18 K - Jesus Mary and Joseph - I saw this - is this really the cost STUDENTS are paying for RAA x Cert

[spacesailor]

" . Ask aviators at your local airfield to explain any parts of the theory you do not understand. "

Thats the problem Most of the Bureaucracy is way above my schooling level, and all those A4 sheets of abbreviations will take more than 12 hours a day to get into my head.

Plus the ongoing push to make RAA a VH haven for the single engine aircraft. ( the Civil Aviation just wants the commercial side with their larger pockets ).

spacesailor

[BirdDog]

WOW! Those prices are nuts! When I did mine only 4 years ago, was $180 for a dual. Most of the guys I was going through with ended up around the $6000 to $8000 mark. It was cheaper form me because it was my own aircraft. But I know a school in Vic that is $16,000 for PPL, so not sure why you would spend near that for RAA. Crazy!

[spenaroo]

If someone really wants to save money while learning to fly, try this:

1. Study aviation theory for two or three months before looking at an aircraft.

2. Ask aviators at your local airfield to explain any parts of the theory you do not understand.

3. Leave home and go to a place that has good weather at that time of the year. With no day to day family affairs to worry about, reduces tension and increases learning.

4. Take up lodgings for as long as it takes.

5. Be available to fly twice a day.

6. Study the theory in between flight and at night.

7. Be prepared for some hard work.

8. Return home a qualified pilot.

 

all good if your not working full time and paying rent....

its the old conundrum of needing time and money.

 

$8000, is 13% of my yearly wage (before tax too). not a small sum

 

 

lets look further, using the price of $250 for dual (not unrealistic, easy for quick math and not far off what I pay - edge of the eastern suburbs, Melbourne),

lets say a weekend gives you 4 hours of flying. and costs $1000.

thats a bit over a weeks wage after tax... that aint going to work.

 

so we are back to 1 lesson a week, at $250. which is a bit more then a quarter of my wage.

its doable...(28, single, work full time) but you literally need to put life on hold while you complete it.

In theory, 25 hours takes us about half a year. except it doesn't as we lose time due to weather.

so lets go with 30 weeks - assuming that you only need 25 hours of flight time.

 

going off BirdDog, that $180hr at a cost of 6000-8000k for the license, equates to 35-45 hours flight time.

meaning we are realistically at 12 months to complete it. and $9000-$11000

 

and this is basically living week to week, not getting ahead in savings.

realistically to stay financially comfortable its one lesson every two weeks.

that now brings us to a 12 month time to get the bare minimum of flight hours needed.

somewhere closer to 18 months for the 35-45 hour mark.

 

but now we are taking longer intervals between flights so the muscle memory and debriefs aren't fresh in your mind from last lesson.

Likely meaning you are going to need more hours, further adding to the expense...

 

And you wonder why flying is seen as the pursuit of the rich and the retired

 

On the plus side, working it all out this way makes me feel a little bit better about possibly passing the 2 year mark as a student. when you factor in 6 months lost to covid.

Edited August 24, 2020 by spenaroo

[skippydiesel]

Its all relative - Those who want to off shore fish or sail the coast, purchase a boat and may be a big 4 x 4 to tow it $$$$$$ down the bilge. Same with a lot of other recreational activities - check out any of the equestrian sports, the cheap bit is purchasing the horse its all up $ hill from then on $8- 10k for an RAA Cert may start to seem like small change.

[Butch]

Spenaroo,

 

I chose between buying a Road Bike or flying .........both between 6 to 10K.

 

I chose flying because I thought it was safer , anybody can ride a bike. (that's why so many die )

 

My daughter was booked to go overseas for 3 months before Covid and it would have cost her over 10k.

 

If you really want to do it save up for a while and get a couple of K up front before you start. Give up buying coffee, restaurants and things you don't really need.

 

Well Covids doing it for you !

 

Flying training would have to be some of the best money I've spent.........nothing has given me more of a BUZZ than my first solo (at 55 years old....I wish I had done it at 25 )

Edited August 24, 2020 by Butch

[mnewbery]

The school in Canberra I was using appears to have gone into deep sleep however I will send an email to confirm. The airport owners made some noise about closing (I presume the Terminal Building) on Tuesday's and Sundays. If this situation escalates which seems likely, things will be quite strange indeed.

 

no flying training at any price?

[Butch]

no flying training at any price?

Our school in Bendigo is closed for both training and aircraft hire !

 

But we are in Victoria home of Dan the Man Hotel scandal extraordinaire !

[pmccarthy]

Anyone who trades in their $10k vehicle on a $60 k 4wd is making a choice. And most people where I live have made that choice. They could all fly if they wanted to.

[spenaroo]

Spenaroo,

 

I chose between buying a Road Bike or flying .........both between 6 to 10K.

 

I chose flying because I thought it was safer , anybody can ride a bike. (that's why so many die )

 

My daughter was booked to go overseas for 3 months before Covid and it would have cost her over 10k.

 

If you really want to do it save up for a while and get a couple of K up front before you start. Give up buying coffee, restaurants and things you don't really need.

 

Well Covids doing it for you !

 

Flying training would have to be some of the best money I've spent.........nothing has given me more of a BUZZ than my first solo (at 55 years old....I wish I had done it at 25 )

I'm already most of the way through it.

And as I've said I've sacrificed to do it.

 

Just wanted to give a different perspective to the time and cost. Where it's not viewed as a lump sum. - as I'm sure that many my age need to spread it out over time.

 

And I've spent a decent amount of my savings when I felt I needed more stick time in a short time period to get the feeling of certain aspects of flying. I think it's essential for early circuits. Will be doing it again for practice forced landings after covid. Just can't get the hang of it yet.

 

I've chosen against leaving work to change career paths, to keep earning for it. Stayed in a relatively low rent apartment. Kept my entertainment to a minimum cost. And put off getting a mortgage.

 

For me it's worth it.

But I don't know if I could say people around me would see it that way. Most can't justify that expense for something that is purely self indulgent.

 

Yeah overseas travel is something I've never understood when it comes to cost. I've done it but always for a reason (chasing girls mostly - the free accommodation stating with them certainly helps) I don't understand how people justify it. But then I'm sure they see flying the same way

Edited August 24, 2020 by spenaroo