A gift certificate from my 3 Daughters for $1000.00 TOWARD my Private Pilot's License. They researched it and found a great flying school at KABE (Allentown, Pa). They did a lot of homework on the Pilots, Ground School, and planes used. They picked ACE Pilot Training, and put together a notebook with all the information, business cards of the trainers, and even Wings to wear on my collar.Well....after 12 years of this simulation hobby, we'll finally see if it pays off in learning how to fly in real life. Needless to say, I'm overwhelmed with this gift!

Hi,Good for you! I wish you the very best of luck for the future.It's nice to hear something posative in this forum, long may it last.Rob

Thank you.Now I plan to compete with my friend, Geofa, and take some real life pics to share with the forum.

Congrats-the same thing happened to me 18 years ago with a gift from my wife! I look forward to hearing your experiences-and w'ell have to get together for a few $100 hamburgers! http://mywebpages.comcast.net/geofa/pages/rxp-pilot.jpg

Geofa,When's the best time to start? My certificate is good for 1 year and it's dated 12/22/06. Is Winter as good as any other month, or should I wait until Spring....$1000.00 shouldn't be too hard to spend (of course, I'll have to add quite a bit to get the license). Looks like they use Piper Cherokees ($90.00/hr) and the Cessna 172SP ($130.00/hr). They also have Mooney M20C ($120.00/hr). The Piper Seneca is also a choice ($185.00/hr). These are rental rates.Instruction varies from $35.00/hr on Single Engine Primary to $45.00/hr on Multi-Engine.Look forward to advice from you and any others who wish to "chime in".

I'd get started right away. You want to get experience flying at all times of year as they all present their own challenges. Do the winter flying while still really excited-doing preflights, preheating and sweeping off snow in bitter cold loses the appeal after many years :-lol. The cherokees sound like the way to go at your outfit.http://mywebpages.comcast.net/geofa/pages/rxp-pilot.jpg

Definitely start in the basic single. I earned my PP-ASEL in a C172, then trained in Cherokees- mostly so that there were more aircraft available to me to rent. I never liked Tomahawks and 152's.I would not start in on a multi until well after the Single. The second engine can add a lot of workload to a newbie pilot.Welcome to the club. You'll finally get to see how limiting FS really is (and FS is still quite good)

Stan- When you start planning your Cross Country be sure to visit KAVP just up the road from you. I'd love to see some photos of it!Best of Luck and safe flying!Jim

Congrats Stan. Make sure to keep us updated with your progress. Good luck. R-

Great gift, I went down the same road. I think your biggest challenge will be whether or not you want to keep the license "active" once you get it -- you have to fly XX hours per 6 months and that's where the cost starts to add up.The Piper is perhaps the easiest plane to fly (on a calm nice day). If you want to keep flying on a limited budget, look into Aerolites (recommend you get one with a clear front fairing) -- they are deemed "experimental" and hence don't get subjected to the same FAA regulations you would get on maintaining a 172.But I'll never regret the experience -- if nothing else you can at least say "the 172 in FSX doesn't feel anything like the real thing" ;) he heHave fun!Rob.

Wow, I would be overwhelmed as well! I did my PPL not far from you at Brandywine Airport (N99) near West Chester and can only recommend them. The Allentown/Pocono area is great for flying - I am sure you'll enjoy every minute of it. At least until the first solo ;)Good luck!!Pat

Congrats StanGot my ppl at KPNE (Hortman) and got to ABE a time or two including landing behind a USA737 which was really bumpy even after requesting extra time on the downwind.I started in late June and I have got to tell you that those PA28 pits get hotter than hades even with the IP propping the door open on the ground.I finished up in the fall and it was nice and cool by then and real pretty out your way but man those geese were a real pain.Anyway good luck and I`m sure you will love it no matter what time of year you train.Pete

Do you mean that the Solo can be a little "intimidating"? I guess after all these years of flying a simulator, I really look forward to taking the controls of a real airplane. I've sat in the right seat of GA aircraft several times over the past few decades, but I've never really taken the controls of one.Tell me....how do you feel when you're ready for your Solo flight?

The First Solo would be something to remember. My legs were wobbly when I got out of the plane and a silly grin plastered on my face that wouldn't go off till the next day.The first X-country flight landing at remote airport... You would be walking in air a foot off the ground. Atleast I was...with that silly grin back on my face.It will not be intimidating... Your instrutor would not let you go Solo until you are ready.remember.... Forget the guages. Look outside and fly.:)MannyPS You may also want to start visiting this Student Pilot site. very hellpful flight instructors and fellow newbies like you. Plenty to share and learn. They helped me a ton while I was learning to fly.http://www.studentpilot.com/interact/forum...y.php?forumid=2http://www.studentpilot.com/interact/forum/

The Solo was very intimidating - at least for me. I was completely caught off-guard and sick to my stomach when my instructor told me to solo. It passed as soon as I was in the air, but the thought alone about taking off and leaving my security parachute (aka. instructor) behind was not very comforting.The flight sim helped me a great deal in getting prepared for the solo and x-country flights, but you'll be surpised how easy it is to fly a real plane compared to the sim. I am looking forward to reading some progress reports!Pat