Cost of my PPL...
07-05-2007, 01:49 PM
#1
New Hire
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Jul 2007
Posts: 4
Cost of my PPL...
This is my first post and I'm brand new to this field so I'm hoping to learn a lot more. I start my first day of training tomorrow and the estimate the school gave me was $8100 for my PPL, and that's $133 an hour for the plane. I'm flying in a CE 172SP so I don't know if that is overpriced or not. They don't have any 152's so I have no option in what plane I fly. But I'm going to be flying 5 days a week, so how long do you think it should take me to complete this training? And if I fly this much every week, is it possible for me to be a CFI by March? I hope someone wants to help me out. Thanks.
07-05-2007, 02:08 PM
#2
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Joined APC: May 2006
Position: ATP, CFI etc.
Posts: 6,056
You can save $40 an hour on the plane if you shop around. A late model Cessna is not required. I can rent a 152 where I live for $70 an hour with the gas, $90 for an older 172. Look to get your certificate for about $6,000 max. Look for instructors at no more than $35 an hour, more like $25 if you are good. Private takes anywhere from a month to 6 months to do. Average total flight hours is around 65.
07-05-2007, 04:12 PM
#3
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2007
Position: Sabre 60
Posts: 203
I started working on my private pilots license in February 06 and finished in the end of June 06. Fuel prices were about the same then as they are now. And fortunately, I kept meticulous records, so let me break down my costs.
I got my license at 58.8 hours and I spent exactly $8625.23 (every cent accounted for including airplane, instructor, flight school dues, books and all supplies).
This is what I recommend.
1. Do your training in a 1980 era Cessna 152 or Cessna 172. I chose a Cessna 172 because it was going to be the plane I would fly after I got my license. If you are really strapped for money, you could use the Cessna 152 (it is usually $20 an hour less, or about $1,000 less for your license). But remember it is smaller, slower, and will require a transition to a Cessna 172 if you ever want to take a few passengers.
DO NOT fly a brand new Cessna 172 unless you have money to burn. $133 an hour for an airplane is REDICULOUS! Having flown both the old and new 172's, there is basically no difference. It is basically the same aircraft, just the newer ones cost about $35 an hour more on average, and that adds up to over $2,000 over the course of your license. Fly the 1980 era Cessna 152 or 172.
2. Do your training part 61. Part 141 schools are overpriced and it is not worth the extra five hours you "may" be able to save. Basically NO ONE gets their license at 35 hours. So the 40 hours to get part 61 is no big deal. Part 61 gives you lots of freedom to train in the order that is right for you. Plus you have a lot of flexibility if you decide to change schools.
BUDGET
Here is how I would plan a budget for flight training.
Assume it will take 60 hours. The national average is between 60 and 70 hours. If you fly 2-3 times a week, you can normally go under 60 hours. It also depends on where you are flying. If you fly out of busy towered airports where Class B airspace begins at 1,500 feet over the field, it will take more hours than flying at a non-towered airport in the middle of nowhere. So plan accordingly, but 60 hours is a good baseline number.
Look up current prices for the airplane you want to fly and your instructor. Once you have these numbers, multiply the airplane cost by 60. Instructor cost is a bit trickier. About 10 hours of your private training will be solo. So you will have about 50 hours of flight instruction. For ground instruction, I take the number of flight instruction hours and multiply it by 0.5. So I would assume about 25 hours of ground instruction. This covers all those pre/post flight briefings, as well as dedicated ground lessons, reviews, written and oral test prep, and all the miscallaneous time spent with a flight instructor while not flying.
Add in flight school dues. Some schools charge them, others don't. They shouldn't be more than $30 a month or so. Some also have joining dues. Be sure to account for these. If you fly 2-3 times a month, I would recommend budgeting for 4 months. If you fly once a week, it is more like 8 months or more.
Budget for supplies and miscallaneous costs
-Books for ground school. Mine cost about $300 total (for a reference)
-3rd class medical for $75, or 1st class for $100.
-Flight test for $350. Some examiners vary (my glider flight test was $250, but I would say $350 is normal)
-Written exam for $90, or $80 if you are an AOPA member.
-AOPA membership for $39. If you are going to be a pilot, you should join AOPA. Check them out at AOPA.org. They are a great organization and will make your flying life go so much better!
-Headset. You could get a used one off eBay for $50. A new standard headset costs about $100-$150. If you want noise cancelling (I highly recommend this), budget between $300-$1000. $400 will give you a great middle of the road ANR headset. The Bose cost $1000.
Add these all up and get a budget!
I say it is typical to spend about $8,000 on a private pilots license. This assumes 60 hours, flying 2-3 times a week, and a 1980 era cessna 172.
Hope this helps.
I got my license at 58.8 hours and I spent exactly $8625.23 (every cent accounted for including airplane, instructor, flight school dues, books and all supplies).
- I paid $4472.42 for the airplane. That averages to $76 an hour for the airplane. I flew at two different schools (one out in Jeffco (Colorado), and the other in San Carlos, California)). I used a 1980 Cessna 172.
- I paid $2805.00 for instruction (flight and ground). My instructor costs $35 an hour.
- I paid $1347.81 for all supplies/miscallaneous. This included about $300 in books, a $100 written test, $75 medical, $400 headset, $350 flight test, $39 AOPA membership, and flight school dues of $30 a month.
This is what I recommend.
1. Do your training in a 1980 era Cessna 152 or Cessna 172. I chose a Cessna 172 because it was going to be the plane I would fly after I got my license. If you are really strapped for money, you could use the Cessna 152 (it is usually $20 an hour less, or about $1,000 less for your license). But remember it is smaller, slower, and will require a transition to a Cessna 172 if you ever want to take a few passengers.
DO NOT fly a brand new Cessna 172 unless you have money to burn. $133 an hour for an airplane is REDICULOUS! Having flown both the old and new 172's, there is basically no difference. It is basically the same aircraft, just the newer ones cost about $35 an hour more on average, and that adds up to over $2,000 over the course of your license. Fly the 1980 era Cessna 152 or 172.
2. Do your training part 61. Part 141 schools are overpriced and it is not worth the extra five hours you "may" be able to save. Basically NO ONE gets their license at 35 hours. So the 40 hours to get part 61 is no big deal. Part 61 gives you lots of freedom to train in the order that is right for you. Plus you have a lot of flexibility if you decide to change schools.
BUDGET
Here is how I would plan a budget for flight training.
Assume it will take 60 hours. The national average is between 60 and 70 hours. If you fly 2-3 times a week, you can normally go under 60 hours. It also depends on where you are flying. If you fly out of busy towered airports where Class B airspace begins at 1,500 feet over the field, it will take more hours than flying at a non-towered airport in the middle of nowhere. So plan accordingly, but 60 hours is a good baseline number.
Look up current prices for the airplane you want to fly and your instructor. Once you have these numbers, multiply the airplane cost by 60. Instructor cost is a bit trickier. About 10 hours of your private training will be solo. So you will have about 50 hours of flight instruction. For ground instruction, I take the number of flight instruction hours and multiply it by 0.5. So I would assume about 25 hours of ground instruction. This covers all those pre/post flight briefings, as well as dedicated ground lessons, reviews, written and oral test prep, and all the miscallaneous time spent with a flight instructor while not flying.
Add in flight school dues. Some schools charge them, others don't. They shouldn't be more than $30 a month or so. Some also have joining dues. Be sure to account for these. If you fly 2-3 times a month, I would recommend budgeting for 4 months. If you fly once a week, it is more like 8 months or more.
Budget for supplies and miscallaneous costs
-Books for ground school. Mine cost about $300 total (for a reference)
-3rd class medical for $75, or 1st class for $100.
-Flight test for $350. Some examiners vary (my glider flight test was $250, but I would say $350 is normal)
-Written exam for $90, or $80 if you are an AOPA member.
-AOPA membership for $39. If you are going to be a pilot, you should join AOPA. Check them out at AOPA.org. They are a great organization and will make your flying life go so much better!
-Headset. You could get a used one off eBay for $50. A new standard headset costs about $100-$150. If you want noise cancelling (I highly recommend this), budget between $300-$1000. $400 will give you a great middle of the road ANR headset. The Bose cost $1000.
Add these all up and get a budget!
I say it is typical to spend about $8,000 on a private pilots license. This assumes 60 hours, flying 2-3 times a week, and a 1980 era cessna 172.
Hope this helps.
07-05-2007, 05:42 PM
#4
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Spartan
Posts: 3,652
Originally Posted by Delsolar16
This is my first post and I'm brand new to this field so I'm hoping to learn a lot more. I start my first day of training tomorrow and the estimate the school gave me was $8100 for my PPL, and that's $133 an hour for the plane. I'm flying in a CE 172SP so I don't know if that is overpriced or not. They don't have any 152's so I have no option in what plane I fly. But I'm going to be flying 5 days a week, so how long do you think it should take me to complete this training? And if I fly this much every week, is it possible for me to be a CFI by March? I hope someone wants to help me out. Thanks.
07-05-2007, 08:20 PM
#5
Time to make the donuts!
Joined APC: Dec 2005
Position: B737 FO
Posts: 303
Originally Posted by aerospacepilot
I started working on my private pilots license in February 06 and finished in the end of June 06. Fuel prices were about the same then as they are now. And fortunately, I kept meticulous records, so let me break down my costs.
I got my license at 58.8 hours and I spent exactly $8625.23 (every cent accounted for including airplane, instructor, flight school dues, books and all supplies).
This is what I recommend.
1. Do your training in a 1980 era Cessna 152 or Cessna 172. I chose a Cessna 172 because it was going to be the plane I would fly after I got my license. If you are really strapped for money, you could use the Cessna 152 (it is usually $20 an hour less, or about $1,000 less for your license). But remember it is smaller, slower, and will require a transition to a Cessna 172 if you ever want to take a few passengers.
DO NOT fly a brand new Cessna 172 unless you have money to burn. $133 an hour for an airplane is REDICULOUS! Having flown both the old and new 172's, there is basically no difference. It is basically the same aircraft, just the newer ones cost about $35 an hour more on average, and that adds up to over $2,000 over the course of your license. Fly the 1980 era Cessna 152 or 172.
2. Do your training part 61. Part 141 schools are overpriced and it is not worth the extra five hours you "may" be able to save. Basically NO ONE gets their license at 35 hours. So the 40 hours to get part 61 is no big deal. Part 61 gives you lots of freedom to train in the order that is right for you. Plus you have a lot of flexibility if you decide to change schools.
BUDGET
Here is how I would plan a budget for flight training.
Assume it will take 60 hours. The national average is between 60 and 70 hours. If you fly 2-3 times a week, you can normally go under 60 hours. It also depends on where you are flying. If you fly out of busy towered airports where Class B airspace begins at 1,500 feet over the field, it will take more hours than flying at a non-towered airport in the middle of nowhere. So plan accordingly, but 60 hours is a good baseline number.
Look up current prices for the airplane you want to fly and your instructor. Once you have these numbers, multiply the airplane cost by 60. Instructor cost is a bit trickier. About 10 hours of your private training will be solo. So you will have about 50 hours of flight instruction. For ground instruction, I take the number of flight instruction hours and multiply it by 0.5. So I would assume about 25 hours of ground instruction. This covers all those pre/post flight briefings, as well as dedicated ground lessons, reviews, written and oral test prep, and all the miscallaneous time spent with a flight instructor while not flying.
Add in flight school dues. Some schools charge them, others don't. They shouldn't be more than $30 a month or so. Some also have joining dues. Be sure to account for these. If you fly 2-3 times a month, I would recommend budgeting for 4 months. If you fly once a week, it is more like 8 months or more.
Budget for supplies and miscallaneous costs
-Books for ground school. Mine cost about $300 total (for a reference)
-3rd class medical for $75, or 1st class for $100.
-Flight test for $350. Some examiners vary (my glider flight test was $250, but I would say $350 is normal)
-Written exam for $90, or $80 if you are an AOPA member.
-AOPA membership for $39. If you are going to be a pilot, you should join AOPA. Check them out at AOPA.org. They are a great organization and will make your flying life go so much better!
-Headset. You could get a used one off eBay for $50. A new standard headset costs about $100-$150. If you want noise cancelling (I highly recommend this), budget between $300-$1000. $400 will give you a great middle of the road ANR headset. The Bose cost $1000.
Add these all up and get a budget!
I say it is typical to spend about $8,000 on a private pilots license. This assumes 60 hours, flying 2-3 times a week, and a 1980 era cessna 172.
Hope this helps.
I got my license at 58.8 hours and I spent exactly $8625.23 (every cent accounted for including airplane, instructor, flight school dues, books and all supplies).
- I paid $4472.42 for the airplane. That averages to $76 an hour for the airplane. I flew at two different schools (one out in Jeffco (Colorado), and the other in San Carlos, California)). I used a 1980 Cessna 172.
- I paid $2805.00 for instruction (flight and ground). My instructor costs $35 an hour.
- I paid $1347.81 for all supplies/miscallaneous. This included about $300 in books, a $100 written test, $75 medical, $400 headset, $350 flight test, $39 AOPA membership, and flight school dues of $30 a month.
This is what I recommend.
1. Do your training in a 1980 era Cessna 152 or Cessna 172. I chose a Cessna 172 because it was going to be the plane I would fly after I got my license. If you are really strapped for money, you could use the Cessna 152 (it is usually $20 an hour less, or about $1,000 less for your license). But remember it is smaller, slower, and will require a transition to a Cessna 172 if you ever want to take a few passengers.
DO NOT fly a brand new Cessna 172 unless you have money to burn. $133 an hour for an airplane is REDICULOUS! Having flown both the old and new 172's, there is basically no difference. It is basically the same aircraft, just the newer ones cost about $35 an hour more on average, and that adds up to over $2,000 over the course of your license. Fly the 1980 era Cessna 152 or 172.
2. Do your training part 61. Part 141 schools are overpriced and it is not worth the extra five hours you "may" be able to save. Basically NO ONE gets their license at 35 hours. So the 40 hours to get part 61 is no big deal. Part 61 gives you lots of freedom to train in the order that is right for you. Plus you have a lot of flexibility if you decide to change schools.
BUDGET
Here is how I would plan a budget for flight training.
Assume it will take 60 hours. The national average is between 60 and 70 hours. If you fly 2-3 times a week, you can normally go under 60 hours. It also depends on where you are flying. If you fly out of busy towered airports where Class B airspace begins at 1,500 feet over the field, it will take more hours than flying at a non-towered airport in the middle of nowhere. So plan accordingly, but 60 hours is a good baseline number.
Look up current prices for the airplane you want to fly and your instructor. Once you have these numbers, multiply the airplane cost by 60. Instructor cost is a bit trickier. About 10 hours of your private training will be solo. So you will have about 50 hours of flight instruction. For ground instruction, I take the number of flight instruction hours and multiply it by 0.5. So I would assume about 25 hours of ground instruction. This covers all those pre/post flight briefings, as well as dedicated ground lessons, reviews, written and oral test prep, and all the miscallaneous time spent with a flight instructor while not flying.
Add in flight school dues. Some schools charge them, others don't. They shouldn't be more than $30 a month or so. Some also have joining dues. Be sure to account for these. If you fly 2-3 times a month, I would recommend budgeting for 4 months. If you fly once a week, it is more like 8 months or more.
Budget for supplies and miscallaneous costs
-Books for ground school. Mine cost about $300 total (for a reference)
-3rd class medical for $75, or 1st class for $100.
-Flight test for $350. Some examiners vary (my glider flight test was $250, but I would say $350 is normal)
-Written exam for $90, or $80 if you are an AOPA member.
-AOPA membership for $39. If you are going to be a pilot, you should join AOPA. Check them out at AOPA.org. They are a great organization and will make your flying life go so much better!
-Headset. You could get a used one off eBay for $50. A new standard headset costs about $100-$150. If you want noise cancelling (I highly recommend this), budget between $300-$1000. $400 will give you a great middle of the road ANR headset. The Bose cost $1000.
Add these all up and get a budget!
I say it is typical to spend about $8,000 on a private pilots license. This assumes 60 hours, flying 2-3 times a week, and a 1980 era cessna 172.
Hope this helps.
07-05-2007, 09:07 PM
#6
New Hire
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Jul 2007
Posts: 4
Yeah Aero, thanks a ton for all of that information. You need to have that post saved somewhere so you can just copy and paste next time.
Slice, yeah I'll be working full-time, but getting paid terribly at the same time. I know I could shop around and find something cheaper, but I don't have a whole list of schools to choose from. Driving to and from would cost way too much. I think I'm just going to have to pay these prices. It's a 2005 172...super nice.
Slice, yeah I'll be working full-time, but getting paid terribly at the same time. I know I could shop around and find something cheaper, but I don't have a whole list of schools to choose from. Driving to and from would cost way too much. I think I'm just going to have to pay these prices. It's a 2005 172...super nice.
07-05-2007, 10:56 PM
#7
Line Holder
Joined APC: Jun 2007
Position: CFI/II
Posts: 84
When you say "school," do you mean an academy-type training program, or are you just getting lessons at your local FBO? I can't imagine that you live that far from an affordable FBO.
You sound pretty set on continuing with this school, whatever it is, but just FYI I got my private for $5,207.95. You can save a lot by shopping around.
You sound pretty set on continuing with this school, whatever it is, but just FYI I got my private for $5,207.95. You can save a lot by shopping around.
07-06-2007, 01:24 PM
#8
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2006
Position: Lovin' life at .4 (ish) mach
Posts: 1,317
I spent about 10K to get mine. I would start, then stop, then start again several times because of the money. I'm in a 141 college program, and it took me 18 months to get.
You'll save if you're able to keep flying if you don't stop. Costs money to knock off the rust.
You'll save if you're able to keep flying if you don't stop. Costs money to knock off the rust.
07-06-2007, 01:26 PM
#9
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Spartan
Posts: 3,652
Originally Posted by Delsolar16
Yeah Aero, thanks a ton for all of that information. You need to have that post saved somewhere so you can just copy and paste next time.
Slice, yeah I'll be working full-time, but getting paid terribly at the same time. I know I could shop around and find something cheaper, but I don't have a whole list of schools to choose from. Driving to and from would cost way too much. I think I'm just going to have to pay these prices. It's a 2005 172...super nice.
Slice, yeah I'll be working full-time, but getting paid terribly at the same time. I know I could shop around and find something cheaper, but I don't have a whole list of schools to choose from. Driving to and from would cost way too much. I think I'm just going to have to pay these prices. It's a 2005 172...super nice.
07-06-2007, 01:40 PM
#10
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2007
Position: 150 left seat if I'm lucky
Posts: 172
Did mine in a 150 that ran on auto gas for under 6k all said and done.
133 is pricey for an SP. This place rent(ed) twins for 139. (now 144)
133 is pricey for an SP. This place rent(ed) twins for 139. (now 144)
Last edited by FighterHayabusa; 07-06-2007 at 02:17 PM. Reason: price has increased
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