Ask Me About Flying - Page 5

AlienBoy · #41 11-08-2006, 10:53 PM

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Total cost to get a pilot's liscense?

I consider commercial pilots glorified bus drivers. Is there really anything they do a person of average intelligence couldn't do?

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About $3000 for a private, single engine land.

No, hardly bus drivers.

The people that fly when you take a commercial jet have what is known as an "Airline Transport Pilot" - the highest class of license. It is hard to get and requires a minimum of 1200 hours flight time.

Every 6 months ATP pilots are *required* to go back to school for recurrent training, and that training is mainly about emergency procedures.

WHile it is true that a routine flight is not that difficult (it is far more difficult that driving a bus), what sets an ATP apart is the emergency training.

Ask yourself: if the aircraft loses an engine, or has a major failure, do you really want to trust your life toa bus driver?

I think not.

AB

AlienBoy · #42 11-08-2006, 10:57 PM

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Im 21 and very interested in flying and taking lessons. Is there an age limit for starting. How much is it per lesson usually and how many hours until one can get his own license and fly with others to places. what is the longest you have ever flown on a trip.

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You need to be 16 years of age or older.

Typical lesson is $20 to $30 for the instructor, and $50 to $80 for the aircraft, per hour.

The minimum hours of training and solo flight to get your license is 40 hours. You have to be *very* focused to make this though. I'm focused, and I did it in 43 hours.

The national average is about 75 hours. Much depend on what you put into it.

As far as longest trip - when I got my ticket, we had to do the long cross country solo (no longer a requirement), I think I flew about 4 hours that day, and made 2 stops.

AB

AlienBoy · #43 11-08-2006, 10:58 PM

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Doing this in the US compared to Norway seems cheap, if I go to the US and get a certificate is it valid internationally? Do you have to fly a lot to maintain your certificate? (my friend in Norway struggled a lot with getting enough hours regularily to do this)

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US license is good anywhere - in fact, US flight schools are very popular with foreigners because they are so highly regarded.

AB

AFH24 · #44 11-08-2006, 11:34 PM

I imagine that the first time you flew the plane it was pretty exciting. Does the rush of flying a plane wear off over time, or do you get excited every time?

surfinillini · #45 11-08-2006, 11:37 PM

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I imagine that the first time you flew the plane it was pretty exciting. Does the rush of flying a plane wear off over time, or do you get excited every time?

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Like anything else with time it becomes very monotonous and tedious. I have ~300 hours in the air and around hour 100 any "rush" went away.

AFH24 · #46 11-08-2006, 11:43 PM

So is it still fun, or is it just boring now?

surfinillini · #47 11-08-2006, 11:48 PM

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So is it still fun, or is it just boring now?

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some things are fun and some are boring

when I have to practice maneuvers for re-checks or do my 3 approaches to be instrument current, or standard [censored] like taxiing and holding patterns or solo x-country flights it's very boring. Takeoffs and landings are pretty boring/standard as well. (I think I have somewhere around 500 landings to my name)

when I'm flying a twin engine and holding over chicago at 6000 feet and getting a sick view of the city and watching 737s cruise under me...that's fun [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

oreopimp · #48 11-08-2006, 11:53 PM

Turbulence, talk to me. How much can a say 747-757 take? Id imagine a ton. Like how far can the wings bend before breaking off?

If the engine goes out, from what I understand is that youd lower the nose a little at a time and try and glide correct?

surfinillini · #49 11-08-2006, 11:59 PM

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Turbulence, talk to me. How much can a say 747-757 take? Id imagine a ton. Like how far can the wings bend before breaking off?

If the engine goes out, from what I understand is that youd lower the nose a little at a time and try and glide correct?

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I don't know specifics about the max load a 747 can take but the wings are pretty maleable and extremely sturdy at the same time. It would take a hell of lot to break it off, talking about hurricane type storm or some kind of violent spin/stall where the force is so large it snaps off the wing (there are specific charts in the operating handbook showing the load range for safe operation)

If an engine is out on a 747 its not a problem since there are 3 left over, it would have no problem maintaining altitude.

If an engine fails on a single engine plane, you pitch at your best glide speed (I forget the coefficient name) and search for somewhere to put it down. There are a lot of factors, usually you don't lower the nose but keep it steady on a certain point on the horizon or attitude indicator. Depending on altitude, weather conditions, aircraft weight, etc...you can glide for quite a while to find a suitable landing zone.

TacoVendor · #50 11-09-2006, 12:18 AM

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And I was a pilot.

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Let me tell you... Rarely do I post here but I read often.

This quote above though; I don't know if there are any stronger words to express a feeling about accomplishment that one has pushed hard for. They literally sent chills through me as I read them.

Being one that WILL be a pilot one day, I commend you. Commercial rating or not, I know the goal and it is an amazing one to achieve. Congrats to you.