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Aviation => Pilot/Controller Forum => Topic started by: akwstanley on May 22, 2009, 07:01:25 PM

Title: average hours till Private Pilot check ride?
Post by: akwstanley on May 22, 2009, 07:01:25 PM
Okay, I now have about 70 hours and still working on all I need to know for my check ride...my instructor tells me I'm doing fine, but I feel like I'm a really slow learner! Just curious what some other student pilots are up to in hours? I'm getting close...I think!
Title: Re: average hours till Private Pilot check ride?
Post by: otto_pilot on May 23, 2009, 09:50:37 AM
I did part 141 for my ppl i took my test w/ 45 hrs. Every person takes a different amount of time; it all depends on a lot of different things. I'm sure your doing great.
Title: Re: average hours till Private Pilot check ride?
Post by: Marty Becker on May 23, 2009, 01:38:08 PM
In 1981, I did my PPL in 42 hours, soloing in 8.  As Anthony said, every person takes a different amount of time.  I do believe people are taking longer these days than 20-30 years ago.  Why, I have no idea.

Good luck! No matter how long it takes, it's worth it. :-D
Title: Re: average hours till Private Pilot check ride?
Post by: Robin Rebhan on May 23, 2009, 03:12:53 PM
    I took 58 hours over one year and 3 months. Money to fly, age ( 55 ) family, work ( two jobs - fatigue ), and weather led to a lot of regression due to lapses in flying time. I may not have had money or time to fly weeks at a time. Which also was a problem for getting my IFR rating ( 65 hours ). I am now working on my Commercial.
    Regression by the way is where you go backwards in skill, hand eye muscle coordination due to lapse in training. And then have to do reviews to catch up quicker.
     That said, I had a lot of flying experience and training by time I got my IFR which in the long run made me a better pilot.
     I had determined to get IFR rating if it killed me attitude that really helped, along with a one very patient flight instructor.

     If it were easy, everybody would be doing it!

     

Title: Re: average hours till Private Pilot check ride?
Post by: Shabadoo on May 24, 2009, 05:06:28 PM
Don't sweat it.  It took me around the same amount of hours as you, mostly due to a lapse in training because of poor weather where I live and financial difficulties which made lessons hard to afford.  Its different for everyone but just think of it as making you that much of a better pilot.  And if you are planning on getting your CPL, it doesnt make a difference anyways beacuse hours are hours.  Getting the PPL is not an easy task, and only a very small percentage of the world population are pilots.  So don't worry about how long its taking you, and be proud of yourself for getting this far!  All that matters is that you will be a pilot, and most people dont have the smarts and persistence that you do.  You stand out among your peers as doing something that humans were not designed to naturally do.  Being able to fly is one of the most amazing things that you can do in life.  So keep it up my friend, and don't ever get discouraged!
Title: Re: average hours till Private Pilot check ride?
Post by: otto_pilot on May 25, 2009, 01:13:25 AM
Getting the PPL is not an easy task, and only a very small percentage of the world population are pilots.  So don't worry about how long its taking you, and be proud of yourself for getting this far!  All that matters is that you will be a pilot, and most people dont have the smarts and persistence that you do.  You stand out among your peers as doing something that humans were not designed to naturally do.  Being able to fly is one of the most amazing things that you can do in life.  So keep it up my friend, and don't ever get discouraged!

VERY VERY VERY  well put.

A checkride ought to be like a skirt, short enough to be interesting but still be long enough to cover everything.

I found that quote on a website and thought you might find a bit of humor in it.
Title: Re: average hours till Private Pilot check ride?
Post by: ozziecat35 on June 02, 2009, 01:33:34 PM
Agree with the above poster, you should be proud you've gotten this far!!! Some people pick it up quicker than others. Who knows, you may pick up the Instrument stuff than others. To answer your question though, I solo'd at 11 hours, Private Checkride @ 43 hours, and Instrument (Part 141) at 80-85 hours.
Title: Re: average hours till Private Pilot check ride?
Post by: onesierrawhiskey on June 25, 2009, 12:53:17 AM
[deleted]
Title: Re: average hours till Private Pilot check ride?
Post by: Eng/Pilot on August 14, 2009, 11:06:17 AM
Solo @ 11.0, Private @ 40.2, Instrument @ 106.5
Title: Re: average hours till Private Pilot check ride?
Post by: keith on August 14, 2009, 01:41:19 PM
The numbers mean very little.  They are a function of how often you fly, the region in which you fly, the effectiveness of your instructor, and of course, your ability to learn.

I don't recall when I went solo, but I know I got my PPL at around the 90-100hr mark, purely because I was having so much fun with my repeated solo XC endorsements, it was practically like having a PPL, so I was in no rush.

Don't sweat the numbers one little bit.  If you're concerned about your progress, talk to you instructor and ask what he/she feels you need to work on to be ready for the test.
Title: Re: average hours till Private Pilot check ride?
Post by: geoflyer on August 19, 2009, 03:52:00 PM
I agree with everyone else, though this is a question I've been asking myself lately as well.  I'm a student pilot with about 45 hours.  I soloed at 39 hours and I'm about to undertake my first solo XC this weekend.  Lots of things can influence how long it takes and how fast you learn - I'm a graduate student and also working (double mental fatigue) so definitely my alertness and ability to learn change from lesson to lesson. 

I think that as long as you feel like you're making progress, it doesn't matter how long it takes.  I've heard other pilots say that if it's taking a really long time then it might be the instructor that's the problem, not the student. 

Good luck!  :)
Title: Re: average hours till Private Pilot check ride?
Post by: wampler24 on August 25, 2009, 02:40:23 PM
Solo@ 8 hours. PPT at 41 and working in instrument now. Took me two months but I flew a lot and often. I think that is the only reason I could do it that fast. Another guy I fly with has 62 hours and has not yet taken the test. He has spread his out over the past year.
Title: Re: average hours till Private Pilot check ride?
Post by: SCMichel on August 28, 2009, 09:24:38 AM
Solo = 11
PP Checkride = 78

Whole year off between due to moving and paying two mortgages.  :(
Title: Re: average hours till Private Pilot check ride?
Post by: Inferno on August 31, 2009, 03:17:41 AM
Solo:20 (required by law to wait until 20 hours for solo in R22)
PPT Check ride: 42 or so (over 40 because of scheduling issues)

This was for my rotorcraft license. I did this in the span of 1.5 months though.  If you take breaks, or don;t fly on a daily/ semi-daily basis, i can easily see how it could take longer. Don;t give up. You're almost there! Just remember on your check ride to not take it lightly. My instructor failed to stress just how intense the ground portion was going to be. Needless to say, that was just about the most painful 4 hours of my life.

Good luck!
Title: Re: average hours till Private Pilot check ride?
Post by: aviatorchick on October 29, 2009, 12:28:11 AM
My first post! Soloed at 34, license at 67, this past August.....My lessons were spread over 11 months.
Title: Re: average hours till Private Pilot check ride?
Post by: ThirtyEcho on November 03, 2009, 02:45:58 AM
Frequency is the thing. If you fly once a week, you are 90% "rusty" by the next lesson and have to re-learn things you had almost mastered last week. Most of all, this is not a race, take the time to be safe.

Title: Re: average hours till Private Pilot check ride?
Post by: FlyAuburn13 on November 06, 2009, 12:54:05 AM
I started my training at age 15 and spread it out over pretty much 3 years.  I ended up getting my private with 90 hours.  It really is just a matter of how often you fly.  Don't sweat it and just have fun learning.
Title: Re: average hours till Private Pilot check ride?
Post by: pocho on November 06, 2009, 02:36:06 AM
Got mine at 58 hrs. I started at 14 yrs old... soloed a week after my 16th birthday. I took my time so I ended up getting my PPL at age 18.

I flew about once a month on a weekend all throughout high school. It wasn't until I was nearing the checkride that I flew about twice a month.

The more off time between flights, though, the more you need to study/review on your own at home so you won't forget everything for the next lesson.
Title: Re: average hours till Private Pilot check ride?
Post by: Gaby on November 11, 2009, 10:33:15 AM
Hi,

I got my first Solo flight at 6.5 hours and my PPL at 42 hours. i guess the most important thing is that to make your instructor feels that you are a safe pilot by mastering all emergency procedures.

Good luck anyway!
Title: Re: average hours till Private Pilot check ride?
Post by: melika on January 15, 2010, 10:13:21 AM
I performed my first solo flight after 13 hours (as it was the policy of my school) :wink:
then after passing axams of ppl, the check ride was at ride 41.
for ppl  it took about 9 months (all of the courses and flights but flights lasted about 2 months). 
in my country when i was studying the minimum time of flying experience for ppl was 40 hours and for cpl was 140 hours and 20 hours for instrument rating. (now it has increased).
Title: Re: average hours till Private Pilot check ride?
Post by: timcfi on November 13, 2010, 01:51:14 PM
Solo: 8.8
Pvt: 40.5
Total Time: 12 months

Now as a flight school owner, I've learned a LOT about averages.  The above posts are very correct, there are many variables.  The claimed national average is up to around 75, but we see an average of 50 at our school.  We have both towered & non-towered fields in the school, and the non-tower students average about 5 hours less, but the tower students are also better on the radio.  My own students range from 40 to 60 hours.

Good luck and have fun!

- timcfi
www.IowaFlightTraining.com
Title: Re: average hours till Private Pilot check ride?
Post by: dentaylor on January 30, 2011, 06:16:52 PM
Frequency does matter. I solo'd at 12. Signed off for the checkride at 68. I went 3-4 weeks without flying sometimes. Some flights I would spend 1/2 the time just flying around instead of practicing (got bored with the manuevers). I try to fly once a week but I hold down a family and a full-time job so it took me about a year of training. I figured there's no real 'end' to this since you never stop learning/training. Might as well take my time and not focus on hours. Instrument training is next on the list.
Title: Re: average hours till Private Pilot check ride?
Post by: Bobtron_14 on February 15, 2011, 04:34:07 PM
Frequency and type of training are key for the time it takes. If you take lessons privately, you most likely are flying based on your personal schedule, meaning once a week or less. Another factor with private lessons is that people frequently run out of money to spend on lessons and have to take a break for a month or more to regenerate the funds to fly. Both infrequent lessons and breaks for money lead to your skills fading and requires lots of extra time to get the feel for the plane back. I'm flying at a Part 141 college and I fly up to 3 times a week given that the weather is good.

Solo in 12.5 hrs
Private Checkride in 40.7 hrs
Private Training day 1 to checkride - 6 months to the day
Title: Re: average hours till Private Pilot check ride?
Post by: kchskrs on March 24, 2011, 01:40:32 PM
Solo:  10 hrs
PPL:  45 hrs
Time:  9 months

I had hoped to get my Private in 4-5 months, but my work schedule, weather (this is a big one!), CFI scheduling conflicts, etc. dragged it out to 9 months.  Tried to fly at least twice per week during training, but typically only got in an hour or so per week.  And at some point during your training, you'll feel like you've hit a plateau or regressed in some area.  For me, it was crosswind landings, right before I was set to take my checkride.  I swear, it got to where I didn't want to go up if there was a 10kt+ wind blowing.  The week leading up to the ride, my CFI and I went out and just nailed them out until I was comfortable again.

It's not about how much time it takes.  It's about being a safe pilot.
Title: Re: average hours till Private Pilot check ride?
Post by: jmatthews70 on April 20, 2011, 05:37:45 PM
Private at 86, got divorced six months after starting, worked in Russia for a year and a half in the middle, and moved 1000 miles before the end. Started in Dec 2005,  Started again after the move Dec 2007 and finished May 2008.

Instrument started June 2010, and finished March 30, 2011 +/- 50 hours for that one.

Don't think of it as more hours, think of it as more experience!
Title: Re: average hours till Private Pilot check ride?
Post by: mak8409 on June 17, 2011, 10:14:50 AM
No hours yet, but as my first post on this site and as a military human factors instructor for over 20 years, I have to say you have received some meaningful replies with lots of encouragement and key points being identified.  For me, the most meaningful response was to talk to your instructor.  No communication in most circumstances is negative communication.  An open and honest relationship with your instructor is crucial to a successful outcome and also a pleasurable experience.  Everyone should feel comfortable in sharing their thoughts, ideas, questions, and concerns with their instructor.  If the conversation doesn't go as expected, speak to the senior instructor or chief pilot.  Maybe a new pairing with a different instructor may be in order.  CONGRATS on your progress so far and keep at it!