One trial flight and I am hooked!
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 48
Likes: 0
From: Bedfordshire, UK
I did it in 45hrs by having two jobs, each one two days a week and Wednesdays flying, regardless of weather. Compared with planks at least you can practice all the close to ground stuff even with a 300' cloud base. I did my skills test when a massive storm had just passed through. When it's nice do circuit bashing and when you pass FLY A LOT. I started in Feb and finished 6 months later. Now I have an R44 and work in aviation so crack on. Can't you just be a bit slack paying them for the 10 hr block and fly the hours first and pay later (that's what I did?)
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 898
Likes: 73
From: UK
KNIEVEL77
I did a bit of investigation into the cost of running an R22. Based on 100 hours per year, I reckoned on about £20k per year (insurance being a large portion), and that was without the cost of servicing a loan to buy the thing in the first place. Hiring is therefore likely to be the best option for me, unless I find myself doing more than a hundred hours per annum. (I only did a small amount of research though, so I could be overestimating the costs).
19 hours so far... Unfortunately I've sometimes gone three weeks to a month without a lesson due to weather, work, and other stuff. But I'm getting there, and loving every minute.
GS
I did a bit of investigation into the cost of running an R22. Based on 100 hours per year, I reckoned on about £20k per year (insurance being a large portion), and that was without the cost of servicing a loan to buy the thing in the first place. Hiring is therefore likely to be the best option for me, unless I find myself doing more than a hundred hours per annum. (I only did a small amount of research though, so I could be overestimating the costs).
19 hours so far... Unfortunately I've sometimes gone three weeks to a month without a lesson due to weather, work, and other stuff. But I'm getting there, and loving every minute.
GS
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 645
Likes: 0
From: Center of the Universe
So what, who cares?
What does if matter if you do the PPL in the minimum hours or not? Unless you are going to quit flying immediately after obtaining the rating, you will continue to spend money flying helicopters. There are many more ways to get into trouble flying helicopters compared to airplanes. So, sit back, relax, and forget about getting it done in minimum hours. The time you accumulate before the PPL will also count toward more advanced ratings, and ultimatey, the number of hours you needed to complete the PPL wont matter to anyone but you.
Last edited by EN48; 28th November 2008 at 23:20.
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 192
Likes: 0
From: Germany
It probably is.
Besides the saying about the three F's (you will find it here) this sentence seems to carry some truth as well: "Well, if you have to think about costs, it is probably too expensive for you."
Besides the saying about the three F's (you will find it here) this sentence seems to carry some truth as well: "Well, if you have to think about costs, it is probably too expensive for you."
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 155
Likes: 0
From: England
From what I have been told by a friend who runs a busy school only 1 or 2 out of 10 carry on to complete the course and if you take into account the guys that turn up for a couple of trial lessons never to return and then tell their mates in the pub they are learning to fly Helicopters it is probably 1/100 !
They often drop out due to money, ability, fear and in the UK weather !
E.
They often drop out due to money, ability, fear and in the UK weather !
E.
