help slice the expenses.
Join Date: May 2006
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built in 69 is semi aerobatic and cruises along at around 140IAS on 35 Ltrs an hour, if you guess what it is I will buy you a pint!!
Join Date: Oct 2007
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Its always been a luxury (and I admit it cost a lot to get here), but hey its a great way to get away from it all and personally I find it the most relaxing time.
(Piper Cub with the door open on a sunny evening.... my idea of heaven).
(Piper Cub with the door open on a sunny evening.... my idea of heaven).