How much will it really cost me?

This is one of the most important questions that you will ask a flight school or college, but the one that involves the widest range of variables imaginable. To ensure that your are getting an "apples-to-apples" comparison, be sure to find out what is included in the price. A typical training program for a pilot certificate or rating should include the following:

Dual Flight Time (Time flown with both you and the instructor)
Solo Flight Time (Time flown by yourself or "solo")
Pre- and Post-Flight Briefings (Instruction provided regarding conduct of the flight)
Ground School (Training on aeronautical knowledge subjects pertinent to your program. Can be in a class, 1-on-1, self-paced, or computer based)
Examination Fee (Cost of your final evaluation flight to obtain your certificate or rating)
Additional Fees (Enrollment fees, fuel "surcharges", insurance, flight clubs, student unions, etc.)

Once you obtain the "quote" for your training program, assess how many "flight hours" are included in that quote. Most schools will provide a quote based on the Minimum Flight Time required by the FAA. This number is unrealistic, but is the only concrete number a school can use to provide a quote. Differences will exist based on prior experience, academic ability, hand/eye coordination, attendance, study habits, etc. To help you determine the cost of your program, we've designed a reference tool you can use at the bottom of this page.

The "Cost Factor Sheet" was developed based on 15 years of compiled statistics from a number of flight schools. Basically, you will see that the more you fly, the cheaper it is. This is due to reduced need in providing remedial instruction due to forgetting or reduction in recent practice. The longer a person goes between lessons, the more remedial training will most likely take place. Since you typically pay "per flight hour", more hours means more money. Study the following table for its content, then apply the cost factors that apply to your situation. Factors that further determine the frequency of your lessons that would be beyond your control include:

Aircraft Availability
If aircraft are maintained and immediate maintenance available
Number of qualified flight instructors and ability to stay with one instructor
If the school is "standardized", meaning using a set training syllabus/curriculum. "Part 141" FAA-approved schools fit this model, but so do some flight schools operating under "Part 61".

(Note: If you find that a certain school has a limited number of airplanes and/or instructors which requires you to fly less frequently than you would like, you would be affected by the following formula as well. Some students have opted to fly at a cheaper school only to find out that due to un-availability of aircraft/instructror scheduling, they ended up flying less, taking more time, and ultimately paying more for their training.)

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