By: Todd Wheatley
(c) IQ-2k   Jan.2010

At times anticipation is much of the joy of flight. This is somewhat fortunate since the vast majority of pilots and prospective pilots must drive before slipping the surly bonds of earth. Yet the all too familiar ground phase (driving) tends to stifle the joy. Therefore many may miss the opportunity that an extended drive brings to the aviation experience. And while much of this information pertains to student pilots, all pilots should consider how driving can extend the range and shift the costs of the "$100 hamburger", fly-in golf, fly-in camping, a gambling trek, and other pleasurable activities involved with flight. Not to mention the ever present safety goals of proficiency and currency.

Still, there's nothing new about driving to fly. It has simply been made better through the power of the internet despite the extra planning, soul searching, and distances involved. The examples provided whether obvious, or new are designed to get you thinking. However the ability to shift costs should resonate now more than ever. Obviously cost remains omnipresent for some, but since the financial downturn many more pilots are looking to cut costs. The driving connection, however, is one of value and applies to good times as well as bad. You simply supplant the tangible cost of driving for the intangible value lost by "unproductive flight time".

It is important to note that measures of value are subjective and differ from person to person. But the act of valuing invariably originates from a transaction (aka. money). So this article will attempt to show that a small increase in driving expense can significantly increase the value of flying. In dollar terms it means that you can fly longer or more productively for the same amount of money.

Understanding the essence of "unproductive flight time" is the key. Unfortunately that recognition can be difficult since most flights are pleasant and enjoyable. Still the most obvious example would be the (unproductive) time it takes to reach the "practice area" from major metropolitan areas. Or given the reverse situation, the (unproductive) time to reach a tower controlled environment from rural areas. Whichever the case, an extended drive can enhance the value of flight provided that appropriate instruction can be combined through multiple flight schools. So let's find where "unproductive flight time" might exist.

A number of variables can be weighed against an extended drive, but the four with the greatest potential for value are: aircraft & instructor selection, weather, and location. However the intangibles of finding the perfect plane, instructor, weather, or location quickly outweigh a simple calculation. So perfection aside this article assumes that at least one variable, under limited circumstances, can markedly enhance the value of flight dollars.

For ease of calculation the following costs will apply: 20 MPG auto fuel efficiency at $3 per-gallon; $100/hr single-engine & $250/hr multi-engine rental expense. Needless to say these prices will fluctuate, but in unison. As such, a rise in driving expense will invariably be followed by a rise in flight expense though many flight schools are opting for a fuel surcharge rather than raising aircraft rates.

So let's begin with aircraft selection since it routinely becomes the motivation for initiating a driving to fly strategy. And you don't have to be a flying ace or even a licensed pilot to seek variety. Consequently the tailwheel, complex, or high performance endorsement allows pilots to extend their skill set without a structured flight test. But not all flight schools carry a variety of aircraft. Therefore stretching those wings may be your first real encounter with driving to fly outside of taking this information to heart. And what better way to stretch those wings than with multi-engine flight.

Generally only the largest flight schools have twins so it's likely that you will have to drive to obtain the coveted multi-engine license. And given that licenses can be obtained in as little as 5 to 10 hours "packaged" training courses have become popular. So the convenience of the "package" deals is an easy way to compare and most people would naturally drive further to "save". But successfully completing a multi-engine license does not allow for immediate solo rental. In fact most FBOs require 25 to 50 hours of MM (make & model) time prior to a multi-engine solo flight. Therefore the less expensive "package" deal may cost an additional $1250 to $2500 (5 to 10 hrs * $250/hr) to get the required MM time given the different training models and rentals. You can figure the drive accordingly.

The more important point comes from the necessity to plan ahead. Conversely the lack of planning causes missed opportunities and a lowering of value. Hence all pilots should establish goals and a training regimen. Though as always, student pilots should be actively engaged to self-assess their progress. While licensed pilots should embark on training that sharpens skills outside of the normal routine. This could include aerobatics, unusual attitude recovery, large airport opts, high wind checks, and more. Yet whatever the case it means selecting a flight instructor. And in flight training nothing saves more than quality instruction. Concordantly quality implies value.

Let's say, for example, that a top quality flight instructor is 100 miles beyond your nearest choice, but was able to reduce training time by one-fifth or more (sg. solo in 12 hrs vs 15). You would more than break even (3 flt.hrs = $300) assuming 10 trips were made. The additional driving expense would be $300, while the savings would be 2 or 3 fewer trips to the closer choice. Even more savings would be realized considering the more efficient knowledge transfer. At any rate, there's ample literature concerning instructor selection. So let's move onto weather and physical location.

You may think there is no control over the weather. But here again an extra 100 miles can make all the difference. Overcast, wind, heat, rain, or any adverse weather condition can diminish flight value since there's an inverse correlation between flight profi- ciency and the time between flights. This means that any weather related delay during training can be very costly. But aside from pleasant weather consider IMC proficiency. For IFR training purposes coastlines generally provide a good challenge with the security of VMC some miles inland. The same holds true for large rivers and lakes. So know the weather patterns!

Finally - location, location, location - hopefully enough said. Still, driving for a specific location requires planning. And while the weather and location exist together extended wait times in a takeoff queue makes driving for a better location irrespective of weather a good value decision. Though proximity to other airports for increasing approach and landing skills should also be consider. In the end it does not matter if you drive for better weather, aircraft, or whatever, you should consider driving an additional 100 miles for every hour of flight time saved. The round trip only requires 10 gallons of gas ($30 driving + $70 SAVINGS = $100/hr flight time).

Ultimately value is more than a one-to-one relationship since neither the opportunity cost associated with the drive time nor losses in training continuity were considered. In other words, every possible variable should be weighed and which variable will increase value will depend setting goals and knowing flight requirements. At any rate, given a modicum of patience and planning an extended drive can enhance the of value your flight dollar.


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