Happy New Year and best wishes to all who read this. Lets start with an accounting of 2010:
This time last year I said
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.
This time last year I said
1) I flew one cross country I had not done before ( HN-NE-HN), but the rest was run of the mill stuff.
1) More cross countries2) Aerobatic flight
3) Fly into Ohakea
4) Fly into Wellington
5) Pass my BFR
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
Happy new year!
$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 :-)
I need to go on a diet! :)