Misjudged my budget for training

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XchowCowX@reddit (OP)

Thanks, I’ll come back stronger (and richer)

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gromm93@reddit

The general rule is that if you don't have all the money saved, but you can save, then save first, and train later.

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XchowCowX@reddit (OP)

Yeah I was seriously naive and underestimated fuel/rental costs. I saw rates and thought “oh I can afford this if I budget” but add in the consistency at 2-3 hour blocks, it adds up insanely quick.

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ResponsibilityOld164@reddit

I remember spending almost $800 in one day once and just having a sinking feeling in my stomach

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mr_d31ightfu1@reddit

just did a XC with my instructor & it was $900 haha 3.5 hours tho

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Kemerd@reddit

Honestly, and this isn’t financial advice. But what is some debt when you can fucking FLY!

Like, kings 200 years ago would’ve given their entire kingdoms up probably to get the chance to fly

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Torvaldicus_Unknown@reddit

That’s the attitude. Nothing worse than trying to do a very complex and uncertain task not knowing if you can even afford it (or afford to eat and sleep)

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Teabagger_Vance@reddit

The fuel cost increase really blew my budget out of the water.

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NoRadio4530@reddit

I started training in 2023 and I compared those prices to my most recent flights. I'm paying about $100 more an hour for dual than I was when I started. Wtf.

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JSTootell@reddit

What?

My gas just went up first the first time (small field, the tank lasts a while). It's costing me about $5 an hour in fuel more.

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WhiteoutDota@reddit

My airport manager said their fuel cost increased $2 (sleepy field in rural MA) from their supplier

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JSTootell@reddit

$2 a gallon shouldn't equate to an extra $100 an hour in the plane though.

$2 would be an extra $15 an hour in the 172 I rented when I was working on my PPL.

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WhiteoutDota@reddit

Nobody said it was. The commenter said 100/hr more for DUAL

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PleaseGreaseTheL@reddit

Woah, wtf? I just started at a new flying club in SoCal and their 150 is $115/hr wet. Where were you flying out of that prices got so crazy, if you dont mind me asking?

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PleaseGreaseTheL@reddit

Hugs for our northern brothers and sisters lol

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Teabagger_Vance@reddit

It’s insane. School added a surcharge for fuel and I get it but damn.

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NoRadio4530@reddit

Even just the instructor cost at my school has increased by 30%.

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ltcterry@reddit

Agree with your plan.

Save. Ratchet back expenses. Save more. Even if you never fly this is a better financial path. Clear some debts. Save.

A Private Pilot Certificate costs typically $18-20k. When you’ve saved this start flying.

Running out of money is a common reason 80% drop out.

Read Dave Ramsey and Clark Howard to get real world money smart.

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skunimatrix@reddit

I was expecting to be flying 2-3x per week. But the winds won't stop gusting at 30...

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I paused at 52 hours for the same reason. Honestly pausing early is the smarter move, I wish I had. When you come back, look into cash block time discounts at your school, most don’t advertise it but $1k cash up front got me a $100 match. I put together everything I learned the hard way into a little guide, lmk if you want it when you’re ready to come back.

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I-r0ck@reddit

It depends on if you’re flying for fun or for a career. I flew once per week and with weather it turned into 2-3/month and I got my private at 79 hours. If I had waited until I could fly more, I’m sure I would have gotten it in less time but I’m not doing this for a career so I didn’t really care.

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diqface@reddit

This is where I'm at just enjoying the ride. I'm making a final push of 6-10 flights per month for a couple months since I came into some money, but up until now, I've just flown once a week, and it's been fine. Rough at first, but still fun

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PLIKITYPLAK@reddit

Flying is a rapidly diminishing skill. If you only fly 2 to 3 times a month most of your focus is regaining the skills you lost during your time off. Save up your money until you can pay 2 to 3 times a week. This is very crucial especially pre-solo.

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MangledX@reddit

Yeah, that's definitely an undershoot on the budget. Two times a month is about as valuable as no times a month. Especially early on. Save until you can commit to at least two times a week.

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OrionX3@reddit

Pausing and getting the money so you can hit it harder is almost always the best strategy

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Double-Reflection838@reddit

I flew once or twice a month. Chair flew a lot, studied ground a lot, etc. It can work.

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Mega-Eclipse@reddit

At 10 hours, this seems like a better point to pause than getting closer to solo/checkride stage and running out of money then.

I don't know what you can afford (in terms of time and money). I was (and still am) a "once a week" flyer. My only regret was that i didn't do a bunch of flights over the first 2-3 weeks to build a foundation. Once a week is a very doable pace (I mean...I did it) If you have 10 hours right now and have the fundamentals and can afford once a week, then I would say stick with it. 3 times a month is also likely possible if you put in the work at home and maybe sneak in some longer flights when you can (not sure about 2x a month).

Obviously, if you can't, then you can't. Flying isn't cheap. But if you wait 6 months, those 10 hours are basically "gone" in terms of retaining the skills. Flying is like Cardio. You have to keep doing it to maintain it. And time-wise, 6 months can easily stretch into a year, or 3 or 5....

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DingleBurg2021@reddit

Try to do 2 flights a week if possible 3. Seemed like a sweet spot for me for retention of skills

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Icy_Construction9405@reddit

yeah, wait, is better to have enough to cover the ppl and dont worry about getting short of cash in the middle and then stop flying, losing skills etc

The wise move here is wait some months, save enough and continue later on.

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Prefect_99@reddit

Much better in solid blocks. If you can do at least a week at a time and 10 hours, even with breaks between the blocks it will be better overall.

I think I did 12 hours in 2005, 10 in about 2009 and then finished with a two week block in 2011. Test at 45 hours.

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Brevis001@reddit

A lot of people underestimate how much consistency matters early on, so your thinking isn’t off. Flying only a couple times a month can turn every lesson into a “relearn what I forgot” session, which slows progress and can actually cost more in the long run.

Pausing at \~10 hours is pretty reasonable you’ve gotten a feel for it without being deep into solo prep yet. Another option (if you haven’t considered it) is spacing lessons but adding some ground study or sim time in between to stay sharp.

Curious are you training at a busy school where scheduling is also a factor, or is it mostly just budget driving this?

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XchowCowX@reddit (OP)

Purely budget. I would like to just fly more; add in the consistency.

I believe 1x/week is doable, especially with a full time job, but I can tell I’d do my training more justice by flying more

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Skynet_lives@reddit

If you can sustain 2 to 3 times a month and won’t run out of money later it’s fine. Those of us hobby pilots this is the normal training schedule. It might take slightly longer than flying 3 times a week. But I still took my PPL checkride with 68hrs. I flew a few times a month and studied at home.

If you might runout of money later on even at that pace. Then yes, put the pin in it now and come back with more savings.

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rFlyingTower@reddit

This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:

Started PPL expecting to fly 2–3x/week, but reality is I can only afford 2–3x/month right now. I’m about 10 hours in and realizing this pace feels inefficient with too much relearning between lessons.

Thinking it may be smarter to pause now, save up, and return when I can fly more consistently.

At 10 hours, this seems like a better point to pause than getting closer to solo/checkride stage and running out of money then.

Am I right to think this?

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