Jan 2021 road trip NC-SC-GA-FL, west to TX, N to OK, then east

4RNB

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4RNB
Hello,

This might be a long shot, perhaps not allowed, forgive me I don't read all the rules for each internet forum.

I am newly FIRE'd from job. Farm related business has us busy through end of the year. After that we plan to head south from home to see sites, visit some family and friends. Family resides in a few places in FL, Dallas, and Houston. Friend in Atlanta and Tulsa. We are putting together an adventure list of what to see along the way, enjoy the slow roads.

Why share all this here? Well I am a 30+ hour student at present, not sure where I will be at with training when we travel. I would like to get some flight time while on the road, not sure how it works with walk in students. C172 are what I train in, a 73 M. I've spent a few minutes in an early C177. I am willing to pay for CFI and wet plane time. I'd like to see the south from the air and experience new/different planes.

Any suggestions where to pick up some flight time along the way? Ground schools or individuals?
Anyone here need fuel and plane time money?
He: 6'6" 275# (but goes up wt on vacation)
She 135#

We plan on looking at the Van Bortel offerings when in TX. A guy can dream right?

Thank you.
 
I’m confused, sorry. Are you proposing a car trip or a plane trip?

We are driving in our car. If you know of a way for a student pilot and his wife to legally travel this trip in a plane they do not yet own, let me know.
I am principally looking to maintain flight skills while away from home. I'd love to know of suggestions of schools that would accommodate walk in students.
 
We are driving in our car. If you know of a way for a student pilot and his wife to legally travel this trip in a plane they do not yet own, let me know.
I am principally looking to maintain flight skills while away from home. I'd love to know of suggestions of schools that would accommodate walk in students.

I’m far from suggesting that a student pilot carry a passenger. Thankyouverymuch. Owned/rented doesn’t matter.

I am simply stating that your post wasn’t totally clear to me and I wanted clarification.
 
Post was clear to me. Suggest finding some schools near where you will be and call ahead. Lots of schools in Dallas, Atlanta and Houston. Also might be some independents who would be willing to work with you. Just don't expect a 1 for 1 on hours on the road. (meaning you'll likely end up repeating some things and having higher total hours going into checkride)
 
The problem I've found is that when you jump from flight school to flight school they all want to have you pass a ride with a school instructor "For Insurance reasons".

So, now, before you can enjoy flying yourself, you have to take a few laps with an instructor, often 1.0hr minimum.

This means C172 + instructor for 1.0, so $200 or more?

Then - and only after then - can you go fly solo.
 
The problem I've found is that when you jump from flight school to flight school they all want to have you pass a ride with a school instructor "For Insurance reasons".

So, now, before you can enjoy flying yourself, you have to take a few laps with an instructor, often 1.0hr minimum.

This means C172 + instructor for 1.0, so $200 or more?

Then - and only after then - can you go fly solo.
Easy solution, don't go to a flight school. Just about FBO with rental a C172 or PA28 is going to have a CFI available. Whether or not it's productive from a training standpoint may be a different story, since instructing style is generally a personal choice and changing equipment frequently may hamper flow/retention.
 
At 30hrs you might consider spending a couple of weeks and a lot of $’s at a “finish up” program somewhere in your travels. After that you’d be ticketed and able to rent here and there (after checkout of course) and “see the South from the air”.
Taken/passed the knowledge test yet?
 
At 30hrs you might consider spending a couple of weeks and a lot of $’s at a “finish up” program somewhere in your travels. After that you’d be ticketed and able to rent here and there (after checkout of course) and “see the South from the air”.
Taken/passed the knowledge test yet?

I've taken the sporty's online tests, scored my two 80's required to get the endorsement to test. Owner of flight school said to wait to test until I score 90s. I've heard FL has a lot of flying related activities, I've thought about a finishing school down there but not searched online. If I am close before our trip I will wait to travel. I think I still need IFR, cross country, night flight.
 
If you are a 30 hour student at present I would go ahead and finish your private before the trip. You can then rent with a checkout at one or two places and take the wife flying.
 
If you know of a way for a student pilot and his wife to legally travel this trip in a plane they do not yet own, let me know.

This is pretty easy conceptually. Find a nearby FBO that will rent an airplane for a few weeks, perhaps with a minimum amount of hours charged each day. Find a CFI who is looking for an adventure and wants to provide you with extended XC training. Pay the CFI for their time (day rate) and expenses (food and lodging) while on your trip. Certainly this won't be cheap **, but it is definitely a way to do it, legally. Not really even any gray area here, there are CFIs who specialize in "real world" training that go on trips like this all the time (I've done it a few times too, though admittedly not this long).

The hard part, of course, is finding somewhere that will let you have the airplane for a couple of weeks or however long you plan to make this trip. Flight club, aircraft partnership, a friend who is out of town, etc. However, there are always options - right now I've had a Piper Seminole on "rental" from a flight school for the last 4 months, where I am providing training in it at my airport. They didn't need it, I did, worked out great.

** You said you were "FIRE'd from job". I'm not certain if that means you were "fired", or if you no longer need the job because you achieved "Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE)". This only matters because the option above is the most expensive option available.
 
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