Have you ever had to put your flight training on hold because of college and life?

N918KT

N918KT

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Have you ever had to put off your flight training because life just gets in the way? For college students, did you also have to put it on hold because of going off to college? Did you try to do flight training whenever you can when you're in college such as during winter and summer breaks?

For me, it's almost becoming a reality since I'm a student at a 4 year school and just trying to come home during the semester often for flight lessons is not worth it when you have homework, projects, and exams in the way. Is it the same way for you guys as well living at 4-year schools?
 
Re: Have you ever had to put your flight training on hold because of college and life

I didn't find time and money for it until I was 58. Wished I could have started sooner. Thankful I could do it at all.
 
Re: Have you ever had to put your flight training on hold because of college and life

most 4 year universities are located in towns with airports. More people than not have had interruptions in their flight training do to life intervening and their personal priorities.
 
Re: Have you ever had to put your flight training on hold because of college and life

I started my PPL training last summer and unfortunately was only halfway done when I had to go back to college. Luckily I there was a flight school and an airport in my college town so I just switched schools and finished during my semester at college. It can be done.
 
Re: Have you ever had to put your flight training on hold because of college and life

I put it on hold for 25 years. Does that count? :dunno:
 
Re: Have you ever had to put your flight training on hold because of college and life

Yes. I got my ppl in '87, added the IR in '90, took time off from flying '91-'93 for a Masters.

Then in '94 I bought my cherokee 140 as a graduation present to myself. :)
 
Re: Have you ever had to put your flight training on hold because of college and life

Most college students have more time and money now then they will have for a few decades after graduation. If you want it buck up and get it. If you do have to take a life break it is truckloads easier tonreturn if you have a license.
 
Re: Have you ever had to put your flight training on hold because of college and life

Somewhere between college and kids usually works out well.
 
Re: Have you ever had to put your flight training on hold because of college and life

N918KT said:
Have you ever had to put off your flight training because life just gets in the way? For college students, did you also have to put it on hold because of going off to college? Did you try to do flight training whenever you can when you're in college such as during winter and summer breaks?

For me, it's almost becoming a reality since I'm a student at a 4 year school and just trying to come home during the semester often for flight lessons is not worth it when you have homework, projects, and exams in the way. Is it the same way for you guys as well living at 4-year schools?
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I'm a sophomore in college now, but I got my light sport certificate over two summers, interrupted by senior year of high school. The next summer (after freshman year of college) I went back for my private, which is where I am now. The trouble for me was finding the money. My parents aren't shelling out the money for me to learn to fly, so I have to get jobs. But when you have a job, you don't have the time...especially when you're driving an hour and a half each way to the airport to save about $30/hr and get better instruction.

I don't fly at college (except for the aero department's sponsored discovery flights) because even though the airport is less than five miles away, it takes about an hour each way on the city bus, and during college, it's hard to find an excuse to do that. Not to mention that I don't have all that much money left.... Next year, I should have a car, though, so I'll hopefully do some flying.

In terms of taking long breaks, that's what's good about being young--you retain the information and skills you've learned very well, so even if you have to take a few months off, you can get right back to it. Both the instructors I spent quality time in the cockpit with told me the same thing--they've worked with students on both the younger and older side of things, and those who are young retain really well.

What school do you go to?
 
If you really want to fly, you'll find the motivation. College can be stressful but I knew plenty that added ratings on the side while juggling jobs and ROTC duties.
 
Re: Have you ever had to put your flight training on hold because of college and life

jpower said:
I'm a sophomore in college now, but I got my light sport certificate over two summers, interrupted by senior year of high school. The next summer (after freshman year of college) I went back for my private, which is where I am now. The trouble for me was finding the money. My parents aren't shelling out the money for me to learn to fly, so I have to get jobs. But when you have a job, you don't have the time...especially when you're driving an hour and a half each way to the airport to save about $30/hr and get better instruction.

I don't fly at college (except for the aero department's sponsored discovery flights) because even though the airport is less than five miles away, it takes about an hour each way on the city bus, and during college, it's hard to find an excuse to do that. Not to mention that I don't have all that much money left.... Next year, I should have a car, though, so I'll hopefully do some flying.

In terms of taking long breaks, that's what's good about being young--you retain the information and skills you've learned very well, so even if you have to take a few months off, you can get right back to it. Both the instructors I spent quality time in the cockpit with told me the same thing--they've worked with students on both the younger and older side of things, and those who are young retain really well.

What school do you go to?
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I am also a student pilot trying to get a sport pilot certificate. When I first started flight training in high school, my parents paid for the lessons but now I pay for my own lessons. I go to Farmingdale State College. The college is pretty close to an airport where one of the flight schools I believe has a sport pilot program but the rates are much more expensive. The flight school I currently go to has very reasonable rates and an LSA, but that LSA has been in maintenance most of the time so I have not been able to fly it yet. Just been flying 152s at my current flight school.
 
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Re: Have you ever had to put your flight training on hold because of college and life

N918KT said:
Have you ever had to put off your flight training because life just gets in the way? For college students, did you also have to put it on hold because of going off to college? Did you try to do flight training whenever you can when you're in college such as during winter and summer breaks?

For me, it's almost becoming a reality since I'm a student at a 4 year school and just trying to come home during the semester often for flight lessons is not worth it when you have homework, projects, and exams in the way. Is it the same way for you guys as well living at 4-year schools?
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I did my PPL training during school...it was the only way I could get affordable loans to fly with :goofy:

I found it was not too hard juggling all of it...had it been for my instrument ticket though that would have been a different story.
 
Re: Have you ever had to put your flight training on hold because of college and life

I started PPL during summer after HS and flew a little each summer and occasionally during the year while in college between season and spring ball. Finished up 46 months after starting but that was long before any "life gets in the way" or other cute expressions came along, just a pore-ass college kid working his way through the training.
 
Re: Have you ever had to put your flight training on hold because of college and life

Kevin,

I started in 1970 and had to put it on hold in 1972 until 2008.
 
Re: Have you ever had to put your flight training on hold because of college and life

I got a flight lesson tomorrow. I'm going to try to do some flight training during this winter break, but don't know if this break would be the last chance I fly before "life gets in the way". I'll just have to see.
 
Re: Have you ever had to put your flight training on hold because of college and life

No. I focus on one thing at a time.
 
Re: Have you ever had to put your flight training on hold because of college and life

Yup. I was out for ten years.
 
Re: Have you ever had to put your flight training on hold because of college and life

I just transferred my logbook data of almost 50 years to a digital format that can display trends like that. There are huge gaps during graduate school and when the kids were little; and again years later when I moved to a different state for a career change, before things settled down and I could fly again. You just do what you have to do.

Flying is something that "ya gotta wanna do" in order to be successful. If you "wanna" bad enough, you'll usually find a way, though it may take time.

Be patient, and keep reading and learning while you're on the ground.
 
Re: Have you ever had to put your flight training on hold because of college and life

Yes, when I was in college. I worked my way through and had aviation had to wait until I graduated and got a job.
 
Re: Have you ever had to put your flight training on hold because of college and life

For years I had the time, or the money. Just didn't have both at the same time. Something about college, raising a family, etc. Started my PP training when I was 48, passed the ride right after I turned 49. Passed the IR ride 10 years later when I was 59. Don't worry, you'll get it done.
 
Re: Have you ever had to put your flight training on hold because of college and life

Started in 2001 @ KLNS and got just past solo...(then I got married, had kids, new jobs and eventually moved across the country..) restarted at KGTU last week :)
 
Re: Have you ever had to put your flight training on hold because of college and life

Yeah, after 2 1/2 hours of training. Family funds dictated it was not in the books
 
Re: Have you ever had to put your flight training on hold because of college and life

I got my PPL last year when I was a junior in college. My instrument check ride is on February 2nd and this last semester I made the Dean's list. My parents helped with my PPL, but I've been doing the IR splitting airplane costs with my other owner/significant other. Occasionally my parents will throw some money to us for the airplane considering with both made the Dean's list this semester. I figured this is the last time in my life I'll have some money to throw around, I'm going to do everything I can in the next year and not live with any regret of anything I didn't do when I had the opportunity in college. I'm busy all the time between making money, flying, school and a social life but it's all worth it IMO if you can. I have one semester after this one and I plan on being a CFI through that.
 
Re: Have you ever had to put your flight training on hold because of college and life

i've been on hold since last mar. my wife has been out of work for 2 years and unemployment ran out so that leaves me the only income source.
i did start building a plane though. $100 sheet of aluminum keeps me busy for quite a while. if anything it gives me hope
 
Re: Have you ever had to put your flight training on hold because of college and life

I soloed in 1966 and got the PPL in 1986. 20 years.
 
Re: Have you ever had to put your flight training on hold because of college and life

first lesson in 1972

ppl in 2009

hows that
 
Re: Have you ever had to put your flight training on hold because of college and life

Yes.

First lessons in 1971 thru solo, written and 20 hours.

College '72 to '77. My mother paid the full tab but there wasn't another cent for anything else. I didn't have to work unless I wanted to drink beer. I worked 7 days a week in the summer, sold blood plasma, strung tennis racquets and took a year off to work in a steel mill.

The week I graduated I joined the University's glider club to glide on weekends. Took long lunches at a University job to take airplane lessons. After a year off the career track, I got my PPL & G. Four aircraft later I'm still at it.

Where there's the will, there's a way. Some sacrifices may be required but making money has to be a priority if you really want to fly whether it's professionally or just for fun.
 
Re: Have you ever had to put your flight training on hold because of college and life

N918KT said:
I am also a student pilot trying to get a sport pilot certificate. When I first started flight training in high school, my parents paid for the lessons but now I pay for my own lessons. I go to Farmingdale State College. The college is pretty close to an airport where one of the flight schools I believe has a sport pilot program but the rates are much more expensive. The flight school I currently go to has very reasonable rates and an LSA, but that LSA has been in maintenance most of the time so I have not been able to fly it yet. Just been flying 152s at my current flight school.
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I assume the airport then is FRG? I have a friend at school who flies out of Nassau Flyers (I think?) at FRG, and they do have one or two light sports, one of which is a Tecnam Eaglet, which is what I learned in. It's a real hoot to fly--the visibility is great, it's nice and responsive, and less expensive than the alternatives, at least around me.

That being said, though...I think I'd suggest to focus on one thing at a time as was said above. You want to be able to focus on training and not do something like a lesson every two weeks. At that point, yes, you do fly during school, but in the long run, it'll cost you a lot more money and time.
 
Re: Have you ever had to put your flight training on hold because of college and life

Thank you all for the good advice! Seems that this delay in flight training is very common.
 
Re: Have you ever had to put your flight training on hold because of college and life

I took up flying my junior year in college, finishing in May as school was wrapping up. I then flew like crazy for the next year, wracking up just over 300 hours before leaving for law school. I figured I'd be giving up flying for the next three years.

By the end of my first month in law school I was going stir crazy, so headed out to the airport to see what was available for rent. I got checked out in an almost-new Warrior II. The CFI was a only a year younger than me and we hit it off. He said I should go for my instrument rating. So I said I'd come back the next day for an IR lesson.

That became the patter for my first year in law school. Class from 8a-3p, head to the airport, fly til 5 or so, head home, eat, hit the books til 10-11p, go to sleep, wake-up, repeat.

I ended up doing my instrument, commercial, multi-engine and CFI during my first year of law school (and still had a B average), then spent the following summer instructing, flying charters and tour flights.

So, where there's a will there's a way!
 
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Re: Have you ever had to put your flight training on hold because of college and life

BTW, that young flight instructor I mentioned above is now a senior check pilot for FedEx!
 
Re: Have you ever had to put your flight training on hold because of college and life

No. I intermittently left college to work a flying job. When I went back to college to finish I bought my first plane while in school, an ercoupe.
 
Re: Have you ever had to put your flight training on hold because of college and life

JHW said:
No. I intermittently left college to work a flying job. When I went back to college to finish I bought my first plane while in school, an ercoupe.
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I bought a third of a Cherokee 140 in law school, then taught my two partners to fly.
 
Re: Have you ever had to put your flight training on hold because of college and life

Start lesson in 2003. Got 3 hours in the logbook and got a new job. Moved cross country twice, got married, started back in school. Started again in 2011, then had knee surgery. Finally got certificate 3 months ago. Don't quit.
 
Re: Have you ever had to put your flight training on hold because of college and life

Going in fits and starts is a very expensive way to do it.

The longer between "sessions" the less effective the instruction will be. Long enough between "sessions" and you will have to go back and prove to the CFI that you remember everything up to the point where you left off. The longer the break, the more you have to prove, and that costs money.

Take this scenario: You train for ~15 hours and solo. You then take time off from flying... anything from about a month or more. When you go back, your CFI is going to want to ride with you again to make sure you've still got it. So there's an extra hour or so, even if you do remember everything and he lets you solo again after one dual lesson. Then you get to the XC stage, and drop out again. When you come back the CFI is going to want to fly with you again, doing some basic maneuvers before starting XC work again, so that's another hour or two of dual. Then you drop out again before the check ride, and come back 6 months later. He's going to want to practice maneuvers again, XC stuff again, and probably some ground instruction too. Another 3 or so hours extra.

And all this assumes 1) you remember everything and don't need any remedial instruction due to the lapses in training and 2) your original CFI is still at the same school for the 4 years you take to get your PPL. If you have to switch CFIs during this, you can double or triple the amount of "extra" training you will need, because the new CFI is going to have to be satisfied that you know what you are doing, and since they have no history with you, they're going to want extra time to observe you.

All that being said, it's not a horribly bad thing, it's just something to be aware of. If you have the 9-12 months it will take (if you fly once a twice a week without taking any significant breaks) available in the foreseeable future, it will be less expensive to wait until you have the time to focus on it. If you're willing to pay extra, in order to get into the air quicker, then go ahead and start. But just be aware that training in this model will likely take far more than the FAA mandated 40 hours of training, and be prepared for the applicable increase in training costs.
 
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