MadeInChina262
Newbie
Ok, so I'm 18 years old, graduating high school in a few months and I've been thinking about becoming a pilot for a while now. I've always been extremely fascinated with flying, to this day I can't get onto a big jet liner to go visit relatives without gazing into the cockpit and wondering what it would be like to take the controls and fly. I've been doing some research lately about finally taking the first steps toward becoming a pilot so I've been looking into getting my Private Pilots License. I've been looking at some different local flight schools, (I live in beautiful San Diego) and I've found that for my VFR qualification it should be around $5,000 or $8,000 depending on the school and the total amount of hours I need to put in. My first question is regarding either Part 141 or Part 61 schools. Which do you think is a better choice? Part 61 seems to offer a the possibility of a more flexible schedule but I have also read that more intensive courses with more strict schedules offer a better learning experience with the possibility of higher knowledge retention rates. Also do you think it's better to find a longer part time course over a period of four to six months or go with the three to four week crash course. I have also looked at the possibility of a serious professional flight school like Airline Transport Professionals, while they are far more expensive it offers certification on Single, Multi, and Instrument for Private, Commercial, and as a Certified Flight Instructor. This track does seem to have the advantage of giving a better possibility of a carrer after graduation but it's a large commitment for someone who has no experience in the field. Are schools like this worth it in the end, or is it better to get certifications seperately at your own pace? I'm also a little weary about the possibility of starting one of these programs and then realizing that flying really isn't for me, so would it be better to get my PPL and then see if I want to enrole in a more serious school?
I know I'm asking a lot of questions and some of these are ultimately really up to me and depend on what kind of learner and person I am but I'm just trying to get some feedback from people that have experience in the field before I make a decision. Any feedback or advice you can give will be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance.
-Alec
I know I'm asking a lot of questions and some of these are ultimately really up to me and depend on what kind of learner and person I am but I'm just trying to get some feedback from people that have experience in the field before I make a decision. Any feedback or advice you can give will be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance.
-Alec