Curious about starting flight training, how long are sessions normally?

AggieMike88 said:
But there are several cases where the student airman didn't know that his history of SSRI use, or ADD/ADHD diagnosis as a kid, or 2 arrests for alcohol related items were a derailment. Lots of money spent on training to find out that either he is forced to abandon the dream, or spend lots more time and out of pocket money satisfying the FAA's requests for info and documentations.
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Or you could pursue a Sport Pilot certificate, use your driver's license for a med cert, and not hassle with all that. Or fly sport for a while and do the medical hassle later. BUT, if you do the med and get denied, that option goes away. Choose wisely.

I'm working on my sport ticket not for medical reasons but because it covers the type of flying I plan to do and I'm more likely to finish than if I bit off Private all at once. I might upgrade after flying sport for a year or two, or I might decide there's no need. At least for the first year or two, daytime VFR in a simple plane with one passenger will be plenty.
 
Half Fast said:
I suggest starting with the stuff you can download for free from the FAA. The Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge and the Airplane Flying Handbook are the two basics you'll need and are available here:

https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/pilot_handbook/

https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aircraft/airplane_handbook/

I prefer actual physical books, and I purchased both of these from ASA, but I still have e-copies on my laptop and iPad and use them frequently.

When you're ready to start practicing for the written test, you can get "Study Buddy" for about ten bucks from Sporty's and work through sample tests as well as study sessions.

Those two books, plus a copy of the FAR/AIM, combined with Study Buddy for practice, was all I used to prepare for my written test. I took it last week and scored 93%, so I'd say it's not really necessary to sink a ton of money into DVDs and formal ground school.

Also, a little googling will find you quite a few training videos for free. Youtube has lots of them.

The info above about length of flying sessions pretty well matches what I've experienced so far when the lessons are going well. Of course, in the unlikely instance that a lesson goes very very badly, it might last the rest of your life...... :(
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This. Its what I did as well, I read those free FAA books as pdf on my phone/tablet, Sporty's Study Buddy is free online if you just want the practice tests with no explanations for missed questions, though it does show you the right answer. I got the ASA test prep book for $16 since it had the hard copy of the test supplement book to polish up before taking the test, got a 92. The ASA Test Prep book does a good job of consolidating all the material and has a summary/review of the material before each question section that I found helpful.

The first link, Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, is more like reading a science book , more technical, the 2nd link, Airplane Flying Handbook, is what I considered the 'fun' one, it covers the flying part.

Good luck.
 
AggieMike88 said:
One more item for the getting prepared mix...... Obtaining the medical certificate....

If all healthy, no incidents of SSRI use, alcohol or other substance abuse or arrests, or other major health issues, then generally not a problem. But if your medical history has something that the FAA is gonna want more information about, be prepared to obtain that information early in the process.

Go to http://MedXpress.faa.gov and read the help file, especially about questions 17, 18, and 19.

If any of those apply to you, there may be additional detail required. Typically, not a problem and we can help with some of that.

But there are several cases where the student airman didn't know that his history of SSRI use, or ADD/ADHD diagnosis as a kid, or 2 arrests for alcohol related items were a derailment. Lots of money spent on training to find out that either he is forced to abandon the dream, or spend lots more time and out of pocket money satisfying the FAA's requests for info and documentations.
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that;s my one big hurdle. I have been in talks with Dr. Bruce. It's going to cost some money but I don't have ADD so it shouldn't be an issue for me to pass the plethora of test I need to take.
No DUI's and I really don't ever remembering being prescribed a SSRI, that would have been strange.

I do have some other medical things, but they are all non issues.

The ADD is the big hurdle, which I don't have, ironically
 
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denverpilot said:
This. Why? Remember every FAA test ultimately is based on FAA material. And it's all free to download anyway, so might as well get your money's worth as a taxpayer.

One of the people participating in the thread does work for ASA but is very mellow about it here, and humble, so I'll toot ASA's horn a little for them... Their stuff is high quality and reasonably priced. I've used ASA material to augment FAA material for a couple of decades now.

There's lots of other options, but if you're a "paper book" kind of studier, ASA is very good.

I've also used Jeppesen, Gleim, and even watched a few King Schools videos over the years. No experience with Sporty's stuff, but it appears also to be good quality.

Watched a Jeppesen video on multi-engine flying recently also, and it was very cheesy, but it did have a very pretty Cessna 303 Crusader with the distinctive cruciform tail on it, and was shot in Colorado, so I was as interested in it to see what airports they were at, as I was paying attention to the material. I also think the Crusader looks sexy... Hahaha.

In the end, everything you need is in the FAA material, but the explanations and graphics are often better or show something in a simpler way in commercial books.

Many are recommending electronic study apps and such in the thread, too. I have used those as well, but I consider them supplemental and for " finish up " -- memorizing things from some of those can be counter-productive to learning. It's sometimes rote memorization and not long term learning and you need long term learning.

Depends on the tool, but be careful with "test prep"... They don't cover everything you need to know in detail. They're designed, and work well, to prep for the written tests. Some do go into more detail, but caution is advised. You'll need a deeper understanding of the topics, and the CFI can help find holes in your knowledge after the written tests, too, of course.
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thanks, I just want to be as prepared as possible. I was also the nerd that read the text book before the semester started. lol
 
Half Fast said:
Or you could pursue a Sport Pilot certificate, use your driver's license for a med cert, and not hassle with all that. Or fly sport for a while and do the medical hassle later. BUT, if you do the med and get denied, that option goes away. Choose wisely.

I'm working on my sport ticket not for medical reasons but because it covers the type of flying I plan to do and I'm more likely to finish than if I bit off Private all at once. I might upgrade after flying sport for a year or two, or I might decide there's no need. At least for the first year or two, daytime VFR in a simple plane with one passenger will be plenty.
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I thought about sport pilot but then I couldn't bring my son with us or anyone else and I want to x-country the plane.
 
Most of my private lessons were right about an hour on the hobbs. Like others have said, most people's attention span of actually learning something is only about an hour when you are first getting into flying. Now once it comes to instrument training, expect longer lessons.
 
TRocket said:
Most of my private lessons were right about an hour on the hobbs. Like others have said, most people's attention span of actually learning something is only about an hour when you are first getting into flying. Now once it comes to instrument training, expect longer lessons.
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1 hour in the air and one on the ground isn't bad. I would be back at work before anything rally got going.
 
denverpilot said:
He likely means all of the ground study, had the written test knocked out, and was fully prepped on all of the knowledge items required for the oral exam also.
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Yes this^^^^ (minus the actual written test, which I held off until week two). I had actually studied for months on my own before starting flight training.
 
exncsurfer said:
Sporty's Study Buddy is free online if you just want the practice tests with no explanations for missed questions, though it does show you the right answer.
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Study Buddy questions were badly out of date even before the new ACS/KTS changes. It's not a good choice for practice tests.
 
write-stuff said:
Study Buddy questions were badly out of date even before the new ACS/KTS changes. It's not a good choice for practice tests.
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I used Study Buddy for Sport and the questions were fine. The test won't have the exact same questions anyway; it's the subject matter that's important. I got 98 or 100 on the last several practice sessions, then got a 93 on the real thing, so I think Study Buddy does an acceptable job, used properly. The point is to learn the material, not try to memorize answers.
 
MIFlyer said:
Also, I found two private books valuable. Bob Gardner (who posted earlier) has a great book titled "the complete private pilot"

I also liked Rob Mochado's book.



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I will look into those, thanks
 
midcap said:
I will look into those, thanks
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I haven't read Bob's book, but it is well regarded.

I have read Machado's. I'm impressed. It's a bit pricey, but that guy can explain anything. His explanation of gyro precession (in half a page!) should be a model for physics textbook writers everywhere.

Do keep in mind that the "horse's mouth" is the FAA publications, and the real correct answer is to use whatever book your instructor teaches out of. He will be better situated to augment it that way.
 
Bob also wrote a book on radio comms called Say Again, Please. It's pretty good, though my copy is a little dated. Well worth picking up.
 
MAKG1 said:
I haven't read Bob's book, but it is well regarded.

I have read Machado's. I'm impressed. It's a bit pricey, but that guy can explain anything. His explanation of gyro precession (in half a page!) should be a model for physics textbook writers everywhere.

Do keep in mind that the "horse's mouth" is the FAA publications, and the real correct answer is to use whatever book your instructor teaches out of. He will be better situated to augment it that way.
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that makes a lot of sense.
 
As some have already said, my lessons were also about 1hr of ground and 1hr in the air give or take. Biggest thing is learn as much as you can on your own or in front of your computer screen so it will cut down on ground lesson costs, and ultimately lower your training cost.
 
Ryanb said:
As some have already said, my lessons were also about 1hr of ground and 1hr in the air give or take. Biggest thing is learn as much as you can on your own or in front of your computer screen so it will cut down on ground lesson costs, and ultimately lower your training cost.
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that's the plan. I'll read the FAA docs posted and then I'll pick up a few books mentioned. I'll do all that work while getting my medical call ironed out.
 
Do you know what aircraft you'll be training in? If so, download a copy of the POH as well, get familiar with it, and use it as a reference as you read the FAA books. Learn what your Vx and Vy will be, stall speeds, etc., etc.
 
Half Fast said:
Do you know what aircraft you'll be training in? If so, download a copy of the POH as well, get familiar with it, and use it as a reference as you read the FAA books. Learn what your Vx and Vy will be, stall speeds, etc., etc.
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probably a 172, I'll make sure to read those also.
 
midcap said:
probably a 172, I'll make sure to read those also.
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If you can, be a bit more specific.

The gross behaviors among 172s are pretty much the same, but there are differences in details that will matter.

For instance, 30 vs 40 deg flaps, manual or electric. Weight varies roughly in proportion to engine size. Whether short field takeoffs use flaps or not. Fuel capacity. And so on.

The most common seems to be 172N, but it is by no means all you'll find.
 
midcap said:
probably a 172, I'll make sure to read those also.
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You can find a POH on ebay for cheap. Find out what model(s) you'll be flying, C172M, C172P etc, and buy a POH for that model or a couple if you're flying different models. You can DL POHs but I prefer the actual POH. I've purchased probably 5-6 POHs on ebay, all for less than $12-14 a copy.

My lessons were 15-30 minute preflight brief, an hour or just over an hour of flying, and a 15-30 minute debrief, sometimes longer. XCs and prep for check ride longer lessons of course.
 
I'll make note of the suffix this Friday. I have my discovery flight scheduled, I'm pretty excited about that.
 
Well I had my discovery flight today which was an hour of instruction and WHOA!

It was like drinking from a fire hose. All the inputs, the way the plane reacts and all that.

It was very fun, steep turns, stalls and slipping to landing.

I assume the controls and flying gets easier the more lessons you take.

When I was turning the hardest part was staying coordinated.

Looks like I'm hooked.
 
7 a.m. works best for one of my students so I'm happy to accommodate. It's a beautiful time to fly.
 
Yes, it gets easier. Most people try to strangle the yoke their first time, and the airplane really does fly better with a light touch. The firehose gets much more manageable as well.

Not sure stalls, steep turns, and slips were a good idea on a first lesson. It's enough of a firehose just to get basic turns, climbs and descents down.
 
MAKG1 said:
Yes, it gets easier. Most people try to strangle the yoke their first time, and the airplane really does fly better with a light touch. The firehose gets much more manageable as well.

Not sure stalls, steep turns, and slips were a good idea on a first lesson. It's enough of a firehose just to get basic turns, climbs and descents down.
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Lol, I wasn't expecting that either. I'm glad he did, because now I know what to expect.

I'll admit, the negative G's from the stall was fun.

I'm glad to hear it gets easier, I was white knuckling it the whole time lol
 
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midcap said:
Lol, I wasn't expecting that either. I'm glad he did, because now I know what to expect.

I'll admit, the negative G's from the stall was fun
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Negative Gs in a stall? What did he do?

Stalls are a loss of lift, not negative lift. Recovery should be positive as well unless WAY too aggressive. Not good to point the nose at the ground at full power.
 
MAKG1 said:
Negative Gs in a stall? What did he do?

Stalls are a loss of lift, not negative lift. Recovery should be positive as well unless WAY too aggressive. Not good to point the nose at the ground at full power.
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That was probably just me pushing the yokes down to much. But it was a power off stall if that makes a difference?

We did a lot of power off stuff that day. I also might be describing it wrong too.
 
MAKG1 said:
Not sure stalls, steep turns, and slips were a good idea on a first lesson. It's enough of a firehose just to get basic turns, climbs and descents down.
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Shockingly I agree with MAKG1. Why do instructors do this? :mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:
 
Depends on the plane, if you're learning right and you're starting out in something without flaps, good chance you're going to be doing a slip, steep turns really are nothing, stalls, in not sure I'd cover those till you got a few more fundamentals understood to maximize the lesson first. For me the full stall series, including falling leaf, trim stalls, accelerated and then spins are all on one full lesson or two.
 
James331 said:
Depends on the plane, if you're learning right and you're starting out in something without flaps, good chance you're going to be doing a slip, steep turns really are nothing, stalls, in not sure I'd cover those till you got a few more fundamentals understood to maximize the lesson first. For me the full stall series, including falling leaf, trim stalls, accelerated and then spins are all on one full lesson or two.
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To be fair it wasn't as much a lesson as it was a go out and see what flying is all about. I guess he figured if I was hooked after that I would start formal lessons.
 
I'm a beginner (so far three hour long lessons flying) and all the advice here is from folks much more experienced and great responses. I would just mention, I'm older (rounding 60 soon) and that may be a factor but my experience...I signed up for ground school, paid for a whole library of books and it starts out with online courses. I work a lot too, so it took me a few months to get through the aerodynamics book, the book on the constructions and workings of the airplane and instruments, and am was halfway through meteorology before I started actually flying. The first two were necessary (in my case anyway) so I understood the dynamics and what is happening in flight. When I say understood, I don't mean completely, but it gave me a basis to get why and what I was doing when flying. I have a long ways to go.

The first flight I had about an hour on the ground with the instructor telling me what we were going to do (straight and level flying, setting elevator trIm, and some other ) and I was actually flying just after the instructor took off. Banking, climbing out, flying to the practice area, etc.

I mention this because though we are all different and maybe others would benefit from longer flying time, I find so far (again, all of three lessons, three hours total so take this with a grain of salt) that an hour is PLENTY and I was getting mental overload after that.

This may change soon, I don't know, but after an hour I was worn out, and had a lot to think about and digest. Circumstances with weather and scheduling made it so it was two weeks between my first and second flight, and another two until the next time. I had a lot of time to reflect and go over what we did. Also to read up again some aerodynamics and "get it" a little better.

I'm only now getting an idea of how this works. I may be wrong, but the key that I didn't get from study was the power settings are (in my mind) the first thing, followed by airspeed and attitude, to achieve the different basic maneuvers. I think two hour or more lessons would not be as good for me as one hour lessons flying. I do want to ramp up, and may with the longer daylight hours in summer get to two lessons a week, but I think more than that for me would be counter productive. I find so far I need to digest the lessons a little more.

Again, this may change soon. Once I get a better understanding of the maneuvers and to the state where I need to practice to get smooth and more precise I may want to have more frequent and longer sessions.

It's a blast!
 
Two hour lessons would be terrible for a presolo primary student, for exactly the reasons you have touched on. You will by necessity have some lessons later on that are that long. It's hard to do a cross country in much less time than that.

You seem to be very much aware of how much you're getting out of a lesson. That's key. Your stamina will increase with time, but the ultimate answer is to listen to yourself. At some point, the learning stops.
 
Early morning is better for me. But there are many flight schools are ready to learn you after or before your lunch time, evenings and weekends. If you love to see the nature then go with early morning.
 
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