Just a couple of tips and throughts from a student pilot (25+ hours dual time 25+ hours of solo time and about to take his final flight test for Sport Pilot):
The sport pilot license is for many a great license and the restrictions compared to private pilot for many people of no significance and it is less costly to get usually.
But be cautious of this: Before going sport pilot license route make sure that either there are FBOs or flying clubs near you where Light Sport Aircraft (LSAs) are actually available to rent OR that you're prepared to go out and buy your own sport pilot legal aircraft (LSA). Otherwise you could find yourself with a useless license. In my area there is no sport pilot legal aircraft for rent within 150 miles. I had to either go for full private pilot or wait until I could afford my own LSA. Actuallly I purchased an LSA jointly with another pilot.
Several pilots buying/sharing one aircraft is often a great option. It can easily make the difference between being able to afford to fly or not. If two of you share an aircraft there are many expenses (hanger, maintainance, repairs, etc) that are thus "half price" to you. And make no mistake, owning an aircraft has many expenses. If purchasing is even a consideration for you, you might post an ad on Barnstormers or on the bulletin boards at nearest airports and spread the word around that you're interested in sharing -- either buying into share of an existing owner's plane or shopping together.
Look for flying clubs. There are basically two kinds: There are what I call commercial flying clubs. Those are really an aircraft rental business set up a "club". Basically, they're giving you certain priority on the aircraft access and a modest but signficant discount on the rental rate in exchange for you joining and or buying a block of time in advance or paying a one time joining-the-club membership fee. These are worth considering. What I think of as real flying clubs are really joint ownership of one aircraft by two, three, four, or more people. These will in the long run likely be the least costly way to fly but you'd have to find or create one and come up with enough cash to buy half (or a third, or quarter, or whatever) of an aircraft.
This is, if you have the resources, a very good time to buy a plane. With many older pilots retiring and the economy depressed there are some great buys out there. (The flip side is it's a lousy time to sell a plane.)
If you are are now, or after you get a few flights, seriously able to consider buying an aircraft (whether by yourself or jointly with others), consider buying it before or early in your training: You would save a very large amount of money in rental fees during your dual time and even more in your solo time. You could think of the rental money you save as a significant discount on the price of the plane you purchase or big discount on the cost of your training.
And you will have the additional advantage of learning in you OWN aircraft. You'd get to know it quite well. If going for sport pilot you'll likely spend at least 30 hours in it before getting your license. If private likely over 50 hours.
If you, for example, do all your training and get your license in a Cessna 172 and then go out later and buy a Kitfox or rent a Skycatcher you'd have to pay an instructor or somehow get quite a bit of familiarization before you could fly it. There's quite a difference in the way they handle.
I'm very glad I was able to do all my training in the aircraft I own half of.
Almost all places that offer training offer intro flights of about half an hour. Often at a bit lower rate than their normal rental plus instructor rate. Go around and do that at any close enough airports and training businesses.
That'll get you a taste of what you're getting into AND a chance to see if you and each instructor are a good match.
Shop around. Where I am instructor's fees (not counting aircraft rental) vary from a low of $25 per hour to a high of $55.
And the $25 instructor is just as good.... It's just that she's at a rural airport an hour away from the population center.
And Consider this:
You can get a student license without having ANY flight training.
For a prospective sport pilot you don't even have to get medical (you can add a medical exam later if during your training you change your mind and want to go for full private.) A designated flight examiner who is familiar with sport pilot rules should issue you a student license and charge maybe $40 to do so. I you have an FAA office near enough they will issue one free if you come in with proper ID.
If you get your student license immeaditly and take a logbook with you to several intro flights with instructors they should be willing to enter that half-hour or more in your logbook. If you're getting a bit of experience and paying for it might as well log it.
Finally: Be realistic about what it will cost in time and money to get you license.
The 20 hour sport pilot and 40 hour for private are usually exceeded by quite a bit.
About 80% of those who start their private pilot training never finish.
In most cases it's because it's costing more than they were expecting/prepared for and/or taking more time and dedication than they were expecting and prepared for.
My two cents.
Alex
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