Prices gone up

[shafs64]

I am looking at getting back up to speed. as i have had a year off and notice that one local school has put up their prices by forty an hour. we are starting to push up into the GA area now.

 

 

[johnm]

lack of spare money floating around in society

 

not many students with $ 50 notes falling out of their back pockets

 

in some ways its better to have a flight school operating at say a high $ 300 per hour than have NO flight schools operating at a low $ 150 per hour ?

 

 

[FlyingVizsla]

Depends where they are .... Commercial rents, insurance, wages, have all gone up. Add to that cross-hire, L2 costs, aircraft maintenance (parts), landing fees, owners / Club / shareholders wanting/needing more dollars for profit, expansion etc.

 

The first ultralight club I was involved with had a volunteer instructor & L2, borrow or BYO plane. Then they got a loan to buy a plane, the instructor wanted paying (only a pittance), the L2 asked too, but settled for an hour free flying for every half hour spent maintaining. Fees went up accordingly. Then they both wanted more, interest rates went up, the Club needed a hangar for the fabric aircraft, more fund raising ... Needed more students, advertised and started getting people from away, L2 & instructor said "we want commercial rates now". Then the drought took a grip, students dried up too, funds accumulated for the new hangar went on site rent, repayments etc until it was all gone and the plane sold. This was 15 years ago. Nothing new. If the market won't bear it, the operation folds. If they don't charge enough to cover day to day plus future & unforeseen (replacement, upgrade, prangs etc) they go bust. Holding off on fee increases gives the impression of a cash grab, gradual small increases seem to be the better strategy.

 

 

[shafs64]

if the dual cost and solo have gone up it can't be wages growth as there has none of that for a while. And there are no landing fees at this airport. And prices at other schools at the same airport have remained the same.

 

 

[SSCBD]

I would pay 300 an hour, provided I got a pay rise like the ex CEO of the Australia Post and had the super and benefits of a pollie!

 

 

[Blueadventures]

if the dual cost and solo have gone up it can't be wages growth as there has none of that for a while. And there are no landing fees at this airport. And prices at other schools at the same airport have remained the same.

Don't know if it helps but if you have been solo and just refreshing perhaps consider doing some of your instructional flights as xc, if you don't yet have cross country endorsement, that way you can swat up on manouvering etc and get some XcC hours polished off at same time. Also good to land at different airfields. There are a couple within 45 minutes of Mackay, Bowen, Nebo, Marian, Palmyra, Lakeside etc. Cheers

 

 

[coljones]

I am looking at getting back up to speed. as i have had a year off and notice that one local school has put up their prices by forty an hour. we are starting to push up into the GA area now.

what are the fees and in what aircraft?

 

 

[kgwilson]

Have a look at this thread.

 

So who can beat the dual training costs in Qld RAA $310 hour - Sling 2

 

 

[shafs64]

what are the fees and in what aircraft?

don't want to say as i will give away the the school. they do have nice planes but i don't think they are worth that much.

 

 

[Nightmare]

I am looking at getting back up to speed. as i have had a year off and notice that one local school has put up their prices by forty an hour. we are starting to push up into the GA area now.

Have you thought about owning an aircraft? If you do it right, it can be much cheaper than hiring.

[Nightmare]

lack of spare money floating around in societynot many students with $ 50 notes falling out of their back pockets

 

in some ways its better to have a flight school operating at say a high $ 300 per hour than have NO flight schools operating at a low $ 150 per hour ?

Strangely enough, I know a flying school who hires their Lightwing out for $150/hr...

[shafs64]

yes but it's still a fews away.

 

 

[shafs64]

Strangely enough, I know a flying school who hires their Lightwing out for $150/hr...

what three hundred dollars

 

 

[Nightmare]

what three hundred dollars

Sorry, I edited, it to $150/hr

[shafs64]

Thats a good price for RA

 

 

[Callahan]

You can find a lot of replacement stuff online. Example, spark plugs caps advertised at $26+ can be had for $2.41 on Amazon. I bought four. All work just fine! Also LEDs can be used in place of Aviation strobes, also on Amazon. $100 vs $600 plus you get a variety of pulse patterns & LEDs are much brighter. As for legality, I don't know & could care less.

 

 

[farri]

we are starting to push up into the GA area now.

Starting?........Really?

 

Frank.

 

 

[Keith Page]

Looks like the problem is such a large capital investment in an aircraft, I see on this thread a school hires its Lightwing at $150 per hour.

 

A number of schools have a $150k aircraft..... do your sums as to what the interest and redemption will be. Then do the exercise on a $30k aircraft.

 

To me it would be better with the little war horse instead of the fancy expensive thing.

 

KP

 

 

[shafs64]

Looks like the problem is such a large capital investment in an aircraft, I see on this thread a school hires its Lightwing at $150 per hour.A number of schools have a $150k aircraft..... do your sums as to what the interest and redemption will be. Then do the exercise on a $30k aircraft.

To me it would be better with the little war horse instead of the fancy expensive thing.

 

KP

yes I would say we all love the bling of flash aircraft. I just found out that the aircraft I am just about to start flying is cheaper dual then the aircraft I was flying at the solo rate

 

 

[Keith Page]

yes I would say we all love the bling of flash aircraft. I just found out that the aircraft I am just about to start flying is cheaper dual then the aircraft I was flying at the solo rate

Bling will not get one to a destination..

If one wants learn in a Drifter that will be big battle to find a school which teaches in such an aircraft.

 

One of the big problems these day the inexpensive aircraft are disappearing. Thrusters, Drifters the 2stroke Lightwings these are getting scarce.

 

KP

 

 

[Keith Page]

The other one which is getting scarce is a scratch built or from plans at home building.

 

KP

 

 

[Callahan]

"Getting scarce! You are 100% correct Keith! I was lucky enough to find a great '87 Drifter for $7,000 in central Florida. Looking at zbarnstormer's since my purchase in early December of '16.....I have found NONE.

 

So if you find one, grab it & don't be picky! Because someone will be breathing down your neck to buy it.

 

Bling will not get one to a destination..If one wants learn in a Drifter that will be big battle to find a school which teaches in such an aircraft.

One of the big problems these day the inexpensive aircraft are disappearing. Thrusters, Drifters the 2stroke Lightwings these are getting scarce.

 

KP

[Geoff13]

Bling will not get one to a destination..If one wants learn in a Drifter that will be big battle to find a school which teaches in such an aircraft.

One of the big problems these day the inexpensive aircraft are disappearing. Thrusters, Drifters the 2stroke Lightwings these are getting scarce.

 

KP

There was one at Caboolture, and no one flew it so it was sold.

 

There is no point having aircraft that no one wants to fly.

 

Most learners these days seem to want the newer more modern aircraft.

 

People complain about the old ways disappearing and the big rush by RAA into plastic fantastic etc, but I wonder if the tail is wagging the dog here or the other way around.

 

 

[shafs64]

That drifter now has a good home.

 

 

[Geoff13]

That drifter now has a good home.

It sure does.