Reality of learning to fly and owning an aircraft
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Cambridge
Posts: 913
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I do not want to be a negwart BUT...
I have been approached many times by people who have the great idea that they will learn to fly, buy an aircraft, then fly 1000 mile trips every week taking the family all over the place.
Unfortunately, to get serious all weather capability and a seriously reliable despatch rate without getting the plans changed all the time because of weather, you need a de-iced multi engine aircraft and a lot of experience and qualifications.
If you want to take the family and they don't enjoy getting bumped about at low level, you need pressurisation.
To really do it right you need a turbine type.
GA is brilliant, it's my passion and interest and has been for years, but Single Engine Piston does not generally get you airline style reliability of doing the trips exactly when you want in any weather. To me GA = Fun; it can be fun going a long way, or fun flying to a farm strip 50 miles away, but it soon stops being fun when you HAVE to get there at a certain time and date and HAVE to be back at another time and date.
I have been approached many times by people who have the great idea that they will learn to fly, buy an aircraft, then fly 1000 mile trips every week taking the family all over the place.
Unfortunately, to get serious all weather capability and a seriously reliable despatch rate without getting the plans changed all the time because of weather, you need a de-iced multi engine aircraft and a lot of experience and qualifications.
If you want to take the family and they don't enjoy getting bumped about at low level, you need pressurisation.
To really do it right you need a turbine type.
GA is brilliant, it's my passion and interest and has been for years, but Single Engine Piston does not generally get you airline style reliability of doing the trips exactly when you want in any weather. To me GA = Fun; it can be fun going a long way, or fun flying to a farm strip 50 miles away, but it soon stops being fun when you HAVE to get there at a certain time and date and HAVE to be back at another time and date.
I get what you are saying and, at an absolute level, you are right: having a turbine is indeed ideal if you want to fly 1000 NM regularly. The thing is, how often do you really want to do that?
My experience suggests that using an appropriate SEP for family trips is quite feasible: I fly a Cirrus SR22 and have an instrument rating. In the last 12 months, I have done 153 flights totalling 250 hours (75% is business and includes lots of 40 minute flights to Biggin Hill) and have only lost one flight to the weather.
Flying four up with reasonable luggage at 160 KTAS, my maximum range is about 600 NM although we tend to limit ourselves to about 3 hour flights which puts anything between the west coast of Ireland and mid Germany in range without a refuelling stop.
Flying two up, the range is well over 1000 NM, although I wouldn't really want to do that in one hit. The longest single leg I have flown in Europe was Prague to Cambridge against a big head wind: just over 4 hours.
Yes OP, good luck with your ambition.
Next, a word of caution. My first full time flying job as a UK CPL-IR was to fly a UK businessman hither and thither to fulfil his business commitments. My employer had purchased a useful SEP with a view to flying himself but he never made it as a pilot. (So I got a first job at a time when it was very hard to do so.)
So I mention it just as an example where ambition outstripped ability.
It was an attempt at an all weather , year round operation and within the constraints of airplane limitations and pilot inexperience (around 1000 hours at that time), we achieved utilisation that by and large satisfied the aircraft owner.
Next, a word of caution. My first full time flying job as a UK CPL-IR was to fly a UK businessman hither and thither to fulfil his business commitments. My employer had purchased a useful SEP with a view to flying himself but he never made it as a pilot. (So I got a first job at a time when it was very hard to do so.)
So I mention it just as an example where ambition outstripped ability.
It was an attempt at an all weather , year round operation and within the constraints of airplane limitations and pilot inexperience (around 1000 hours at that time), we achieved utilisation that by and large satisfied the aircraft owner.
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: London
Posts: 442
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi Chris,
I think expectations may need to be managed, 1000nm is a very long journey... But it is by no means impossible!
I know you said "up to 1000nm" but, I would think of it in terms of hours and not of range, 1000nm at 150kts is only 6h45, which you may very well be happy driving with a couple of stops for fuel on the way - flying it however will be a very different story! Whilst driving, your mind can wonder, whilst flying however, between listening out for traffic, talking to ATC, getting clearances through airspace / notam'd area... Altitude changes, waypoint changes, weather ahead planning, diversion planning, frequent fuel calculations, frequent engine / plane checks... you end up being extremely busy, and extremely tired. You also need to add at least an additional 20 minutes to every leg for taxying / airborne delays / re-routing...etc...
I did just under 900nm a day twice last summer within 5 days of each other and I was absolutely shattered after each of the days. I admittedly did fly a plane that only flew at a cruise of around 140KIAS, and it was particularly warm which doesn't help. I am not sure I would be capable of doing it frequently - but don't let this bog you down. That I can't do it, by no mean, means that YOU can't do it!
If you're looking at the M350, would the budget stretch to an M500 or M600? Or even a TBM800 or TBM930? The M350 has a cruise of around 200ish KTAS (i think). It won't shave a huge amount off of your 1000nm plan, but the M500 at 260KTAS, or even TBM930 at 330KTAS would be fully FIKI, most weather machine, and would enable you to commit to longer regular trips. These would require a substantial amount of training and hours built to reach, but if your goal is a high one, and this becomes your one and only passion, and your one and only major budget spend, there is no reason why after hard work and dedication you won't get there!
If it doesn't quite reach that level - have you considered the Mooney Acclaim Type S or Ultra models? They are supposed to cruise around 240KTAS, and I also believe slightly cheaper than the M350 (might be wrong about that one - but always thought it was...).
Something to bear in mind however, the PPL requires a minimum of 45 hours of flight (which means a minimum of 100 hours in the flying club / ATO for flight briefings etc...), in addition to a minimum of 100 hours of study for the ground exams, the taking of the exams and going over your answers which is another 15 or so hours, in addition to how ever many days of not being able to fly, waiting around for the weather to turn.
Then add the fact that you need to build up confidence, build up hours after you have done your PPL, perhaps gain further knowledge and do "advanced" lessons. Then obtain your night rating a further 5 hours, then maybe do your IR(R) rating further 15 hours + ground exam whilst you are studying for the IR ground exams (which I believe is probably around 300+ hours of study for the 7 exams).
And finally the CB-IR course which will likely be around 20-30 hours depending on pilot skill.
That's at least 260 hours committed for the PPL/IR(R)/Night + 300 hours IR exams + 60 hours CBIR (inc briefing) is 620 hours + hour building / confidence building to reach your ultimate goal. Of dedication, perseverance, etc... It is a major undertaking and one that should be cherished! In reality this will probably be well over 1000hours of investment to reach that goal (plus travel to/from the airfield of course). Might seem little to the layman, but spread it out over 1.5 to 2 years and you'll get a very different feel.
I am definitely NOT trying to put you off, just attempting to prepare you to the reality of achieving the goal that I myself am attempting to reach! I was so sure that within 1 year of passing I would have my IR, and plenty of hours under my belt. I am still working on that one - several years later!!
Also something to keep in mind, is that if you enjoy every aspect of these hours spent learning (as I still do) - the whole thing no longer becomes a chore - but a fantastic journey to enjoy and rejoice every time you go flying along the way. Flying is an amazing thing to do - share it and love it all along the way and the time will pass so quickly.
I hope this helps!
I think expectations may need to be managed, 1000nm is a very long journey... But it is by no means impossible!
I know you said "up to 1000nm" but, I would think of it in terms of hours and not of range, 1000nm at 150kts is only 6h45, which you may very well be happy driving with a couple of stops for fuel on the way - flying it however will be a very different story! Whilst driving, your mind can wonder, whilst flying however, between listening out for traffic, talking to ATC, getting clearances through airspace / notam'd area... Altitude changes, waypoint changes, weather ahead planning, diversion planning, frequent fuel calculations, frequent engine / plane checks... you end up being extremely busy, and extremely tired. You also need to add at least an additional 20 minutes to every leg for taxying / airborne delays / re-routing...etc...
I did just under 900nm a day twice last summer within 5 days of each other and I was absolutely shattered after each of the days. I admittedly did fly a plane that only flew at a cruise of around 140KIAS, and it was particularly warm which doesn't help. I am not sure I would be capable of doing it frequently - but don't let this bog you down. That I can't do it, by no mean, means that YOU can't do it!
If you're looking at the M350, would the budget stretch to an M500 or M600? Or even a TBM800 or TBM930? The M350 has a cruise of around 200ish KTAS (i think). It won't shave a huge amount off of your 1000nm plan, but the M500 at 260KTAS, or even TBM930 at 330KTAS would be fully FIKI, most weather machine, and would enable you to commit to longer regular trips. These would require a substantial amount of training and hours built to reach, but if your goal is a high one, and this becomes your one and only passion, and your one and only major budget spend, there is no reason why after hard work and dedication you won't get there!
If it doesn't quite reach that level - have you considered the Mooney Acclaim Type S or Ultra models? They are supposed to cruise around 240KTAS, and I also believe slightly cheaper than the M350 (might be wrong about that one - but always thought it was...).
Something to bear in mind however, the PPL requires a minimum of 45 hours of flight (which means a minimum of 100 hours in the flying club / ATO for flight briefings etc...), in addition to a minimum of 100 hours of study for the ground exams, the taking of the exams and going over your answers which is another 15 or so hours, in addition to how ever many days of not being able to fly, waiting around for the weather to turn.
Then add the fact that you need to build up confidence, build up hours after you have done your PPL, perhaps gain further knowledge and do "advanced" lessons. Then obtain your night rating a further 5 hours, then maybe do your IR(R) rating further 15 hours + ground exam whilst you are studying for the IR ground exams (which I believe is probably around 300+ hours of study for the 7 exams).
And finally the CB-IR course which will likely be around 20-30 hours depending on pilot skill.
That's at least 260 hours committed for the PPL/IR(R)/Night + 300 hours IR exams + 60 hours CBIR (inc briefing) is 620 hours + hour building / confidence building to reach your ultimate goal. Of dedication, perseverance, etc... It is a major undertaking and one that should be cherished! In reality this will probably be well over 1000hours of investment to reach that goal (plus travel to/from the airfield of course). Might seem little to the layman, but spread it out over 1.5 to 2 years and you'll get a very different feel.
I am definitely NOT trying to put you off, just attempting to prepare you to the reality of achieving the goal that I myself am attempting to reach! I was so sure that within 1 year of passing I would have my IR, and plenty of hours under my belt. I am still working on that one - several years later!!
Also something to keep in mind, is that if you enjoy every aspect of these hours spent learning (as I still do) - the whole thing no longer becomes a chore - but a fantastic journey to enjoy and rejoice every time you go flying along the way. Flying is an amazing thing to do - share it and love it all along the way and the time will pass so quickly.
I hope this helps!
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Cambridge
Posts: 913
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
That's at least 260 hours committed for the PPL/IR(R)/Night + 300 hours IR exams + 60 hours CBIR (inc briefing) is 620 hours + hour building / confidence building to reach your ultimate goal. Of dedication, perseverance, etc... It is a major undertaking and one that should be cherished! In reality this will probably be well over 1000hours of investment to reach that goal (plus travel to/from the airfield of course). Might seem little to the layman, but spread it out over 1.5 to 2 years and you'll get a very different feel.
I didn't find the TK too difficult, but it did absorb a lot of time and, even though mine was an FAA IR, there was an awful lot of useless information that had to be learned.
Of course, just getting the ratings DOESN'T make you into a pilot capable of flying your family 1000 miles across Europe in bad weather! It's important to build up the level of utility you expect from the aircraft as your experience grows.
I hope this helps
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Günzburg, Germany
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I don't know how it was learning 10-20 years ago or about aircraft ownership. I am still an aspiring PPL, and I feel that my expectations have tempered compared to when I started learning.
As one progresses through the training, it becomes clear how much time or money are required for this hobby. You might discover things (positive or negative) about the flying club or school.
I guess it is good to go bit by bit and focus on getting the PPL first.
As one progresses through the training, it becomes clear how much time or money are required for this hobby. You might discover things (positive or negative) about the flying club or school.
I guess it is good to go bit by bit and focus on getting the PPL first.
My 2c:
I have been flying for 35+ years in the UK. I have an IR.
I know of very few private pilots who operate in the UK in SE light aircraft as a serious method of moving around in almost any weather (ie including winter and at night). It can be done but not by anyone, perhaps not many would want to. Go to a small UK airfield on a marginally flyable rainy winter day - there is little activity.
I mostly operate at smaller airfields and private strips, which is what is required in the UK if you are going to get near most destinations. So I do not see the grown ups in their Cirri, turbine singles and twins .... but they can't get into most of the places I go.
Of course this is different to going between 2 concrete runways with proper instrument approaches which is perhaps more what the OP has in mind? .... and is more passenger friendly.
I have been flying for 35+ years in the UK. I have an IR.
I know of very few private pilots who operate in the UK in SE light aircraft as a serious method of moving around in almost any weather (ie including winter and at night). It can be done but not by anyone, perhaps not many would want to. Go to a small UK airfield on a marginally flyable rainy winter day - there is little activity.
I mostly operate at smaller airfields and private strips, which is what is required in the UK if you are going to get near most destinations. So I do not see the grown ups in their Cirri, turbine singles and twins .... but they can't get into most of the places I go.
Of course this is different to going between 2 concrete runways with proper instrument approaches which is perhaps more what the OP has in mind? .... and is more passenger friendly.
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Cambridge
Posts: 913
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
That's a very good distinction to draw. If you want the sort of utility that the OP stated, then apart from an IR, IMHO you need access to instrument approaches as well as an aircraft with the appropriate capabilities.
That said, I have landed on short grass runways in my SR22 and it handles them OK. That said, as RT implies, most of my flying is between hard runways with instrument approaches as it isn't possible to guarantee the level of despatch reliability I want otherwise.
That said, I have landed on short grass runways in my SR22 and it handles them OK. That said, as RT implies, most of my flying is between hard runways with instrument approaches as it isn't possible to guarantee the level of despatch reliability I want otherwise.
