7 Myths About Learning to Fly That Are Holding You Back

The straight truth from someone who teaches this every day

A lot of people who would absolutely love to fly never give it a shot — not because they can't, but because they believe something about flying that simply isn't true. I hear these same myths all the time, and most of them talk talented people out of the cockpit before they ever try. Let me knock down the seven biggest ones, straight, so that if you decide flying isn't for you, at least it's for a real reason.

I'm Barrett, and I run Harvey Aviation out of Propwash Airport. Here's the truth.

Myth #1: “You have to be a math genius.”

The truth: if you can plan a road trip and manage a monthly budget, you have all the math you need. Flying uses basic arithmetic, reading charts, and following checklists — and modern tools handle most of the heavy lifting. I've taught plenty of people who swore they were terrible at math, and they did just fine.

Myth #2: “You need perfect 20/20 vision.”

The truth: glasses and contacts are completely fine. The FAA medical asks that your vision be correctable to standard — not that it be perfect on its own. A huge number of pilots fly with glasses. If you can drive with corrected vision, this is almost certainly not your roadblock.

Myth #3: “Flying is incredibly dangerous.”

The truth: I won't pretend there's zero risk — there's risk in anything worth doing. But flight training is one of the most structured, safety-obsessed things you can learn. You're never pushed past what you're ready for, the training airplane is simple and forgiving, and we inspect it carefully before every single flight. Honestly, managing risk is most of what I teach.

Myth #4: “I'm too old to start.”

The truth: there is no upper age limit to learn to fly. I've seen people earn their license in their 50s, 60s, and beyond. If you can drive a car and pass a basic medical exam, your age is not the barrier you think it is.

Myth #5: “It costs as much as a house.”

The truth: learning to fly is a real investment, but it's far more reachable than most people assume — and you don't pay for it all at once. You fund it lesson by lesson, at your own pace. I've written a full, honest breakdown of what it costs here in the DFW area so you can look at real numbers instead of scary guesses.

Myth #6: “You have to own an airplane.”

The truth: you don't. You'll train in mine — a Cessna 172C that I own and maintain myself. Most pilots never buy an airplane at all; they rent or fly their instructor's. Owning one is a choice for later, not a requirement to start.

Myth #7: “I'd have to quit my job — it takes years.”

The truth: almost all of my students train around full-time jobs and family. How long it takes comes down to how often you fly. Get up a couple of times a week and you can be holding your license in a matter of months, not years.

The only way to know for sure

Every one of these myths melts away the moment you're actually in the airplane. The best way to find out if flying is for you is to go do it. A discovery flight with Harvey Aviation starts at $199 — just fill out the discovery flight form on our site, and I'll personally give you a call.

Harvey Aviation offers one-on-one private and commercial flight instruction and discovery flights out of Propwash Airport in the Dallas–Fort Worth area. Discovery flights start at $199.