Hi Paul,

All your points are valid.

What is there for you to do next after all the ratings and 180 hours ? Renting is expensive.

I see you are at Guildford and not that far from Lasham Gliding Society (nr Basingstoke). Lasham is child and partner friendly and have a child play area (over £1,000 spent on games and toys this year alone), good bar and restaurant. All this week there is a competition with 100 pilots racing against each other for 5 hours a day, except today when its raining, if you have time off pop up and watch. 200 movements in one hour is a spectacle worth watching!!
Converting to gliding is relatively easy if you find the right instructor and with some gliding experience you should be able to fly towplanes. A winch launch cost £10, soaring is cheap. Glider pilots do some interesting and challenging flights in UK and abroad.
In gliding you can local soar or go cross country, fly fast plastic gliders or enjoy the Vintage scene. Vintage is big at Lasham with old gliders being rebuilt and displayed in the purpose built Heritage centre, and regularly flown. http://www.glidingheritage.org.uk
There are times when lots of kids are around for your to play with and the teenagers learn to glide a low cost on Saturday evenings and solo @ 14 years old. There are sometimes 10- 20 youngsters having fun on a Saturday evening.
Owning a 1/3 share in a basic glass glider can cost around £3,000 and cost £700 per year for all the flying you want, just add launches, club membership and beer for a fun year.
Some UK flights from Lasham have exceeded 750 kms this year (click on the link to see a map of the flights Daily Scores ), returning safely to base while others enjoy much shorter local flights in open cockpit vintage gliders.

Worth a try before you hang up your headset?

bb

Hi Paul

I think I'm the same as you insofar as you feel that flying has lost any PURPOSE.

You've done all you set out to achieve - in 180 hours whereas it might take many several years or a lifetime in private flying to visit the places you have flown to.

Maybe you're easily bored and constantly need new experiences rather than repeat that which has gone before?

If you take away the 'airline route' and finances are limited then maybe microlights and gliding are an option, as suggested by others.

Not just gliding - but maybe the 'excitement' of achieving badges would provide a new purpose - silver, gold, diamonds?

When I had 180 hours and an PPL/RT/Night/IMC I was about to embark on my airline career through the 'self-improver' route - MEP/BCPL/FI/IR/CPL/ATPL/FE on pistons, turboprops and jets.

Now it's over and I feel like you - no purpose.

I don't think you have the passion, so unless you can find a purpose through further training and achievement it's probably time to move on.

All the best in any event.

Hi Paul.It would be a shame to waste what you have achieved. Have you thought about the LAA route? Either share or outright at ~£10K or thereabouts.
Gliding is fine if you can spare the time, it is usually a whole day job, mucking in as a team etc. renting club a/c would be a financial killer.

I got bored after my initial PPL. I also couldn't afford to fly in my 20's, so that was part of the reason. Didn't even look up into the sky when an airplane passed. Then one day, about 15 years later I just woke up and wanted to fly again. Ever since that day the passion has not only stayed, but become stronger. I love it more than ever. Big part of it for me was becoming an airplane owner. Just the thought of my own plane sitting there, always ready to take me at a moment's notice anywhere, is exhilarating. I don't want to share it, rent it. I want it to be all mine.

So, take a break, concentrate on other things, family, business. One day you'll wake up and feel the urge again. Might take 2 years or 20. And then, ownership is a great way to get excited again.

I've given up flying, for the moment. Not a lot of people on here know that, even those who remember me, and I'm not here very often these days although at one time I just about lived on PPRuNe (when I wasn't flying).

It's actually over 2 years since I last flew, and just about everything has lapsed - licences, ratings, you name it. I couldn't be bothered to try to keep them when I didn't want to use them. And that's after PPL(A), CPL(H), FI(H), about 1,300 hours, instructing jobs, lots of foreign flying, over 30 helicopter types, winning the Dawn to Dusk...I could go on, but you get the picture.

So what happened? Well in no particular order...loss of well paid non-flying job, health problems/temporary loss of medical, loss of instructing job and little chance of new one, a few flying scares, a new relationship, other interests. But mainly...I just didn't want to do it any more; I don't really know why. It's been absolutely great, it was a wonderful 15 years, and I don't regret a single moment of it. But all good things come to a natural end, and this feels like a natural end for my flying career.

I haven't lost interest altogether. I come on here now and then. I still write about aviation for pleasure and profit, and I have the knowledge and anecdotes to do so for many more years. But actual flying...nah, been there, done that, it's time to move on. There was a time when I thought I'd never feel that way, but now I do. Things change, and I don't have a problem with that.

As for trying something new like gliding, new types etc - I could, but I really don't want to do that either. Someday, maybe, I might decide that I want to fly again; life is long, and I certainly don't rule it out. I may have a bit of a hassle getting licences back etc, but so what; I got them in the first place, so I can get them again.

So do what's right for you, and if it feels like that is giving up flying, then....go for it! And enjoy whatever comes next....

Mine's a similar tale to Whirly's. About 2 years since I last flew. But in my case after 34 years of fabulous fun in many many types, mostly tailwheel, very long term Chipmunk share, shorter term Yak52, Citabria, and 172 shares (OK, the 172 came with the Citab in the same group, that's how that one got in!). Even did a spell as a meat bomber pilot. But I sense it's time to hang up the headset because quite honestly it's a lot more 'controlled' and therefore less fun than it was.

I feel the best years for me were the first 20 - late 70s to late 90s. After that increased security, yellow-jacketitis, and a generally less tolerant attitude from authority have taken the edge off grass tailwheel fun flying. When someone made me an offer for my beloved Chippy share, I reluctantly decided it was time to take it. I treasure the memories which are simply amazing, especially the stuff we used to do in the early days.

I suspect a lot of the fun that we enjoyed 'messing around in small aeroplanes' is today to be found in microlighting. I might look at that... but like Whirly I have other interests now so don't really miss flying like I thought I would.

Wouldn't have missed any of it for the world, though. Second only to raising a family, getting a PPL relatively early in life while there was fun flying to be had messing about and stripping in a vintage taildragger, and of course aeros taken further with the Yak, was the best thing I ever did.

Don't give up until 'the time is right'.

SSD

I can remember when me and some friends would take a PA28 to Manchester park amidst the big jets on the apron. Walk up into the main terminal and get a coffee!
You have a good point it is all becoming too much hassle now and the costs horrendous!
I now have to consider what will be required of me to convert my FAA ATP to an EASA equivalent to fly an N reg jet in Europe!
If it's far off a straight swap I too might just chuck it in!
When I started flying in the 80s a C150 was £23 Per hour !!!

Pace

Yes, and when I started it was about £5 IIRc - but average salary was about £2,000pa - all relative!

I had to give up flying for over 20 years when renting a Chipmunk or C150 went over £6. (The Government stopped giving a fuel rebate for flying.)
I've now been flying regularly for over 27 years, and would have flown more than the 6.5 tach hours so far this month, if the weather had been better.
The important thing is enjoying flying you can afford, rather than looking for some more training for something you'll not use.

I'm not going to publish on here some of the stuff we did... but now everyone has a video camera on their phone and will stick the results on social media... Different times!

Hi Paul,

I understand where you're coming from. We've got a 2 1/2 year old and although for the first year and a half maybe it was a bit more difficult, it's a lot easier now.

Re following Pompey (commiserations, firstly :E), I would have thought that going away to somewhere up north for an away game is as long a day as flying to Belgium or somewhere.

For me the weekends are a toss-up between following Tottenham and flying (weather permitting). The disillusionment for me has come with my football club, so that always gives way to any flying that occurs. I can't fly and go football on the same weekend (agreement with the Fuhrer). Having said that I only have about 100 hours and haven't been abroad yet so I still have a wide range of airfields to land away at.

But I also get your 'what else is there to do?' point. You hire, fly somewhere, maybe get a bite to eat and fly back. Great. Then what? It does feel as though there's little other purpose sometimes and once you've done it you feel like there should be something else to it, and doing the same thing will quickly become a bit dull. Have you considered getting a CPL and doing some ferry flying or supplementing your job with some part time paid flying work? That could provide some interest to you.

Whatever you do you can come back to flying so if you feel the time is right to take a break then do it, raise your child, then who knows, you might want to get back to flying sooner than you think.

It's like missing a home game after a bad run of results, you think, 'sod it I can't be bothered with this', then when you miss it, you wish you were there... :)

Good luck

The important thing is enjoying flying you can afford, rather than looking for some more training for something you'll not use.

Very wise words, keep it simple and low cost, then the guilt goes away so does the hassle.

Paul when you said you had spent a fortune I was thinking PPL + IMC plus lets say 120 hrs, can't be that bad, but today that would cost I guess the best part of £30K !! Cricky the Mrs would have to be understanding !!

I spent 20K on all my ratings and over 10 years earned that back part - time with a bit to spare, at £20 - £25 ph, so as a cost exercise ok, time wise not good, but some of my students are now still instructing for free, having spent fortunes on ratings.

This thread got me thinking what else would I do, classic car maybe, but looking on net a good one of those is 30K or so, but I guess in 10 years if you have had enough you sell it and maybe make a profit. I was looking at single engine training for IR £320.00 dual PH on south coast, its probably time to move on !!

Paul

1. take your son with you, you can fit the car seat he uses to mots (if not all) 4 seat types that I'm aware of

2. flying in France (and other places too) isn't about how far you can go but the places you can land (mostly free) and what you can do/see/eat when you get there

3. Don't give up unless you really have to. I did, through financial reasons, and now regret it so I'm looking at starting again

all that said, when you get round to making the decision, don't look back.

The thing I most regret in my flying career is the 4 year stop I did. Got my PPL back and 270 hours later I am still enjoying it, even when I got 2 daughters in the meantime. Of course the wife doesn't want to fly with me as she used to do before the kids, but in the end it's my hobby, not hers. The oldest daughter now shows some interest in aircraft, although I never pushed her into it.
It is expensive, but the weather will act as a money saver from time to time.
Most important is to find a few flying buddies (difficult, not all pilots are compatible with each other), and to do some things from time to time that attracted you into flying in the first place (for me that's flying oldtimers).

If you can't find yourself in this, it's really time quit flying, it's not a shame to do that and you will not be the first one nor the last.

There are guys as well, this is not in any way a criticism by the way, that enjoy the challenge of doing something new and once it's achieved have no other reason for doing it. Absolutely nothing wrong with that.

On the other hand, a friend of mine at my club who isn't a commercial pilot summed it up perfectly when we were talking about reasons for flying the other day. He said 'I don't fly because I want to, I fly because I have to.' If you fall into that category then aviation is in your blood for ever.

What you didn't hear was the 'get away from the wife and kids' bit after that :E

Thought that was a given...:)

Tired at 180hs already? This sounds like you chose the lady to crawl on her back, or something went terribly unpredictable in your life. I remember, when I was in the 180hs, it started to feel like really get to know the machine, not only flying it.

My most interesting adventures began after 200hs, when I strolled over the airfields nearby and still today, I get to learn new place astonishing near I never visited. Even more, starting after that I got real friends - the ones who where frequent airborne as I was.

The old rule 'o pilots - if you start to dislike, end it, before it kills you!

PPaul

I am sad to say but I agree with a lot of what you have had to say. The private flying world attracts a wide range of people most of which are great and one can have a lot in common with however, it also can attract quite a few competitive egomaniacs who can nearly always be found at flying clubs holding court on gin clear weekends. With commercial airspace taking over, VFR corridors and sectors being ever squeezed and nice little strips closing down private flying is getting ever worse - especially on the South coast. I can see how these things would defiantly drive to to think twice about flying, especially if you have ticked off all the major PPL training boxes and flown to a variety of places, the challenge and fun have sadly gone.

I would agree with the sentiments of a few others and put powered flying on the back burner for a while. If you keep flying while not fully enjoying it you will only end up seeing it as a money drain and end up resenting it. Where as if you stop flying for a couple of years you could always go back to it with only a few hours as a refresher. Enjoy a few holiday in the car to Reims and hopefully you will come back to flying and enjoy it all the more so.

Cracking advice about a new challange Fwings, I would defiantly give soaring a go, great fun and hones the skills.

All the best.

The real question if you leave aside the affordability of private flying, is why any of us carry on with it.

Lots of points have been raised including cost, risk assessment, family and work responsibilities etc

It can be an unforgiving hobby if you make a mistake and it comes with increasing red tape.
If you have an all consuming job it can be difficult to make the time. I have thought long and hard about this at times.

Do you fly to achieve qualifications, tour, visit new places or just to get airborne ?

I have wrestled with all the above. I have done about 650 hours and Sep, night, mep, taildragger, Imc, most of jaa ir theory and practical. But then I thought, what do I really want to do with this. Do I have to always do something new ? All of these qualifications were really about raising my game and making my flying safer.

I have now reached a point where I am totally happy with what I do when flying. It's all too easy to forget how much work it took to get to the point where a 1 hour flight might not seem challenging enough. I am not likely to fly for work, do regular long tours (though I have done a few) or be a professional.

I now fly, knowing that I am totally addicted to the view of the uk coast from the air.

I don't want to fly jets, be a sky god or airline pilot. I just want, as long as health and finance allows, to go flying on whatever routes weather allows, to experience being airborne.

I only have to see a plane or smell the avgas and I am wish to get up there.

My flights and routes might be similar but the wind the weather or other factors always change. I learn something new every flight.

If it's not the costs, but the loss of that passion for flying however you maintain it, then maybe a break is the right thing.

I know when I am past it all and sit on the verandah in my rocking chair as an old man, that my flying will be one of the most rewarding and enjoyable achievements of my life.

Why did you start the thread - did you hope to be convinced back to the fold, or are you simply not sure?

I started the thread simply because that's where I was with my flying. I was wondering if anybody else had been there and if so what did they do?

When I first started my training I bought my headset off Ebay. I actually met the chap who sold it and asked him why he was selling. "Well, I was going to go flying but wasn't current so I had to go with an instructor for an hour, then I did my hour flying, so overall that flying cost me £400. I gave up just because it's to much for a quick jaunt somewhere".

Given money wasn't a problem for me I wondered why I may give up flying. It's got a terrifically high attrition rate and I couldn't understand why.

The replies were great and I think I'll definitely take a break until my son is old enough to go flying with me. That takes weight off of my wife and will also give her space in the future.

Also the Cirrus SR22 is going to become more accessible as time goes on. Whilst I may have exhausted what you can reasonably do in a PA28, in a day, the 211 knot cruise of the SR22 will suddenly bring far more destinations in sight which will re-ignite my interest.

The really striking thing was the number of people who were active, when I was very active on PPrune, who chimed in to say they'd stopped flying too. It's like we all hit that brick wall at the same time.

Looking forward to getting back in the saddle. but am happy not to for a while.

Hi PP - interesting topic - enjoyed reading all the contributions with reasons for/against etc. made me think......sorry to hear you won't be flying for a while - though sounds like you have come to the right decision for you and your family at this moment in time.

Whirlybird - :ooh: surprised that you are not flying at the moment...again everything has its time and hopefully you will take to the skies again soon. Know this - you are an inspiration...:)

all the very best to you both.

With about 2500 hrs flying experience & over 1000hrs as P1 I can see the day not far off hanging up the headset. The long awaited GA changes that are now becoming reality are outweighed by increasing costs, EASA bureaucracy, ACP's etc

The only viable alternative for me is to get more involved in my other activity, sailing. this will challenge as much, if not a lot more as I know well, and is very unforgiving if taken lightly.

The comparitive freedom from rule making obsessed civil servants & NO LICENCE required, will be more than enough to take on the challenge of sailing.

I don't think it should be an issue really. There seems to be a feeling that once you're a pilot then that's it, you should carry on regardless. I used to like brandy, can't stand the smell of the stuff now so I don't drink it. I don't loose sleep over it. If you don't want to do something then don't do it.

I mentioned in the gliding thread that I've just rejoined my old gliding club. I know after around a year I'll have got the gliding bug out of my system and will pack it in for another five years or so. I may even never do it again, I don't know nor do I care really. If I want to do it I will, if I don't I won't. There's no soul searching to be done.

Well I did my final flight just over 2 weeks ago. After 15 years of flying professionally, 20 years since I started with the PPL and in total 25 years in the industry I have just had enough. The changes that have come along with EASA are part of it, also I've reached the limit of what I can do career wise I think. I have no regrets at all but as previously stated, people change and I have. Life is short and there are many other things to go do apart from flying. I still have an interest in aviation, but I just don't feel the need to do it anymore. I must admit i'm not a fan of the PPL "scene" in the UK either. There are some good people but it is, at the end of the day, an industry that makes most of its bread and butter training people for licenses. They don't really care what you do after that. If you like bumbling around in a light aircraft then great, but if not (and I didn't) then it gets very boring very quickly. It was a means to an end for me that's all.
So, if you don't enjoy it quit. You can go back in later years if you feel you want to. Good luck.

Private jet

My recurrent on a N reg jet as a free lance pilot has just cost me $7200 plus airline ticked, hotels, car hire , food no change out of $10,000
An awful lot to get back before you even see a profit!
With the delay to 2015 for the EASA rubbish of dual licences unless a dead easy cost free route is worked out to keep me flying I too will step down!
I have some fabulous memories flying biz jets especially the ferry work but frankly it's all. Becoming too much of a hassle and an expensive one at that!
So maybe then just take some Cirrus hours as a private pilot Nd do more with my Scuba diving and photography

Even with the owners it's more like dragging blood out of a stone and more and more demands for what can be 18 hour days by the time you finish with all the taxis cars and trains
You would be better off as a plumber than a professional pilot
Pace

Interesting...
 

Interesting thread. I'm in a similar situation:

• Money tight due to setting up first home
• First child on the way, due September
• Only ever rented
• Love flying, had a crack at aeros and loved it, but it's mainly a slow and expensive (yet incredibly pleasurable) mode of transport for me.
• Gutted about having to hang up the headset, daren't look at the licence. Had a bit of heartache when I called Transair to cancel the chart subsription and when the AME sent me the reminder saying my class 2 was due.
• Got disillusioned by renting, now I keep reading the mags, watching the forums and occasionally visit airfields by car.
• I haven't flown for over a year, when I last flew it was a check in the circuit followed by an hour's jaunt over North Yorkshire, before that about 6 months between flights.

Now I have an 'ideal' which funnily enough I was going to post my own thread on. I'm unsure I'll ever earn enough to own a CofA outright but for me flying isn't an option unless I own at least an LAA mogas (or diesel?) 4 seat tourer with IFR kit outright. The 'ideal' consists of me, the other half (who is the best passenger I've ever flown with) and a 5 year old taking the tent into Europe instead of going on package holidays.

I'm now saving every spare penny towards this ideal, rather than doing what I view as 'frittering' the money on renting. Timescale? None, time I have. Timescale not necessary, just eventually. Realistic? Maybe not, but it's my ideal. We all have them.

The main threat to this (as I see it) is IFR & Night being permitted on Permit aircraft causing aircraft values to rocket, but that's another issue. Perhaps a more realistic threat is a second baby, which I won't rule out and which will always take priority.

In short I hate that I'm not flying now, but there's some comfort in knowing that I will be flying again in the future. In the meantime, maybe I'll dust off the old r/c planes I've had since I was 13 and see if they still fly. On second thoughts, I probably won't. House to fix ready for babies.

EDIT: Completely agree there are some arse holes on airfields. There are also people who, as grumpy as they are, make great friends.

thing hit the nail on the head I feel - why make it more emotive than it needs to be no big deal to quit anything if you don't have the energy or desire to continue.

Why giving up IS a big deal! Quitting would be a big deal.

Because if you are a pilot, you have made the grade. (funny how often I manage to mention this fact to people I meet....yes, I am a pilot. I am exceedingly proud to be a pilot. I will always be a pilot, even though I can no longer fly solo or instruct)

So don't quit, take a break. Family comes first. Dont insist on taking the sprogs flying, they get sick and bored.

You can always come back to flying, even after twenty or thirty years the skill is still there, rusty but renewable. When the kids are leaving home, (if they ever do!) more time, more money, more opportunity. If they don't leave home they should at least pay rent, so they'll appreciate the roof over their heads!

I started studying my ATPL Exams at 36, just for fun (!), and will sit them in a few months... amazing how much you DONT know as a PPL !!!

But how much of that is relevant to a VFR SEP PPL?

Listen mate ..

I am 53 started flying at 24 have had several breaks sometimes 3 or 4 years , have lost friends in accidents, had kids and brought them up, in my early days I could really not afford to rent from schools so just doing minimum hours to keep the PPL. During my lay offs ( with young children mainly ) I just accepted that maybe that was that ...but the urge always returned. I put aside my guilt about spending large sums on my self as I realized it was sanity for me life changes drastically when children arrive, I took out a hefty insurance policy and joined a group with a 172 had a bit more money and flew the arse off it.

Red tape and rising costs and falling income due to starting my own business and the recession left me wondering if it was sensible to fly an hour a month ...which was what I was down to..Meanwhile my now 18 year old son spent his accumulated wealth and some accumulated from me ! on an NPPl. Knowing he was going to hate renting and not going be able to afford to do so I decided to by an LAA machine a RANS S6 with a 912 Group A for 11K..

Why in gods name did I never do this before ? I fly when I want I spend hours doing safety stuff EFATO ,PFLs at little cost £22-25 ph, a 4hr + range at 100mph, it takes two hefty blokes full fuel and 50lb of baggage, I do my own repairs and so on ....This means I can really go anywhere 2 hours there and 2 back in a 172 even group owned costs way too much ...I spend many enjoyable hours passing my tips to my son and keeping him under my wing , and now he is giving me tips! . and telling me off. Were flying to the western Isles of Scotland this year for a week and I know we will have a ball .

I have felt all the things the OP has mentioned, the key is to get away from schools and rentals ..there is far more to flying. I made a simple easy cross country last week to land for free at Boston on well kept grass a mere bimble for me ..do you know what it was one of the best ever flights, at home in the air in my own flying machine doing it right for once and even proud of my landings..because they were rather good and ever so grateful to have the health just enough wealth and the knowledge that its a privilege. In my 25 years or so of flying I can truthful say that the last 18 months have been the best, the responsibility of owning and maintaining an aeroplane was one thing, ensuring I did not pass bad habits to my son made me hit the books and brush up my flying ...how crap I was .

Yep over the years I have been skint -bored- scared to death -over confident -under confident-disinterested and let my licence lapse ....but me and flying were old friends now we can pick up where we left off...any time.

So can you OP... enjoy your family enjoy your flying it will be there if you want it if you don't no sweat .. But join a group or something.

Hi Paul, I was in a very similar position to yours a few years ago and I have stopped power flying - there are some aspects of my decision I am happy with, some that I am not.

6 years ago I got my PPL. I struggled to maintain the amount of flying that I need ed to do to keep "safe" due to a combination of cost(its a bit hard to spend an evening on the internet trying to save £100-£200 on the family holiday then blow the same amount the next day in an hour), plus, after the real challenge of getting the PPL the £200 coffee became less interesting. I would have liked to have taken things further, but aeros/ IMC etc all cost a lot of money to do.

Safety - whilst, when I passed my PPL, I was very current and could fly in my sleep, I found that, flying fewer hours, the basics of flying a plane took more of my attention, leaving less for the feared engine fire/failure. Similar thoughts and concerns for my family as you are having added to the situation.

Just before my 2 years renewal I was one hour short then had a transient medical problem that stopped me flying briefly - end result no renewal.

Anyway, about 2 years after I booked on a gliding course on a bit of a whim, and loved the new challenge. The concept of having an hours flying with an instructor for less than £30 was incredible, and the club atmosphere (so lacking in power flying) was very stimulating. I also believe that gliding is much safer than power flying, and, having been through both routes, that glider pilots are much more skilled at handling an aeroplane. Plus any fear of landing without an engine is far offset by losing the engine failure/ fire concern. I am now progressing through the ranks and, paradoxically, the more flying I do the cheaper it gets - flying for a couple of hours for £8 can't be beaten.

My PPL has now lapsed - 6 years - and I actually very much regret this. I know that I will never invest the time and money to do it again. What I wish I had done was to have gained a TMG (touring motor glider) rating on my PPL, then kept up my licence flying a TMG - this would have kept my PPL at a much reduced cost. I could then have kept the option to fly TMGs or tugs (or my dormant dream of a spitfire...) later on. But now I can't and I am kicking myself.

I know many people here have extolled the virtues of gliding, and I agree with them- however with a young family it is very time inefficient, but in a more pleasantly inefficient way than your power issues - much more helping out and chewing the cud in-between flights than in your power clubhouse when you have to wait. Still politics around, but generally in a pleasant atmosphere with interesting people, who are all interested ion the same thing as you.

So what I am saying is- back off till you have more time but possibly try to eek your license along in as cheap a format as possible by gaining a rating that allows you to maintain your PPL in a cheaper type. Spoil yourself if you get the chance by booking a week's course in a gliding club (there are several glider pilots with young families but I accept that I wasn't ready to make that kind of commitment at your stage) - but don't lose your PPL, you may well live to regret it.

Don't forget that you have 5 years after your last renewal before it is "game over" - another way is to get your renewal, not fly for 4 years then invest in a few hours to get up to speed and do your skills test again. This buys you another 5 years. You don't need to do the writtens again. You need to check the new EASA regs though.

Some people are addicted to aviation. If you're not, then you can make choices. But at 180 hours you have done a huge amount, in rented aircraft. Economically and practically, some form of ownership would almost certainly suit you better and result in a completely different flying experience and perspective. I think. :ok: