[wdrzal]

As you know 40 hours is the minimum to take a private test, the national average is around 55 hours, some more if you don't prepare and seriously study.I seen 70 to 90 hours to get a private.

At the end of your training when you start cross country flights the hours add up. You should not need more than required hours of ground instruction,most instructors will sit down and debrief the flight and not charge. at least mine didn't,t Find a instructor you feel comfortable with.Stop and buy lunch once in a while as time allows. Treat your instructor well and most will reciprocate,but remember your the student,but it's OK to question instructors as they also make mistakes. just memorize the FAR's ,your flight book and manual and aircraft manual & parameters,many people fail the flight exam because they did not study the aircrafts paper work and have it all there and in order @ time of exam.study on your own and reduce ground training

I did my private in a aerospatial TB-9 wasn't fast red line was 120 knots,we usually flew 115.Nice trainer wide and high for broad shoulder tall guys,6'4" 220 and no problems has center console 54" wide,gull wing doors made in and out easy,great visibility and stall characteristics.. I paid 16 years ago 59.00 for plane/w/fuel and 21.00 for instructor. 80.00 a hour but full IFR duel nav-coms. and the plane was new 300 hours when I started,not a 40 year old Cessna. My instruction was before GPS & moving maps.

I could have rented a much older Cessna for 40.00 a hour plus 20.00 /instructor ,but ,tight fit and just didn't have the new modern radios and instruments in it. The 21.00 a hour extra was worth flying a new modern aircraft. Take this seriously,study hard,and safety in number 1 priority.PERIOD

Books,Boise head set,Jeppesen training manuals,AOPA membership,flight computer ,flight must haves like pilots watch,knee board ,red light etc,etc plus medical,exam & all the extras was around 5,500 in 1990.licensed in 46 hours I thought that was cheap and happy to fly a new plane.Even that a bracket came lose and threw off alternator belt and lost electrical power ,except for battery,& duel magnetos of course,shut off none essentials and made it back to a safe normal landing. was about 60 miles out when incident happened.twilight/VFR conditions.

Now the prices of portable nav/coms/gps dropped so low I keep one in my flight brief case.Crazy not too.

Good luck,have fun,but take your training serious,

I don't want to scare anyone but just go to the NTSB site and look at all the private pilot accidents,you'll be surprised how many each week.Far to high in my opinion,40 to 60 hours is not a lot of time so study, quadruple that on your own,especially meteorology.Thats a few weeks study all alone. I found reading complete accident reports taught me almost as much as a instructor, It's like all what not to do,or dumb things pilots done or like most accidents,its a string of mistakes put together.

VFR pilots getting into IFR conditions is one of the main reasons for crashes. Spend the money,Take the time and get IFR rated. As all experienced pilots will tell you,if you loose your ground references,you can get in real trouble real fast if you can't interpret your instrument CORRECTLY.

Flying is a incredible accomplishment and experience.I still remember when I solo'd. Do all your preflight,start and run-up checks, But as you roll down the runway picking up speed and reach V-R, you pull back a little on the yoke the plane jumps smoothly off the runway,faster than usual,THEN during your scan,you notice why,I said to myself "Now I done it,there NO INSTRUCTOR ,the right seats empty" for the first time. you realize it's up to you too land this plane,there is no one else."I got to do this perfect" you think ,all by myself,as you know your instructor and all the other pilots there are watching intensely. It's a thrill, excitement with a little touch of fear,not afraid,Too busy concentrating on procedures. But your heading into the unknown.Never landed with only 1 sole on board. WoW what a ride,remember it like I solo'd yesterday. 3 takeoffs & Landings and your off to buy a new shirt.