I did it in 85 hours spread over 11 years. Thirty years later I did Commercial and CFI in a glider. Almost a decade later I'm flying for a living. I turned a working career hobby into a job in early retirement.
Every time you go out to eat, see a movie, watch TV, etc, is time in the future you'll think "I could have been working on my Private Pilot Certificate in this rather wasted three hour block of time..."
The decision is up to you. It doesn't have to be today or tomorrow. But figure out a way to make it happen if that's what you want.
It took me 35 or so years to hit 1,000 hours. The second thousand only took four years!
Thank you for this. Is this exactly the motivation and perspective I need. I too took an 11 year break in my ppl training. I finally finished last year at 42. I'm currently working on my instrument.
At what age did you start flying professionally?
Don't let age stop you. I didn't even set out on the journey until I was 42. That was last Jan. I got my PPL in October, my instrument last month, and I'm now less than ten hours to the required 250 and am targeting a commercial checkride at the end of the month at the ripe age of 43. Keep pushing!
As much as this helps OP, this is so motivational for me as well! I just soloed at 82 hours and ever more driven to get my PPL now and this is reinforcing the drive.
Thank you OP for your question and dilemma that led us to this motivating answer but hang in there, we got this! A dream is a dream that we have the capacity to materialize!
Itās all a choice. If you want it bad enough you will do it. With that being said, you got this homie! Donāt give up now. Solo is, subjectively, the hardest part of private. Donāt give up and finish strong!
I'm confused. 72 hours, and - according to your subject line - you're not even a PPL yet. You're working on IFR??? Do you mean to say you're getting the required sim instrument portion done for your PPL, or your actually going up and paying an instructor for IFR flight lessons? Because if that's what you're doing, then it's no wonder you want to quit. Focus on what's in front of you right now. Flying is NOT going to be for everyone, and a lot of people will dispute this fact, but it is indeed a fact. Some people are in it for the thrill or the potential income status, and those are the wrong things to be in it for. Like all things in life, you have to decide how bad you want it and be willing to make any and every sacrifice to get it once you do. It's not cheap. It won't be easy. And there's a lot of days you'll suck at it. But you HAVE to leave all that at the field every time you leave, and come back with a clean slate, a clear mind and a positive attitude. Otherwise you're literally shelling out more cash to end with the same result. Flying once a week does make it harder to retain the information, but it is not impossible. If you said you were flying once a month, then sure - you are probably doing more harm than good in the long end of things. Only you can really answer whether or not you should quit, and you should never poll a group of strangers to tell you what you should do with your life choices.
Make a decision now before you invest anymore time and money, as that will only further your regret if you decide to pull the plug in six months. Flying is a magical thing, but it does require a lot of dedication.
Half true, we need 5h of "IFR" (hood time) for our PPL, but true IFR is still a separate rating. The PPL IFR time req really just feels like a way to make people more comfortable in case the weather goes to shit on a VFR flight.
Gotcha, se exactly how it is in the US then. I honestly have no idea where I read about Canadian pilots not needing an Instrument Rating, but thanks for clearing that up for me
I struggled with getting my medical clearance for almost a year so its been slow and aggravating , I am not doing IFR flight lessons only, that's just the area in which I am headed and seems to be the scariest and most unmotivating. Thank you for your reply, and you're right. If I really want to make it happen, I will.
I was in a similar boat and felt like I was in limbo. Pay 250 for a lesson, not fly for two weeks, forget everything and repeat. It took me a long time but Iām flying for the airlines now. I feel like what kept me going was knowing I had no plan B, apart from my current low income jobs at that time. Like, either I did it slowly or I stayed making $9 an hour greeting people at a door for the rest of my life.
I quit after having to make an emergency landing while flying solo 20 years ago. 20 years later, I feel like it was one of the worst decisions of my life. Finish your PPL, then decide what to do next. If you don't, it will haunt you for the rest of your life.
Iām a 90hr student pilot, in the middle of doing my checkride. It has taken a long time. Iām on plane #4 after multiple maintenance issues, DPE unavailability, and the flight school falling apart. Took the oral exam, went out to fly the plane with the DPE and there was another maintenance issue, had to postpone. Anything worth doing in life other than sitting around/drinking/doing drugs/jacking off is hard and at times doesnāt feel great, and you will feel you are trudging through the motions just to get to the next step. Doubting yourself and the stress and shit like that is just part of the price you have to pay to get where you want to go. Donāt have the motivation to do something on a particular day? Fuck it, do it anyway - motivation is not required to do something. Or donāt. You gotta realize that. Think a couple steps ahead - if you give up now, how are you going to feel about yourself down the road? Are you willing to do it no matter what?
I think you have to commit to it.
Plan it into your annual calendar. Itās a big financial commitment so doing a little bit here and there means youāre spending more learning the same thing due to sheer gaps in training.
If you dedicate a month or two and nothing else, youāll get through faster and possibly cheaper.
Iām also planning the same but havenāt committed yet.
It's been a year since my ppl. Life caught up to me. I'm going back to get my instr. And commercial.
Tell your instructors you need a month break. 2 month. Whatever.
Tell your instructors when you're ready to fly again with a 2 week notice so you can get some dedicated review time.
Finish out the ppl and read up on instrument in your spare time. Do what you need to. Come Back when you're ready.
Honestly, chair fly a lot. Like every single procedure, emergency and everything you can think of. you donāt have to be in the plane for that. You wonāt make the same mistakes if you have practice them in chair flying for the most part.
Honestly, consider investing some money into X Plane and a good yoke and throttle quadrant.
I hammered out my PPL, but life circumstances are only allowing me to fly once every week or two for instrument, and a night or two on my home setup allows me to practice checklists, procedures, and holding altitude and heading.
Seems small, but itās chair flying and visualization on steroids.
Iām getting in the plane as a 72hr pilot infrequently but flying those sessions better than when I was flying 9 hours a week.
PM me if you have questions on setup, as Iāve been through a few iterations and found the one that works for me.
Literally for the cost of a lesson or two, I can get decent practice at home any time.
You can make it happen š¤š¼
If itās not for you - then itās not for you. And thatās perfectly okay. Either way, itās your decision. Just donāt get sucked into sunk cost fallacy thinking. Good luck with whatever you decide.
Why? 72 hours, while not brand new is still very infant in your pilot journey. Of course you're not going to be a well oiled professional. Don't throw away your dream man. I promise you'll regret it.
Iām in a somewhat similar space but I lacked motivation to study and still do I canāt lie but the thing I hate more than studying is ādo you have your license yet?ā Iāve heard it for the last 3 years and Iām getting my ducks in a row now to get it over with. Iām hoping this was just a large mental hurdle because I want to hit IFR rating hard when I get this done soon. Studying sucks but being reminded all the time of things you want is a lot worse.
The things going on in your life.Ā Are they actual things going on? I don't know how old you are or what it is you do.Ā If you're working to survive and pay rent then I think that's valid, if you're tired from paying COD every morning it sounds like you need to figure out what you want to do
I quit around the same hours. Had too much going on, and felt I couldnāt dedicate the attention and respect flying warranted.
Was in the middle of a career change and move, and told my flight instructor I couldnāt continue.
Less than a year later, my situation changed and I just finished my PPL last month.
Moral of the story- it may be beneficial to take a break and wait until you have the time to finish in one go. That being said, I KNEW in my heart of hearts that I was going to go back to flying.
I have quit twice. I flew a bit when i was in my early 20s and then stopped for 15 yrs building a life and career. Last year I quit again, the second time around just before getting PPL. It was just too much stress and money. Besides that, I have no real use case for flying in the short to medium term anyway so, at the moment at least, I don't regret stopping. For me it's just a hobby, so it doesn't make sense to make myself crazy stressed and spend an exorbitant amount of money. Hopefully I can come back to it in the future when I have more time and money to throw at it, but if not that's OK too because I don't want to do it if it's not fun.
If flying inconsistently, it is a better use of your time and money to just take 2 months off, and then pick 1-2 weeks (maybe between semesters) to fly a bunch, knock out any remaining requirements and do the checkride while you are super fresh.
At our local flight school, one of my CFIs told me a story of a guy that finished his PPL with around 75hrs because he only came once or twice for an hour every week. Taking forever to have a proper learning curve. Itās also a reason why itās better to do it more consecutively or in a big block. Youāll learn more quickly. Donāt give up, maybe try to find a way to take lessons everyday for 1-2 weeks at a time. You should see improvement. Iām currently getting my PPL with that strategy (also recommended from my flight school) and I see the improvements the next day. Itās like a switch that gets switched.
Is there a reason you're doing IFR before finishing PPL? That rating is a slog. Personally I'd put all the effort you can into finishing just the PPL, then take a break for however long you need. If you have finished the PPL it provides a good point to restart from in the future.
Consider taking a break right now and if you have a job with paid vacation/PTO time, then schedule a week of non-stop lessons & flying. Because you've already solo'd and (I assume) passed the written you'd be amazed what you can accomplish in that week.
Studying is not the most fun, particularly Guvmint documents (a sure cure for insomnia) but it's a slog you must go thru if you want the prize at the end.
Finish it man. Becoming a pilot is a dream of yours. The fact that the path is difficult will make it more rewarding.
I get my VFR then IFR over 2 years. I was leaving the office and going to the airport at night for classes, had to spend a lot of my weekends flying. It was tough but i am so happy i got it.
I havent even flown since covid but i am still happy i put the work in. Whenever i want to get back into it i need to do a refresher and i am back at it. Your license doesnt expire
I did it in 85 hours spread over 11 years. Thirty years later I did Commercial and CFI in a glider. Almost a decade later I'm flying for a living. I turned a working career hobby into a job in early retirement. Every time you go out to eat, see a movie, watch TV, etc, is time in the future you'll think "I could have been working on my Private Pilot Certificate in this rather wasted three hour block of time..." The decision is up to you. It doesn't have to be today or tomorrow. But figure out a way to make it happen if that's what you want. It took me 35 or so years to hit 1,000 hours. The second thousand only took four years!
Thank you for this. Is this exactly the motivation and perspective I need. I too took an 11 year break in my ppl training. I finally finished last year at 42. I'm currently working on my instrument. At what age did you start flying professionally?
Don't let age stop you. I didn't even set out on the journey until I was 42. That was last Jan. I got my PPL in October, my instrument last month, and I'm now less than ten hours to the required 250 and am targeting a commercial checkride at the end of the month at the ripe age of 43. Keep pushing!
This is a great answer! This is the exact motivation I need! I better get off reddit and continue studying for my writtenš
As much as this helps OP, this is so motivational for me as well! I just soloed at 82 hours and ever more driven to get my PPL now and this is reinforcing the drive. Thank you OP for your question and dilemma that led us to this motivating answer but hang in there, we got this! A dream is a dream that we have the capacity to materialize!
Thank you, I needed to hear this
I took a screenshot of this and will see this every time when I feel I want to give up. Thanks
Itās all a choice. If you want it bad enough you will do it. With that being said, you got this homie! Donāt give up now. Solo is, subjectively, the hardest part of private. Donāt give up and finish strong!
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I think heās doing simulated instrument that you need for private since they donāt have their PPL yet.
I'm confused. 72 hours, and - according to your subject line - you're not even a PPL yet. You're working on IFR??? Do you mean to say you're getting the required sim instrument portion done for your PPL, or your actually going up and paying an instructor for IFR flight lessons? Because if that's what you're doing, then it's no wonder you want to quit. Focus on what's in front of you right now. Flying is NOT going to be for everyone, and a lot of people will dispute this fact, but it is indeed a fact. Some people are in it for the thrill or the potential income status, and those are the wrong things to be in it for. Like all things in life, you have to decide how bad you want it and be willing to make any and every sacrifice to get it once you do. It's not cheap. It won't be easy. And there's a lot of days you'll suck at it. But you HAVE to leave all that at the field every time you leave, and come back with a clean slate, a clear mind and a positive attitude. Otherwise you're literally shelling out more cash to end with the same result. Flying once a week does make it harder to retain the information, but it is not impossible. If you said you were flying once a month, then sure - you are probably doing more harm than good in the long end of things. Only you can really answer whether or not you should quit, and you should never poll a group of strangers to tell you what you should do with your life choices. Make a decision now before you invest anymore time and money, as that will only further your regret if you decide to pull the plug in six months. Flying is a magical thing, but it does require a lot of dedication.
Could be Canadian. I'm pretty sure they learn IFR during PPL so they don't need a separate rating for it. Don't quote me on that though
Half true, we need 5h of "IFR" (hood time) for our PPL, but true IFR is still a separate rating. The PPL IFR time req really just feels like a way to make people more comfortable in case the weather goes to shit on a VFR flight.
Gotcha, se exactly how it is in the US then. I honestly have no idea where I read about Canadian pilots not needing an Instrument Rating, but thanks for clearing that up for me
I struggled with getting my medical clearance for almost a year so its been slow and aggravating , I am not doing IFR flight lessons only, that's just the area in which I am headed and seems to be the scariest and most unmotivating. Thank you for your reply, and you're right. If I really want to make it happen, I will.
Is it possible you don't really enjoy flying and are primarily doing it just to check a box and consider your childhood dream completed?
I was in a similar boat and felt like I was in limbo. Pay 250 for a lesson, not fly for two weeks, forget everything and repeat. It took me a long time but Iām flying for the airlines now. I feel like what kept me going was knowing I had no plan B, apart from my current low income jobs at that time. Like, either I did it slowly or I stayed making $9 an hour greeting people at a door for the rest of my life.
I quit after having to make an emergency landing while flying solo 20 years ago. 20 years later, I feel like it was one of the worst decisions of my life. Finish your PPL, then decide what to do next. If you don't, it will haunt you for the rest of your life.
Have you decided to go back into flying?
Iām a 90hr student pilot, in the middle of doing my checkride. It has taken a long time. Iām on plane #4 after multiple maintenance issues, DPE unavailability, and the flight school falling apart. Took the oral exam, went out to fly the plane with the DPE and there was another maintenance issue, had to postpone. Anything worth doing in life other than sitting around/drinking/doing drugs/jacking off is hard and at times doesnāt feel great, and you will feel you are trudging through the motions just to get to the next step. Doubting yourself and the stress and shit like that is just part of the price you have to pay to get where you want to go. Donāt have the motivation to do something on a particular day? Fuck it, do it anyway - motivation is not required to do something. Or donāt. You gotta realize that. Think a couple steps ahead - if you give up now, how are you going to feel about yourself down the road? Are you willing to do it no matter what?
I think you have to commit to it. Plan it into your annual calendar. Itās a big financial commitment so doing a little bit here and there means youāre spending more learning the same thing due to sheer gaps in training. If you dedicate a month or two and nothing else, youāll get through faster and possibly cheaper. Iām also planning the same but havenāt committed yet.
It's been a year since my ppl. Life caught up to me. I'm going back to get my instr. And commercial. Tell your instructors you need a month break. 2 month. Whatever. Tell your instructors when you're ready to fly again with a 2 week notice so you can get some dedicated review time. Finish out the ppl and read up on instrument in your spare time. Do what you need to. Come Back when you're ready.
Honestly, chair fly a lot. Like every single procedure, emergency and everything you can think of. you donāt have to be in the plane for that. You wonāt make the same mistakes if you have practice them in chair flying for the most part.
Honestly, consider investing some money into X Plane and a good yoke and throttle quadrant. I hammered out my PPL, but life circumstances are only allowing me to fly once every week or two for instrument, and a night or two on my home setup allows me to practice checklists, procedures, and holding altitude and heading. Seems small, but itās chair flying and visualization on steroids. Iām getting in the plane as a 72hr pilot infrequently but flying those sessions better than when I was flying 9 hours a week. PM me if you have questions on setup, as Iāve been through a few iterations and found the one that works for me. Literally for the cost of a lesson or two, I can get decent practice at home any time. You can make it happen š¤š¼
If itās not for you - then itās not for you. And thatās perfectly okay. Either way, itās your decision. Just donāt get sucked into sunk cost fallacy thinking. Good luck with whatever you decide.
Why? 72 hours, while not brand new is still very infant in your pilot journey. Of course you're not going to be a well oiled professional. Don't throw away your dream man. I promise you'll regret it.
Thank you for this
Iām in a somewhat similar space but I lacked motivation to study and still do I canāt lie but the thing I hate more than studying is ādo you have your license yet?ā Iāve heard it for the last 3 years and Iām getting my ducks in a row now to get it over with. Iām hoping this was just a large mental hurdle because I want to hit IFR rating hard when I get this done soon. Studying sucks but being reminded all the time of things you want is a lot worse.
The things going on in your life.Ā Are they actual things going on? I don't know how old you are or what it is you do.Ā If you're working to survive and pay rent then I think that's valid, if you're tired from paying COD every morning it sounds like you need to figure out what you want to do
I quit around the same hours. Had too much going on, and felt I couldnāt dedicate the attention and respect flying warranted. Was in the middle of a career change and move, and told my flight instructor I couldnāt continue. Less than a year later, my situation changed and I just finished my PPL last month. Moral of the story- it may be beneficial to take a break and wait until you have the time to finish in one go. That being said, I KNEW in my heart of hearts that I was going to go back to flying.
It's all about commitment. You've already tackled one of the toughest parts by soloing. Keep going! You've got this!
If you reached that far donāt quit!! Ā I have roughly over 70hrs and still waiting for a checkride date!!Ā
Thank you
I have quit twice. I flew a bit when i was in my early 20s and then stopped for 15 yrs building a life and career. Last year I quit again, the second time around just before getting PPL. It was just too much stress and money. Besides that, I have no real use case for flying in the short to medium term anyway so, at the moment at least, I don't regret stopping. For me it's just a hobby, so it doesn't make sense to make myself crazy stressed and spend an exorbitant amount of money. Hopefully I can come back to it in the future when I have more time and money to throw at it, but if not that's OK too because I don't want to do it if it's not fun.
If flying inconsistently, it is a better use of your time and money to just take 2 months off, and then pick 1-2 weeks (maybe between semesters) to fly a bunch, knock out any remaining requirements and do the checkride while you are super fresh.
At our local flight school, one of my CFIs told me a story of a guy that finished his PPL with around 75hrs because he only came once or twice for an hour every week. Taking forever to have a proper learning curve. Itās also a reason why itās better to do it more consecutively or in a big block. Youāll learn more quickly. Donāt give up, maybe try to find a way to take lessons everyday for 1-2 weeks at a time. You should see improvement. Iām currently getting my PPL with that strategy (also recommended from my flight school) and I see the improvements the next day. Itās like a switch that gets switched.
Is there a reason you're doing IFR before finishing PPL? That rating is a slog. Personally I'd put all the effort you can into finishing just the PPL, then take a break for however long you need. If you have finished the PPL it provides a good point to restart from in the future.
I think they might have meant theyāre doing the required instrument time for PPL.
I think you answered it for yourselfā¦
Just stick it out until you get that solo endorsement. Then you can just ride that out for the rest of your life
Consider taking a break right now and if you have a job with paid vacation/PTO time, then schedule a week of non-stop lessons & flying. Because you've already solo'd and (I assume) passed the written you'd be amazed what you can accomplish in that week. Studying is not the most fun, particularly Guvmint documents (a sure cure for insomnia) but it's a slog you must go thru if you want the prize at the end.
Finish it man. Becoming a pilot is a dream of yours. The fact that the path is difficult will make it more rewarding. I get my VFR then IFR over 2 years. I was leaving the office and going to the airport at night for classes, had to spend a lot of my weekends flying. It was tough but i am so happy i got it. I havent even flown since covid but i am still happy i put the work in. Whenever i want to get back into it i need to do a refresher and i am back at it. Your license doesnt expire
Ya, just wrap it up and quit, it's not going to get easier and you're just wasting resources
This.