How many give up flying GA due to cost?

[Taipan 30]

Have many of you started flight training, or finished flight training, yet gave up soon after?

 

I'm seriously considering giving up flying :(

 

The cost in Australia is one of the highest in the world. There are cheaper options but safety is compromised sometimes, and even the cheaper options are still expensive.

 

Looking at other life goals that could be achieved with the same large sums of money, I consider the "opportunity cost" of flying. In the end, having a PPL isn't worth much if you can't use it..

 

I also get stressed when I can't fly due to work, weather or family and don't like not keeping regular lessons. I wonder how people keep current after they have kids? Or do you fall behind and have to refresh your knowledge and skill on flying later?

 

Is it really worth the effort on top of a busy life?

[skiboj 22]

I stopped for nine years after college, ramped back up again late last year and finished instrument and seaplane and now a few hours short of commercial. Glad I went back to it, but having a flying club near with a low buy in rate and a Mooney at $95 wet, 172 $85 wet does help out a lot.

[Taipan 30]

Your $85 wet is about the same as the "fuel surcharge" that gets added on top :(

 

I have considered living in the US for a few years one day, it's much more affordable there so that would be one plus.

[skiboj 22]

Good god I would give up too :(

 

We took the mooney from Michigan to Las Vegas in December. 28.1 hours in a weekend, 18.3 actual instrument and 16 at night. Needed the hours for commercial (at 238 now) and a really nice trip.

[fppilot 4,407]

Cost of flying was one factor, but the another was that due to job change I relocated from Oklahoma to Southern New Jersey, just outside Philadelphia, in the early 1980's. The complex controlled airspace from Washington, DC through Philadelphia and New York City, up to Boston, pretty much removed much of the enjoyment of flying. The greatest cost impact was the financial impact of a change from an $80K mortgage to a $130K mortgage. Doesn't sound like much today, but the mortgage payment was about 70% higher with taxes and insurance included. NJ tax rates were five times that in Oklahoma. I don't recall the exact figures on costs related to flying, but they were also significantly higher in New Jersey.

 

Then about 13 years later I moved from Southern New Jersey to Southern California. More of the same by even greater factors.

[skiboj 22]

Cost of flying was one factor, but the another was that due to job change I relocated from Oklahoma to Southern New Jersey, just outside Philadelphia, in the early 1980's. The complex controlled airspace from Washington, DC through Philadelphia and New York City, up to Boston, pretty much removed much of the enjoyment of flying. The greatest cost impact was the financial impact of a change from an $80K mortgage to a $130K mortgage. Doesn't sound like much today, but the mortgage payment was about 70% higher with taxes and insurance included. NJ tax rates were five times that in Oklahoma. I don't recall the exact figures on costs related to flying, but they were also significantly higher in New Jersey.

 

Then about 13 years later I moved from Southern New Jersey to Southern California. More of the same by even greater factors.

 

Jersey taxes can be a killer. Lived in Delaware when I worked in Philly, much easier except the drive.

 

Long beach flying club has good rates for the area, $115 wet on warriors and 172s. Flew out of their when I still worked for Boeing.

[fppilot 4,407]

Long beach flying club has good rates for the area, $115 wet on warriors and 172s. Flew out of their when I still worked for Boeing.

 

I had some occasions to "ride" right seat over the years with some hands on, but with three daughters, college costs, and weddings just couldn't break free to spend on flying, especially when the airspace(s) were so complex. At one time I was dual and fully IFR rated. I am now retired and on Maryland's eastern shore. Funny, I think I am spending more on flying (flight simulation) now than I did when I flew IRL in Missouri, followed by Indiana, and then Oklahoma back in the '70's and early '80's.

[skiboj 22]

 

 

I had some occasions to "ride" right seat over the years with some hands on, but with three daughters, college costs, and weddings just couldn't break free to spend on flying, especially when the airspace(s) were so complex. At one time I was dual and fully IFR rated. I am now retired and on Maryland's eastern shore. Funny, I think I am spending more on flying (flight simulation) now that I did when I flew IRL in Missouri, followed by Indiana, and then Oklahoma back in the '70's and early '80's.

 

I hear you, six kids here

I miss the Navy flying club, $28 an hour wet for a PA28-140

[John_Cillis 2,406]

I put my lessons on hold--it came down to a choice of enjoying the life of travel I have with my wife and daughter or my personal interest in flying. Adding up all the costs associated with flying I made the hard decision, mid way through my Light Sport training, to give it up. Maybe God will bless me with a chance to fly again some day. In the interim I've been able to share a vacation with my wife and daughter every year--every year we go some place special. We just returned from Florida to Phoenix this past weekend. A little over a year before that, we were in Hawaii. And maybe next year, DC or Europe. Once my daughter has spread her own wings and is on her way in life, maybe then I can resume flying if God so wills it.

 

John

[Dillon 2,198]

I haven't been up lately myself due to my busy life. Luckily my flying Club understands and is working with me. The cost is a factor but for me oddly FS keeps me from totally loosing my frame of reference in a real plane. It's been argued against but I can practice proper pattern work and landing techniques in FS9. Actually for pattern work, cross wind takeoffs and landings MS FLIGHT is the best. The Maule and RV-6 are a great way to practice stalls, flares, and basic handling of an aircraft. For basic ATC interaction and instrument practice you have FS9 or FSX. From my experience with the tools we have at our fingertips we can save money in times we can't get up in the real world and come back with not that far of a learning curve to get back into the swing of things. We already know proper techniques we just apply them in the sim. It's a must though that you use the VC in the sim and have TrackIR, yoke/peddles, and a great add-on aircraft (in the case of FS9 or FSX). Fluid performance in the sim is a must and you need your head out of the cockpit and looking at the world around you hence a great VC is a must.

[Matthew Kane 1,343]

I gave it up due to costs back in 1998. It is even more expensive now compared to back then. When I first started it was $40/hr to rent a Cessna 150. Won't find that today.

[Air1 136]

My last flight as PIC was a biannual flight review in the C-172 I had been renting in January 1986. I got signed off and due to the usual reasons just never got back to it. I miss flying a lot but have been making due with flight sims ever since. Lately it has been MS Flight that I still find to be the very best for that GA fix I have ever had.

[Guest]

Time was my biggest problem, not so much cost ... if you want to fly with passengers you basically need to get up in the air at least once a month. Ironically my flight school/instructor recommended using Microsoft's Flight Simulator to stay "fresh".

[pfflyers 7]

I grew up fascinated with aviation. I built model airplanes and read books about flying and flyers. When I joined the Army I selected helicopter crewchief as my mos so I could ride around in choppers. During my Army service I flew every chance I got, even got some stick time as many pilots got a kick out of giving unofficial flight training. So it was with great enthusiasm that I started my own PPL training. I went with a pay-as-you-go plan and had a lot of trouble paying for more than a couple hours a month so progress was slow. I eventually realized I wasn't going to be able to keep it up even if I did get my license so I stopped.

[skiboj 22]

Time was my biggest problem, not so much cost ... if you want to fly with passengers you basically need to get up in the air at least once a month. Ironically my flight school/instructor recommended using Microsoft's Flight Simulator to stay "fresh".

 

Three T&G's (full stop if carry pax at night) within the previous 90 days to carry pax.....