Aviation is expensive! I realized this very early on when I went to purchase my books for school. My private pilot ground kit cost more than all my other books (for non aviation classes) combined. Then I went to buy a headset...expensive. And then some books to help me study for my checkride...small books, but also expensive. The list goes on and on, right?! We all know that if something is for pilots, it is going to be expensive! I've always been a bit thrifty, so instead of going more in debt for these things, I devised a plan to help me save a little money here and there so I could finish school and flight training with the smallest amount of debt possible.
Here are my top 10 ideas on how to spend less and still get the most out of your training:
I have based my numbers on $120/hour for the airplane, and $30 for the instructor. Obviously your rates may be more or less- this just gives you a ballpark range.
1. Memorize or become very familiar with the checklists so you can run through them quicker. I thought this was silly and unnecessary until I began paying attention to how long it took me to get through all my checklists. I changed my .5 (hobbs time) taxi from the parking area to runway down to .2 hobbs time. If you are paying $150 for the airplane + instructor fees, that is a $45 savings!
2. Always study and then review your notes before meeting with your flight instructor. If you have a good flight instructor, they should always let you know what you will be working on next time. Don't just say you'll study and then find a million other things to do instead! Set aside some time to study ALL the material so you can come prepared. I recommend studying shortly after meeting with your flight instructor while you still have the motivation and the "high" from flying. Then an hour or so before you meet with your flight instructor, review your notes and make sure you still remember what you studied. I could always tell when my students studied before they came. Instead of spending 30 minutes on our pre brief (talking about how to perform the maneuvers, airspeeds, clearing turns, etc.) we would spend only 10-15 minutes. If you are paying your instructor only $30/hour, studying on your own will save about $8. May not seem like a lot, but how many times do you meet with your instructor? That $8 will add up!
3. "Chair fly." I mocked people who did this, until I finally let my walls down and gave it a try. It really does work! Sit in a chair and mentally fly all the maneuvers you will practice that day. Think of everything you will have to do when you are in the airplane. Airspeed, amount of bank, back/forward pressure, rudder pressure, aileron pressure, when to start coming out of a turn, when to call ATC and what to say... everything you need to do! And if you are alone, I recommend saying everything out loud. Saying things out loud will help you think more and remember more. Chair flying will save your countless hours in flight because instead of needing to practice the maneuver 3-4 times before getting it right, you will most likely get it right on the 1st or 2nd try.
4. Clearing turns- 2-90 degree turns or 1-180 degree turn is completely safe. You do not need to do a bazillion 360 degree turns. I did stage checks for years- the students who did 3 or more clearing turns before each maneuver usually had at least .5 more time spent in the plane than those who didn't- that means they spent at least $60 more than they needed to. Of course you need to do clearing turns (please never forget to clear the area), but just clear the area and then begin the maneuver.
5. While practicing maneuvers with your flight instructor or when solo, talk out loud. Again, this will seem silly in the beginning, but like I said before, talking out loud has a way of helping us think more and do more. You won't have to practice the maneuver as many times to get it right if you talk yourself through the maneuvers- just like you would if you were "chair-flying."
6. Use FAAs free online books at www.faa.gov. Nobody ever told me about these, I just stumbled upon them one day. Click here to open a new window to the FAAs Handbook and Manual page. Especially with the use of tablets, books are becoming more obsolete. Why pay money for these books when you can download and use them for free? I used the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautic Knowledge the most; but they have a vast amount of other useful books including copies of all the PTSs. Instead of buying the book from your local FBO, just print it off of their website or dowload it for free.
7. If you do need a book that the FAA doesn't give for free, buy used books. Would you rather have a shiny new book or be less in debt? Hopefully you picked less in debt. I used amazon.com the most, but I am sure there are a bunch of other websites out there that sell used books. Just make sure you are buying the most recent edition.
8. If you are doing instrument training, invest in Microsoft Simulator. You can't log it, but it will help you get your scan down, be able to fly while switching radio and navigation frequencies, and help you to think about what you need to do next. It will help make you a better instrument pilot. You will realize when you begin your instrument training that there is a lot going on! Practice makes perfect, right? So practice on the Microsoft Simulator before practicing it in the airplane. This will save you hundreds of dollars in the long run.
9. Get a hard case for your foggles. I broke way too many pairs of foggles by just putting them in my flight bag. Also, write your name in permeant marker so nobody will be tempted to keep them in case you accidentally leave them in the airplane after your flight lesson.
10. Fly at least 3-4 days per week; 2 days is not enough. If you don't fly enough, each time you get in the plane you will have to spend time reviewing the items you learned on the previous lesson. If you have gone too many days in-between, that review time may be 30-45 minutes; if you flew the day before yesterday, you many only have to spend 5 minutes. I had enough students during my flight instructor days to see a huge difference in students who came to their lesson 3 days a week instead of just 2. They spent way less money and were able to get their license in as little as 2 months, compared to some students that took almost a year!
Things you do not want to do to save money are underpay your flight instructor or make them feel guilty if they say you need another lesson before your checkride. :) They are there to help you and have your best interests in mind (if they don't, go find a new flight instructor). It will save you money to fly once more with your instructor and pass your checkride the first attempt than to take the checkride, fail, have to fly with your flight instructor again anyways, and then have to take the checkride again. See my point?
Be smart, and save where you can!
As always, if you have any questions about this or previous posts, email me at trendypilots@gmail.com. I loved flight instructing and if I can help you out in any way, I am happy to. Fly safe!
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