The real cost of flight training with examples
The expensive costs have made becoming a pilot a pipe dream for many. Many hidden financial and operational costs and flying training fees are never disclosed in many cases. Financial planning is also crucial during flight training. Students should never start their flight training without cash to pay the entire flight training from the start. In answering the question I’ll break down the costs in a variety of scenarios, aircraft types, and flight schools. I believe this gives the best representation of available options and the total scale of the cost of earning a private pilot certificate. I wonder. How much?
How much does it cost to become a pilot?
The price of learning to fly has gone up, not down.
In 1946, before jet engines were commonplace, deciding to learn to fly was an act of genuine bravery. At $7,000, the hourly rate of flight instruction was 50% higher than the average monthly wage. You had to pay up front for flying lessons. You couldn’t start training unless you could show enough money to cover tuition, rent on an airplane, and the cost of food, lodging, and fuel while learning to fly. If you were unable to complete your training, you owed the instructor all the tuition he had been paid.
These days, by contrast, flight school is full of people who pay for only what they use. But the cost of flying has nearly doubled: from $7,000 to $13,000 in 1946, to over $20,000 today, depending on the course. The hourly rate of instruction has roughly tripled: from $3.50 to $9.50 per hour.
This is very expensive, and many people find that it’s cheaper to fly for pleasure than to learn to fly.
If you learn to fly, you’ll be flying for 20 years. To keep that cost down, you have to fly a lot. And flying a lot means traveling to places where people live, which means you’ll need a car.
Today, the average price of a used airplane in the United States is $222,000. You can buy a new car for $30,000, but if you drive it 10,000 miles a year, it will cost you $2.60 a mile. If you buy a new car, it will be 10 times as expensive
Breaking Out the Costs of Flight School
The term “hidden costs” strikes fear in most of us because it means we are going to pay more for something than we thought. Sadly, many times a business will hide some costs of goods or services so you can “discover” them once you have committed to using the service. Having to pay for a pillow on a flight after you already forked over hundreds of dollars to the airline is a classic example of hidden costs.
When you are preparing to go into flight school to realize your dream of getting your pilot’s license, it is imperative that you know how much you need from a budget perspective before you sign a contract to go through the program. So to be sure you are not going to get hit with a lot of “hidden costs”, it pays to know the terminology and to know what questions to ask before you agree to use that school to get your license to fly.
When you first contact a flight school, they will lay out the red carpet for you. You will get a tour of the facilities including the classrooms and the airplanes to be used for your in-flight training. You will meet wonderful instructors and the end of the tour will probably include a test flight where you get to sit in the pilot’s seat as though you were actually flying that plane. That experience alone can hook you to want to be part of their program. Then they will present you will some colorful brochures, a contract, and a class schedule, and finally, a schedule of costs along with payment options.
There is a good reason they are showing you the costs last. They want to get you excited and “hooked” before you review the fees. It’s important to remember that the majority of flight schools are “for-profit” businesses and the competition for customers is intense. The number one reason a school fails to “close the deal” is often the cost. So if they can soften that blow by not showing you some of the costs of getting your pilot’s license with them, they might be able to get you into class and you will just deal with the additional costs after the fact.
This is a little bit deceptive but they do it to get business. It’s up to you then to know what questions to ask and to understand the terminology of the schedule of fees. Make sure that when you get the estimate of what you will have to pay that it is broken out in some detail. If all they are quoting you is the cost of classroom instruction, that underestimates the costs tremendously. Additional costs will include…
. Books and classroom supplies. You may need to buy these yourself so to get a complete budget, do that shopping before signing a contract.
. Duel instruction fees. A big part of your training is in the air. What they might not tell you is that you will have to pay for the instructor’s time by the hour for every hour you are up there with him. And you must plan for the cost of the plane. Plan for a minimum of $50 an hour labor and $100 an hour for the equipment. But this is something that is worth getting an exact quote on when you are estimating what it will cost to get your pilot’s license with that school.
. Fuel costs – it takes gas to operate that airplane while you are flying it. They might not be including the cost of gas in with the airplane rental fee. Make sure you know what to expect as that can be a big hidden cost, especially with gas costs high as they are right now.
Airline Pilot License Cost video
In order to get a cost number you can depend on, you must estimate how many hours of flight training you are going to need. The FAA requires that you have a minimum of 40 hours of flight time and you may need more to cover the many situations you must understand before you become a solo pilot. Also, keep in mind you must do one final flight where you go up with an FAA examiner so find out the costs of his or her time and add at least an hour of flight time to your totals.
Gallery Show
Google news for Today 2023
Skyryse brings in $200M to make flying an aircraft as simple as swiping a touchscreen - TechCrunch
October 27, 2021 - TechCrunchSkyryse brings in $200M to make flying an aircraft as simple as swiping a touchscreen TechCrunch...
Learning to Soar: Local Youth Take to the Sky - WENY-TV
October 26, 2021 - WENY-TVLearning to Soar: Local Youth Take to the Sky WENY-TV...
Light-Sport Aircraft Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2021 - 2026) - Yahoo Finance
October 27, 2021 - Yahoo FinanceLight-Sport Aircraft Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2021 - 2026) Yahoo Finance...
Biomass Secure Power to reopen Wyoming pilot plant | Biomassmagazine.com - Biomass Magazine
October 26, 2021 - Biomass MagazineBiomass Secure Power to reopen Wyoming pilot plant | Biomassmagazine.com Biomass Magazine...
Just Like George Jetson: Fly To Work On Your Electric Plane - tntribune.com
October 15, 2021 - tntribune.comJust Like George Jetson: Fly To Work On Your Electric Plane tntribune.com...
Fly to work on your own personal electric plane - ISRAEL21c
October 21, 2021 - ISRAEL21cFly to work on your own personal electric plane ISRAEL21c...
Israeli startup AIR unveils electric plane that takes off and lands vertically | Ctech - CTech
October 19, 2021 - CTechIsraeli startup AIR unveils electric plane that takes off and lands vertically | Ctech CTech...
Partnership to assist aspiring local pilots to spread their wings - IOL
October 26, 2021 - IOLPartnership to assist aspiring local pilots to spread their wings IOL...
Ohio fixes new license plate after first attempt doesn’t fly - WAVY.com
October 22, 2021 - WAVY.comOhio fixes new license plate after first attempt doesn’t fly WAVY.com...
A Powerful New Era in Beauty, Committed to Leading the Future: ROLFS Global CEO Francis Tesmer Introduces Lead, The First-Ever Collegiate Degree for Beauty Professionals - KKCO-TV
October 27, 2021 - KKCO-TVA Powerful New Era in Beauty, Committed to Leading the Future: ROLFS Global CEO Francis Tesmer Introduces Lead, The First-Ever Collegiate Degree for Beauty Professionals KKCO-TV...
New Videos on this Topic for 2023
Cheapest and fastest way to get your Private Pilot License | Less Than 5K?
I know, its sounds impossible, but you can do it! We tell you how to get your private pilot license for less then 5K, reduce the cost across the board, and how to ...
How Much Does A Helicopter Pilot License Cost?
Get 10% off Flying Eyes Sunglasses like I wear! Be sure to use the coupon code MICAH to get your discount. https://flyingeyesoptics.com/?ref=micah How much ...
How Much Does Flight Training Cost, 2020 update!
How much does flight training cost, 2020 update! An important question when deciding to start flying, is how much does it cost. In this video you find out just how ...
Types Of Pilot Licenses
In the US, a pilot license is issued by the FAA and allows an individual to fly a variety of aircraft. But let's break down the specifics of the different types of pilot ...