Greetings from KSAC

[Tailspin]

Hello all..
My name is Mark Harris and I am in Sacramento, CA.
My home airport is KSAC but I am taking lessons at 1O3 (Lodi, CA)
I took my first flight lesson in 1988, in San Diego...
Since then I have only accumulated 35 hours because of life interrupted.
Recently I decided to suspend my PPL goal in the C172..
Instead I am now heading fast to getting a Light Sport License...
I am fast tracking my training with 2 lessons a day in the Evektor Sportstar...
Today I finished Turns around a point and a 100 nm round trip cross country,
along with takeoffs and landings. Continuing to focus on nose up taxi practicing..Good to be here....

[SportPilot]

.......

[Tailspin]

I plan to obtain my sport license before the end of October..
Then fly for 6 months and return to the C172...
It's a lot cheaper to acquire the additional hours in the sportstar..
Also the sportstar is a joy to fly, light on her feet and very responsive..
No where near as heavy as the C172, so you don't have to work so much...
My plan is: Light Sport - PPL - Instrument - multi engine, within 4 years...

Mark

[drseti]

My plan is: Light Sport - PPL - Instrument - multi engine, within 4 years...

Several thoughts, Mark:

(1) Welcome aboard!

(2) Glad you have a plan.

(3) SP license is an ideal portal of entry, and a great stepping-stone to higher ratings, if done correctly. Be sure to discuss your upgrade path with your CFI, to make sure you get everything in the right sequence to minimize duplication of effort.

(4) The day after you get your Instrument rating, I would strongly recommend you start on Commercial maneuvers. Whether you ever plan to get a commercial license or not. Reason: IFR training is heads-down flying. The most dangerous pilot in VMC is one with a recently acquired Instrument rating. All Commercial maneuvers are done by outside visual reference. So, learning them immeiately after completing instrument training will teach you to look outside again. (Actually getting the Commercial ticket is entirely optional, but do please get the training.)

(5) Welcome aboard!

[Tailspin]

Thanks a bunch Paul!
My instructor is Bill Bardin of California Sport Aviation, who specialises in Light Sport & Ultralights.

http://www.californiasportaviation.com/index.html

He has that rare combination of likability along with patience and overwhelming knowledge..
I came to him with 35 hours in the C172 since 1988. He understood my experience in simulation and
recent lessons in the C172. Fast tracking my LS license was my decision, and he heartily felt that I could handle it.
Sometimes I have a hard day, like yesterday. 100nm R/T, 2 airports, Completeing my turns around a point and takeoff/landings.
3 hours in all, phew! The idea of moving to multi engine may never happen. My only child goes to college in 3 years and then we are empty nesters.
The C172SP would be the perfect choice for us on our long distance trips from the Sacramento Valley. Right now, I am loving the Sportstar.
If I came into $60K tomorrow, I would seriously think about buying a 2005/2006. Although, I heard about the annual cost of having an aircraft, including
renting a hanger, and it may be more prudent to rent from Bill. He keeps his Sportstar in tip top condition...

Mark

[Nomore767]

You could also consider buying the SportStar and leasing it back to the guy you rent from now.

If he keeps the airplanes in good shape and ensures those renting do things right he could be the right guy. You'd have knowledgeable
maintenance and care and could negotiate a discount rate on it, service and hangar costs.

If you look at the numbers you could get a lot more flying done because of reduced costs as well as ensuring it's frequently flown and well cared for.

Possibly something to think about?