Happy 2011

Happy New Year and best wishes to all who read this. Lets start with an accounting of 2010:

This time last year I said


1) More cross countries

2) Aerobatic flight

3) Fly into Ohakea

4) Fly into Wellington

5) Pass my BFR

1) I flew one cross country I had not done before ( HN-NE-HN), but the rest was run of the mill stuff.
2) Nope.
3) Kinda moot because they didn't have an open day, but since I got to fly into Whenuapai instead I'll count this as a yes.
4) Nope
5) Yes.

Total hours for the year was 12.8 over 18 flights, 6 hours down on 2009.

Now for 2011:

1) Aerobatic flight
2) Get approval to land at Waiheke Island. I think I have enough hours now to handle this challenge.
3) Fly somewhere different (like Whangarei or Gisbourne)
4) Taildragger flight
5) Go for a ride in something cool

I haven't flown much over the Summer break due to finances. To put things in perspective, when I first started learning to fly the solo rate for a 172 was $175. Now the same plane costs $229. When you include the fact that sundry costs like Airways and Airport charges have also increased by a similar percentage, your dollar doesn't stretch as far and that means less hours in the air. I know I have said it before, but I am frankly quite worried that the day is approaching where I will have to stop flying because I can no longer afford to keep current to the point that I (and my instructors) feel I can fly safely.

Comments

Rodney said…
Not to mention a flight into Wellington? :-)

Happy new year!
James said…
And how many times did you need those three extra seats in the 172?

$100/hr will find you time in a microlight easily.

Down here we rent out a RANS S6 for $90/hr, and until recently we had a Tecnam available for $140/hr.

There's more to microlights (and LSA) than flying clotheslines :-)
Flyinkiwi said…
Its not the extra seats, its the 1100lb useful load I need (which roughly equates to the MAUW of a LSA plane).

I need to go on a diet! :)
Oshawapilot said…
Sadly GA is suffering the same fate in many places over here as well...flying will soon be a rich mans hobby, not something that the upper/middle could even think of affording anymore.