Anyone know how much flying lessons cost in Italy?

Not sure anyone here can answer that, but you might try asking at your local private airport to see if they even offer lessons. Pagine gialle could also help.

Looking for peoples' experiences, prices they paid, how long it took, that sort of thing.

Bill, go Bill, I can probably help you, as I have a private pilots license from the US and have converted it to an Italian one. At the moment I'm waiting for my medical to get reapproved. But I did last year get checked out at the Belluno flying club. I will check their prices again, it's not cheap. There is a flying club in Udine, I have a friend that was a member there. I guessing there might also be something at Aviano, which you have access to. A lot of Italians go to the US to get the license as it's way cheaper.

I have flown in Italy some, but my wife can't really see the advantage of the cost, which is about 3 times the cost of my flying club in San Diego. And now that I'm on the subject it's one of the few things that would draw me back to California. It's hard to be a pilot and not fly, it kind of becomes a part one one's soul.

Thanks John.

We have a grass airstrip called La Comina north of Pordenone. They advertise lessons with various ratings.

What got me thinking about it was the new GI Bill Sen Webb got throgh the Senate. I lost out on the previous GI Bill, but this one would cover cost of flying lessons. If it's too expensive, I might be able to go to the States temporarily to complete training. I'll check the prices.

That may be the airport I was talking about, I've only been there once several years ago. HEREis what flying can be in the Dolomites.

Thanks. Those are some beautiful photos.

Hurray! The House passed the GI Bill, and Bush has withdrawn his threat to veto it. Now decisions- flying lessons or back to the University of Maryland extension here.

The house gave in to Bush again. A bit like the Burlesconi issue. Too bad they couldn't pass a bill to help Vets without insuring that a few hundred more will die in Bush's fruitless wars of agression.

The Democrats in the House don't have enough votes to override Bush's veto (he's vetoed all their past attempts to tie spending to setting a withdrawal date).
See:

quote:

Democrats essentially stopped trying to use Pentagon spending as a tool to force Mr. Bush to withdraw combat troops or impose other conditions on his handling of the war.

“The president simply will not sign such legislation,” said Speaker Nancy Pelosi, an opponent of the war. “Our troops are in harm’s way. They need to be taken care of.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/20/washington/20spend.ht...1&ref=us&oref=slogin

Then why don't they not send him a bill and call his bluff. I think they could find enough money to just bring them home.

John, under the US checks and balances system, the President can veto bills Congress passes. Congress needs a 2/3 majority to override the veto. The Democrat majority in the House is 233 to 202, far short of a 2/3 majority (they need 288). In the Senate the Democrat majority is 51-49.

The GI Bill is a Democrat proposed bill authored by Jim Webb of Virginia. The bill passed the Senate with a veto proof majority (75-22). In the House back in May, the GI Bill only passed by 256-to-166, which is short of a 2/3 majority. Bush threatened to veto the GI bill. The Democrats don't have the votes to defeat the war funding authorization with a veto-proof majority. So Nancy Pelosi attached the GI Bill to the war funding bill, and Bush said he wouldn't veto it.