Sport Pilot Talk

I'm saving toward flight training, probably starting around September with an instructor. My plan at this point is:

- Acquire the complete Gleim sport pilot package. So far, in my research, it seems the most comprehensive and has been recommended by several people. Of course, since I haven't pulled the trigger on it, I'm open to other recommendations.

- Spend the time between now and September in self study, and communication on sites like this.

- The flight training schedule I have planned is a three days per week, Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday, with the goal of a morning and afternoon flight each day. That is, provided I can find an instructor who will accommodate that schedule.

Since this is in the early planning stages, I thought I'd tap into the experience here for opinions and suggestions.

Jim_D wrote:The flight training schedule I have planned is a three days per week, Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday, with the goal of a morning and afternoon flight each day.

That's a very ambitious schedule, Jim - and might be a bit unrealistic. In 46 years of teaching, I've found that twice a week is ideal. Less than that, you don't cover enough ground, things get dragged out, and student gets... discouraged. More than that, you saturate, learning and retention deteriorate, and student gets - discouraged!

If you try to fly both mornings and afternoons, you're likely to burn out. I would suggest just one flight each training day, and if you want to keep advancing, use the other daily slot for ground instruction (tutorial), or a simulator session if your flight school has a sim, or watching relevant online webinars. (There are hundreds available for free at http://eaa.org/webinars).

Good luck with your flying pursuits, and don't forget to enjoy the journey.

In my own training experience ... some days , yeah, you feel like taking back to the skies again right away , others you just want to go home and forget about it ...
My schedule was about 2 , sometimes 3 days a week but never more than once a day

Thanks for the input. I was talking to an instructor at a local FBO and he recommended flying four times a week (he trains PPL, not SP). He's also an active duty USAF pilot, doing this on the side, so a more aggressive schedule than usual probably feels normal to him

drseti wrote:That's a very ambitious schedule, Jim - and might be a bit unrealistic. In 46 years of teaching, I've found that twice a week is ideal. Less than that, you don't cover enough ground, things get dragged out, and student gets... discouraged. More than that, you saturate, learning and retention deteriorate, and student gets - discouraged!
If you try to fly both mornings and afternoons, you're likely to burn out. I would suggest just one flight each training day, and if you want to keep advancing, use the other daily slot for ground instruction (tutorial), or a simulator session if your flight school has a sim, or watching relevant online webinars. (There are hundreds available for free at http://eaa.org/webinars).

Concur totally . . . that is great advice. I agree . . . twice a week is ideal. Here’s why.
I have found that most students need time to digest material and flight lesson experience, before moving on. If the curriculum gets compacted, rushed or overwhelming, it actually impedes learning, which can lead to discouragement and loss of enthusiasm.
There is a long history, especially in general aviation, of student not finishing their training. Going about it in a reasonable, methodical way increases the chance of success.
I caution new prospects to not bite off more than they can chew.
Easy does it!

I also concur with Dr. Shuch's advice. Training that is too aggressive is like trying to drink water from a fire hose and leads to poor retention. Twice a week gives you time to absorb what you learn without forgetting what you learned because there has been either too much time or too little time between lessons.

Twice a week worked for me; it took 5.5 hours to solo and 40 hours to get my private certificate through the Vandenberg AFB aero club. My instructor was also an active duty USAF C-130 command pilot.

You also don't need a rigid schedule. Learning to fly should be fun. You can "go with the flow" as it works out with your schedule, your budget, and your instructor's schedule, weather, plane availability, etc. It took me almost a year to get a Private, but I was a poor high school student. I don't recommend taking that long, but a couple 2 hour flights a week seems like plenty to me.

I say go out to your airport. Make friends with guys with planes. Tag along on flights with them. I am always looking for company on my flights. Believe it or not, it’s hard to find people who just want to fly around. I can’t be the only one!
You will gain huge just by flying with someone.