While I completely agree that going PPL is most likely a sure-fire route that I wouldn't regret, and if disposable funds weren't as limiting of a factor at this stage in my life we wouldn't even be having this conversation, nevertheless funds are unfortunately a factor, and a significant factor at that. The $1500-ish per month for rentals and sundries is exactly my major issue with the PPL route. I could technically make such an expenditure happen, but that would literally be all my savings potential per month. I simply cannot responsibly put myself or my family into such a marginal situation, not for a recreational hobby anyway. As much as I might love to go this route, it just doesn't pass my personal cost analysis and I don't realistically see that changing anytime soon. A sport certificate with LSA rental/purchases is a little better in the cost analysis, but still would be a bit of a stretch. And as you noted, renting LSAs is not nearly as simple as renting GA, so there's a clear negative to that cost-savings positive, at least until I'd be in a position to buy/build my own. (Not to mention, I HATE the idea of renting on principal. I hate that for the next few years, the wife and I have to rent our home. Might as well just wad up some $100 bills and light them on fire for as much long-term good renting does me. We're locked at the moment by school selection, but fortunately only for a few more years.)Originally Posted by CHICAGORANDY
Of course, as was noted, there often can be other avenues into aviation aside from a school. I may not be able to afford the glass slippers, but dang-nabbit, I can shoot the bull with folks who already have their ticket to the ball. Who knows what opportunities might come out of casual conversations at the field? I can clean bugs from windshields and oil grime from cowl flaps with the best of them, or mow grass, sweep hangars, whatever. And if PPG can give me a convenient excuse to start lurking at the field and building those relationships, so be it. I dig holes for a living with a shovel or trowel and my extended family to this day cannot understand that I'm not hunting for dinosaurs; we archaeologists are used to a bit of displaying our meagerness and not getting embarrassed, lol! (I jest, of course. We're certainly not Indiana Jones, but neither are we the "burger-flippers" of the sciences either. Archaeology definitely pays the bills and I live comfortably, just not enough to be particularly care-free. And of course my own stupidity with money in my youth put me in such a situation, which could be significantly better today if I had made different choices decades ago. Live and learn.)
So, my plan remains to get in the air by the method within my reach at this time. If I were 20 again, it'd be by hook or by crook to get in the air; but I'm not and other life responsibilities prevent me from being able to take that particular bull called PPL by the horns. Which is fine. I'm perfectly content with PPG being my starting point, and I know I will get a ton of enjoyment out of it, meet plenty of new people, learn a lot.
As I said, who knows what the future holds? I'm still relatively young, there's lots of time to expand upon the skills I start learning in PPG. I'm still planning that in a few years, I'll get that Sport license, and maybe look to buy an LSA. Or not buy the LSA and stick with PPG. Or upgrade to a tandem PPG. Or skip Sport and go straight to PPL if the right circumstances come about. Who knows? For now, I just want to get my foot in the door. Preferably without loosing the leg in the process, lol.
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