TexasAviation
Pre-takeoff checklist
- Joined
- Mar 9, 2014
- Messages
- 214
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TexasAviation
Well, the time is finally here. I'm going to have my house paid off in about two months (thank you, Dave Ramsey!), which means I no longer have any excuse not to get my private pilot's license. I plan on starting training this spring.
I'm 33 years old with a wife and three kids, and I'm self-employed ... so a plane will make it easier to visit my customers in person while letting my business pay for the gas and rental fees for those trips.
I've also been obsessively reading and thinking about flying for the past few weeks as I realize it's getting closer. My wife is sick of hearing LiveATC.net all the time.
And I've got a couple of questions:
1. What should I look for in a CFI? I live in the small town of Commerce, Texas, about 60 miles northeast of Dallas. I'd prefer someone very local because it would be more convenient, but I could also drive to the Dallas area if the instruction there would be better. Any tips for what to look for and what to avoid in a CFI?
2. How much should I budget for it? In other words, how many hours a month do you think would be ideal? I'm guesstimating $2,000/month for three to four months would cover it, which would equate to (very roughly) 15-20 hours/month. But I'm open to spending more to do it faster or spending less to do it slower. The most important thing to me is becoming the best and safest pilot I can be, not necessarily doing it in the fastest time.
I'm 33 years old with a wife and three kids, and I'm self-employed ... so a plane will make it easier to visit my customers in person while letting my business pay for the gas and rental fees for those trips.
I've also been obsessively reading and thinking about flying for the past few weeks as I realize it's getting closer. My wife is sick of hearing LiveATC.net all the time.
And I've got a couple of questions:
1. What should I look for in a CFI? I live in the small town of Commerce, Texas, about 60 miles northeast of Dallas. I'd prefer someone very local because it would be more convenient, but I could also drive to the Dallas area if the instruction there would be better. Any tips for what to look for and what to avoid in a CFI?
2. How much should I budget for it? In other words, how many hours a month do you think would be ideal? I'm guesstimating $2,000/month for three to four months would cover it, which would equate to (very roughly) 15-20 hours/month. But I'm open to spending more to do it faster or spending less to do it slower. The most important thing to me is becoming the best and safest pilot I can be, not necessarily doing it in the fastest time.