I completed flight school in early 2016. Flew my butt off in Korea and am at 700+ hours TOTAL time. I only have the 18.6 ASEL hours we got in C-182 and Zlin with flight safety. My unit sent me to ATP/CTP, but I have not completed the practical or written exams. I went to a flight school in a northern state and after an in-depth review with the FSDO, CFI's and DPE we determined the only time I need to complete was from 61.129 (a)- sections 3 and 4. When all is said and done I will be paying for 2.3 instrument dual time, 2 hour XC day-vfr greater than 100 nm, 2 hour XC night VFR greater than 100 nm (from the 20 hours required in section 3) and 10 hours solo which must include 1 XC flight 300 nm with 3 landings of which 1 must be at least 250 nm away and 5 hours night VFR with 5 takeofs and landings (from section 4). Some of the XC time may count for both. I went and flew a 1.1 with an instructor who immediately gave me a solo endorsement to go do the rest of the leg work to get those hours.

Total, this will cost me around $3000 to pay for the 15 hours flight time and then take a check ride with a DPE. I'm flying a Piper Arrow at $180 wet.