A pilot certificate is the key to many life changing experiences.
Flight training at Dodge County Airport outside Juneau, Wisconsin was the star of a recent article, some much needed good press for learning to fly.
According to the article, the perks of flying are greater than the costs. Chief among the perks is the scenic and transcendental nature of flights. From birds and familiar landmarks, to the idyllic fall flight to see the colors, there nothing like flying to show you the beauty all around. The sense of solitude available to pilots creates a transcendental experience unparalleled by anything available on the ground.
According to the general manager of Wisconsin Aviation, Tim Bentheimer, they offer flight instruction for a number of ratings and certificates at the Dodge County Airport. The school has a private pilot ground school starting January 13.
Bentheimer also addresses the issue of the decaying population of new pilots. Citing AOPA, he indicates a decline in private pilot certificates issued from 2009 to 2010 of a third. Worse, while the number of medical certificates issued remained the same, the number of student pilots issued medical certificates who completed their training declined by more than a third over the same period.
According to Bentheimer and Glen Ingram, a flight instructor, cost and time commitments required by flight training can be excessive if only considered on the surface. With the cost of a private pilot certificate hovering at just about $8,000, flight training can be a difficult sale. According to Ingram, it is important to attend lessons regularly. The reaction most people have is to string out lessons and spread out the impact of costs, but this usually leads to an increase in costs because the lessons become less efficient.
One thing virtually all pilots can agree on is that the perks of learning to fly greatly outweigh the expense. Considering the freedom of being able to go anywhere and do almost anything, $8000 dollars seems like a deal. If you aren’t keen on the freedom or scenery, maybe you’re not a fan of the new TSA regulations for commercial flying, good news, the same $8000 dollars gets you out of the security lines and into the air.
For more information on flight training and choosing the right school, check out our Flight Training Resource Center or find flight training near you.
