RAA Certificate - On a Budget?

[BrutusB]

Hey all, 

 

As the title suggests I'm trying to complete my hours and training on a budget as I don't have the deepest pockets. 

 

Based on this quoted figure of $150 p/h: https://www.raa.asn.au/fly-with-us/learn-to-fly/the-journey/the-cost-of-learning-to-fly/ - I'm struggling to find any clubs or schools that will offer dual for <$200 p/h. 

 

I'm wondering if anyone has any tips, knows of a club or school or volunteer instructors that can offer more affordable rates? 

 

I'm based in Melbourne and am happy to travel if this means saving money that I can invest in more hours - Bachus Marsh, Cold Stream, Lillydale, Moorabbin, Tooradin and Tyabb are all within 1hr travel. 

 

Thanks for your help in advance, 

 

Mike. 

 

 

[kgwilson]

I think you will find that the reference is a few years out of date. $200 is about the base rate these days with an instructor.

 

 

[facthunter]

 IF it's any consolation, when I trained I got One and a half hours for a weeks wages.  Now YOU get four or more.. Value is what you want not ,just the lowest price,  Just stop eating  drinking smoking, partying having holidays driving anything but a bomb car. Sleep in your bomb car.  Get clothes from St Vinnies. Sell your body.. Nev

 

 

[Downunder]

Paying up front for bulk hours can get a discount. 

 

Try "one man band" or country club instructors/schools. You may be able to camp in the hangar or club rooms for free.

 

And I do mean " country"! Not main regional cities.....

 

Don't spread the training out too far. One hour a week, keeps you learning that SAME hour EVERY week.

 

I did mine in two one week stints. Separated by two weeks.

 

Careful the school is not out there to simply bleed you. Plenty out there..... especially the mainstream GA, but RAA on the side types.

 

I would stick with one instructor only (as per sentence two), otherwise each one will want to find " where you're at" and bleed more money. 

 

If you're young with some eye hand co-ordination (mechanical skills? Ride motorbikes? Farming?) It will be faster. Maybe just the 20 hrs or so.

 

If older it generally takes longer, and if in " academic" type work, perhaps longer again.

 

Don't be shy on travelling interstate...... https://www.raa.asn.au/fly-with-us/flight-training-schools/ 

 

Get on the net, and get on the phone. Don't pull the trigger at the first one that sounds good...

 

 

[Deskpilot]

Not mentioning any names, schools etc but where I trained took in a lad from Singapore, trained him every, let him sleep on the school sofa and sent him home, fully qualified, 2 weeks later. Obviously, he had the money up from and they had the time to keep him in the air.

 

 

[Downunder]

Not mentioning any names, schools etc but where I trained took in a lad from Singapore, trained him every, let him sleep on the school sofa and sent him home, fully qualified, 2 weeks later. Obviously, he had the money up from and they had the time to keep him in the air.

And was lucky with the weather?....... Another thing to be mindful of......

 

The climate and weather patterns at the school location....

 

 

[facthunter]

 Forced in at a  rapid pace may also disappear with a relatively short break. away from flying . CONSOLIDATION has to happen. That is putting your learned skills into practical use  comfortably and confidently for a reasonable time. More than 2 hours of inflight instruction a day of other than X country is  a bit intense at the ab initeo stages. You certainly will not get value for money on a concentrated session of over one hour. You should be briefed and debriefed each session.  or you aren't getting the right treatment. If the guy/gal says (taxiing out,) what did you do last time you flew? you are at the wrong school or the instructor is having a bad day. You are wasting YOUR money. Nev

 

 

[Downunder]

I agree, an hour is pretty intense and at times I was burning out.

 

I did an hour early in the morning, rested, read manuals, asked questions and sometimes took a nap during the heat of the day.

 

Then perhaps another hour late afternoon.

 

10 hrs during 7 days is possible and not overworking I think ( if you're young enough) and the weather holds.

 

But I wouldn't have liked to continue that regime longer than that week. I needed a break.

 

 

[Kenlsa]

I have a somewhat different take on this. Everybody wants something for nothing or at best, cheap. Take my club; $130 an hour ( instruction is by volunteers and our L4 does a good deal with the club) so you could solo for about $1500 to 2000 with club joining fee of $450.  At such a low price we take students from the schools in our area. So does this work out for our club?

 

NO! We have 4 Jabs churning thru students with training 6 days per week. But the bottom line is many of these would be aviators tick it off their bucket list once they have gone solo.  We never see them again; it was cheap; volunteers look after the fleet and grounds; time to tick off the next task on that bucket list.

 

I feel that if you don't work for it or it is cheap, others don't appreciate it as they just use you up so long as you get what you want.

 

We also run a gliding operation and we were overwhelmed with TIF customers running the cfi and instructors into the ground ( we picked up very few students as a result) so in the end we put a 50% increase on the cost and we had a few less TIFs but revenue was the same and less burnout. I wish we did this with Rec Aviation.

 

Flying is expensive; Pay What It Is Worth. This will ensure that the flying business survives. Ken

 

 

[BrutusB]

Thanks for everyones replies, comments and personal messages.

 

 

[Downunder]

Keep us informed how you go.....