Most people think learning to fly, getting your private pilot's license is expensive or costs a lot of money. Expensive and costing a lot of money are two very subjective and relative expressions.

Expensive, well I find gas expensive when it goes up to $3 a gallon, because I still remember when I was only paying $1.50. The problem is, gas stations are everywhere and even though I only fill up every week, I see those prices every day. Can I afford $3 a gallon? Well I can, so why do I think it is expensive? It's because our brain gets bullied into thinking it is expensive.

Obviously, we want to minimize what we have to spend, and maximize what we make. There's an easy way to do that, just don't want anything more in life than you need to subsist. Sounds like fun doesn't it?

Another thing that characterizes us human beings, is that we always seem to want more than we need or have, except for those monastery folk, quite content never speaking to anyone again, eating bread and soup and reading the same book over and over again. I am a religious man, don't get me wrong, but that's not a life for me.

Anyway, back on topic, flying seems to suffer from being viewed as expensive and/or costly, whichever term you prefer. I'll be honest, not every one can afford to fly. If you are making minium wage, and you have to pay for food and bills, then you're probably not going to be able to afford this hobby. Then again, if you are in that situation, there are probably more pressing and urgent matters to take care of before you should want to fly.

One of my store managers, who has just started working for me and is very young, started to learn to fly as soon as it was legal for him to do so. By eighteen years of age, he had his private, his instrument and he is on his way to getting his commercial. What an achievement! Wish I had his self discipline, his motivation and dedication when I was his age. Now you are probably thinking that his parents are wealthy. Whether they are or not is irrelevant as he paid for all his flight training, by working part time in various jobs. He has 150 hours of flight time, averaging $100/hour for both plane and instructor for a total cost of $15,000 for his flight training. Over two years, working at a rate of $8 per hour, this represents working part time for 18 hours a week. That doesn't sound too bad. I could have managed that. Hmm, why didn't I do that at his age? Probably because I didn't have his motivation and self discipline, as I was quite content watching TV or playing video games (Atari at the time).

I know of another guy who washes planes to fulfill his dreams, and another is a mechanic, putting every hard earned penny into his hobby. Funnily, these guys rarely complain about the cost of flying.

And then I know guys that complain about the cost of flying, who own three cars, a motorcycle and a boat they never use.

So you see, there are a lot more people than you think that can afford to fly.