Flying an airplane is not only loads of fun, but it also lets you get to far-off places – the beach, the Florida theme parks, or to visit distant relatives – very quickly, and without the hassle of crowded highways.  

You can buy your own airplane – for less than you might think – or you can rent an airplane.  

How to Get Started

The first step is to find an instructor.  

If you live in the Golden Strip, or anywhere in Greenville County, the closest airports are the Greenville Municipal Airport and Donaldson Airport.  Greenville Municipal is home to several flight schools.  At Donaldson Airport, visit Donaldson Jet, which also has instructors available.  

Find an instructor whom you enjoy working with.  Most instructors, like most people, are friendly and helpful.  But just as there are some people with whom it is easier for you to get along with and build a pleasant relationship, picking the instructor that seems best for you is a good idea.  

Granted airplanes can a bit more expensive than automobiles, but there are airplanes that are fairly economical.  Airplanes from the late-1960s through the early 1980s that are well-maintained are often the best choices.  

When you are a student pilot, the only people who can be in your airplane are you and your instructor.  So a two-seater airplane is the most economical choice.  A two-seater can be yours for about $30,000.  

Once you get your license, the two-seater is still a good choice; its economical cost means you can go flying more frequently without busting your budget.  If your only passenger is your spouse or a friend, a two-seater is all you need.  Think of a two-seater as a “compact”; small, but it will take you anywhere you want to go.

If you have kids, or want to be able to take a couple friends along, then once you get your pilot’s license, you can buy a four-seater.  They cost about twice as much as a two-seater, but when you sell your two-seater, you already have half of a four-seater’s purchase price.

An airplane is more expensive than a car, but it gets you where you want to go much more quickly.  An airplane saves you a lot of time, letting you have more time to do the things you want.  What is your time worth?

Training to be a Pilot

Training involves two major parts:  “ground school”, which makes sure you are familiar with the technical, safety, and legal issues involved in flying an airplane, and flight training.  

Flight training – flying an airplane – builds your ability to actually fly an airplane.  Generally, training flights are about an hour long.  If possible, plan on scheduling your time to allow you to fly twice a week.  

Taking lessons twice a week helps you retain what you have learned.  If you take lessons less frequently, you will forget some of what you have already learned.  Lessons are expensive enough that having to re-learn particular details means paying good money unnecessarily.  Minimize the gaps from one lesson to the next.

Your instructor will require you to buy your first “log book”.  In your log book, you record all of your flying time.  Your instructor will likely make the first entries, but eventually you will maintain your log book.

One of the most important log book entries is the record of your first solo flight!  That is one of the most unforgettable flights in every pilot’s life!  

Health

A pilot is required to have his health checked every few years by a local FAA Medical Examiner.  That exam assures you are physically capable of flying an airplane.  Wearing glasses is not a problem; eyesight requirements are the same as for driving a car:  20-40 or better, with glasses.  Most other medical conditions that are acceptable for driving a car will also be okay to fly an airplane; some may require obtaining a special waiver.

Flying is Fun!

Going flying to watch the sunset, flying along the mountains and lakes, traveling to a distant destination, and more are all good reasons to get your pilot license.  600,000 other people in the U.S. are pilots; you should be one, too!

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