Obtaining a private pilot’s license is often viewed as a complicated and expensive process only available to a privileged few.  Many potential pilots never realize their dream because they fear failure or wonder if the time spent training and the expense involved is within their reach.  The most practical way to begin researching private pilot training is to schedule a trial lesson.  Introductory flight lessons are available at reasonable rates in most areas.  Flight lessons are given in the same type of aircraft used for official pilot training and are flown by licensed flight instructors.

Finding the right training program requires some research and knowledge of the basic components of a comprehensive, reputable flight program.  This article will outline the essential qualities of a great flight school and give the information necessary to cover the essential elements of getting a private pilot’s license.  The first step will be determining the cost of the program and the availability of financial resources.  Most pilot training programs will allow you to pay as you go and there may be some schools in your area that offer financial assistance. The cost for private pilot training will vary widely from one school to another and the cheapest is not always the best. Be thorough in checking a school’s credentials and references to make sure you are getting the very best training at the best available price.

First and foremost, you will want a training program with good equipment, great instructors, a convenient location, a flight simulator, and an excellent maintenance record.  From the standpoint of a student pilot, safety and training that meets the objectives of licensing requirements are key objectives in choosing a flight school. Instructors must be knowledgeable and employ teaching methods that will enable a student to easily complete and pass the Private Pilot Practical Test, plus the Private Pilot Aeronautical Knowledge Exam, both of which are given through the FAA.

Next you will want to carefully analyze the cost of the program. There are three main expenses involved in private pilot training which will be billed at an hourly rate.  These are:

The hourly rate for instruction necessary to pass the FAA written exam

The hourly rate for flight instruction and the instructor that will be flying with you

The hourly rental rate for the aircraft in which you will train

You can generally train at your own pace and schedule classes at times convenient to you.  Keep in mind that the more hours you take to learn the material, the more expense you will incur.  There is a minimum time to be spent flying aside an instructor and in solo flight before you can get your pilot’s license.  Your flight instructor will give you the information you need before you begin training so that you can plan your classroom and flying schedule accordingly.  Learning to fly and getting a private pilot’s license is a challenging but extremely rewarding undertaking.  During the course of your training you will go from having no or little knowledge to being a fully qualified private pilot.  With some research and planning the dream of flying your own aircraft can become a reality in less time than you imagined.

For cheap international flight between foremost cities, it’s stiff to beat the price of flying courier – often half or less than regular fare. Of course, some limits apply. When one airline announces a sale to a meticulous destination, probability is the others will soon follow suit, so be on the lookout and call or click around.
Seniors should ask about domestic airfare coupon books. Several airlines offer this option of discounted fares that are bought as a block of 4 coupons. Some airlines also offer this option to students.

When flying in the US, some of the cheap flights tickets are available on the smaller airlines, which are subsidiaries the major airlines, for example Delta Express and Metro-Jet.

If you can’t find a cheap flight tickets to the city you want to go, it’s often cheaper to fly to a close by city and then grasp a low cost linking flight to where you really want to be. Depending on the distance, you might also be able to hop on a quick train or bus.

Smart travelers know how to take benefit of overbooking. By volunteering your cheap airline flight when a flight is overbooked you can make free flights and often even cash from the airline. If you don’t completely have to be there on time, volunteer to give up your seat, if it becomes neededArticle Search, when you check in for your flight. Monday morning and Friday afternoon flights are the most likely to be overbooked.

Do you want to fly?

Do you want to help young people get involved with aviation?

So do we!

We are promoting aspects of aviation that will encourage and inspire people to pursue their interest in flying. Many new and exciting developments are occurring daily in this field and our goal is to provide access to information and resources as we become aware of them.

With the need for relevant and up to date information we will rely on the current aviation journalism both in print and online and provide links that can help making the connection easier, as well as providing exposure to the vast resources available from aviation media. To help stay current we have a location for reader questions and comments and an ever-growing glossary of aviation letter abbreviations, acronyms and terms .

There are areas of flying that seem inaccessible for the general public and like any field of study there is required knowledge and skill to be acquired, but taken in steady steps one by one goals can be achieved. This outlines  the purpose of “Inspired By Aviation”, which is to help everyone who wants to fly be able to enjoy that rewarding experience and to provide a resource for those who simply want to know more about aviation.

Hi,

I’ve added the link to the EAA website that has a large number of aviation resources in many different areas, with home building and  “Airventure” in Oshkosh, Wisconsin being primary. Under the News and Media heading is a great story on a young pilot’s experience that has a direct connection to the EAA Young Eagles program, titled “Young Pilot Benefits From Young Eagles, CAP Programs.”

Click on the “Aviation Interests” tab and go to the “Learn To Fly” article for more information on getting started flying. There are even great wallpaper choices each month of classic and historical aircraft!

For those that join EAA there is a members blog with more articles from “Sport Aviation” magazine which is available to members online and as a beautiful magazine sent out each month as part of membership. During “Airventure” there is a live radio broadcasts available online from Wittman Field in Oshkosh for those who wish to be up to speed with the events. Look for that at from July 29- August 4, 2013.

Hope you find this resource helpful…

Buying an ultralight airplane is like buying a new car. It can be expensive or cheap, it can be great experience or great failure, it can bring you a lot of joy and happiness or unpleasant and dangerous accidents. It’s not like buying a hamburger, so don’t do it when you are hungry.

Choosing the right type

If you have decided to buy an ultralight airplane you probably have your preferences. The main choice you’ll need to make is either to buy a fixed wing or a flex wing aircraft. The flex wings have a lot of advantages like lower cost, taking less space, being able to take off from an automobile road etc. On the other hand, if you want to have a real airplane with pilot’s cabin, professional devices and all that, and to use it for more than just fun, you’ll have to choose a fixed wing.

In addition to this, you may want to take a look at the ultralight seaplanes, the gliders or the powered para-gliders  You could miss something pretty cool just because you don’t know about it. So, study more about the types of ultralight airplanes before making your choice.

Used or New?
Isn’t that a dilemma which comes to you each time when you are going to buy something big? Buying a second hand airplane has some advantages, but of course the main is the lower price. An used aircraft can cost 50% or less the price of a similar new one.

On the other hand, you should not buy second hand if you don’t know how to check its quality. You need to ensure that the engine, fuselage and wings are good enough and are not damaged. If you don’t know how to do that, you need either to go with a friend who knows, or just buy a brand new airplane.

The Prices
Talking about prices, what can you expect? Of course, the prices vary a lot and it’s up to you to choose within a lot of models and types depending on your budget. Here are some very basic guidelines, but please note there can be big exceptions:

– A brand new ultralight airplane with fixed wings costs from $20,000 and can go to more than $50,000
– Used fixed wings can be found for $10,000 or even less, but better don’t buy cheaper than $10,000
– The new ultralight trikes (fixed wing airplanes) start from $10,000 and usually go up to $30,000
– You can find used ultralight trike for $5,000 or even less
– A powered para-glider can be built or bought for $2,500 (if you find someone selling such – it’s a rare chance).

As you see, there are opportunities for everyone. Just make sure that what you buy is safe. Your life costs more than any amount of money.

Additional factors to consider
Your safety is the most important and it’s not enough to ensure that your ultralight airplane is not broken. You do need a parachute system. This can add $2,000 to the costs, but can save your life. Sometimes (especially with the trikes or powered para-gliders) you need a helmet too.

When buying an ultralight aircraft, you also need to know in what license category it falls for your country. The regulations are different and you need to ensure that you will be able to fly in your area.

Storing your airplane in a hangar can also cost you a lot of money and nerves. If you don’t have a good place on your own or there is no airport hangar close to you, maybe you should think about buying a trike which can stay in your car garage.

Where to search?
Of course the best option is to browse the classified sites on the net. Cost-wise however it would be much better to find a good airplane in your area, because transportation on big distances can be an issue. Check if there are any companies around you which build or resell ultralight aircraft’s. Often they will also offer used ones.

If you prefer to search the Web, write “ultralight airplane for sale” in your favorite search engine and you’ll get a lot of classifieds and company sites. If you have decided on the type, make or model, you can narrow your search.

Another good idea is to search for “ultralight airplane kits” – then you will get a whole lot of results, options and prices. But building plane yourself from a kit is an entire different topic which I won’t cover in this article.

Whatever you decide to do, make sure that you spend enough time planning and researching. Your airplane can be your partner for the next 10, 20 or even 50 years. It’s like a marriage except that you could have more than one partners.