How much do you PAY?

dell30rb said:
I'm considering getting a loan so I can finish my commercial and CFI in the next month or two. I've done the cash thing and got the private and instrument in just over a year. I don't know how much it cost, but I do know that the interest on the loan would be less than the extra cost of the ratings if I drag them out another year
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FWIW - my commercial/ CFI/CFII combined were about $5k I think . That said I had all the aeronautical experience requirements in the bag already. I generated that much in income within the first year, and I hardly charge as much as I could plus that was part time.
 
I was planning on about that much Jesse. I do have the aeronautical experience as well. I hate the thought of taking out a loan but it's not a staggering amount.
 
When I started flying, rentals ranged from fifteen dollars an hour to a little over 30 an hour, depending on what was rented. I remember when I thought thirty bucks an hour for a cub was robbery.
 
Lance F said:
However i feel sorry for anyone who is just flying for the money. If you don't love it, find something else to do. I'm sitting at a ritzy beach resort today and tomorrow, but I would MUCH rather jump back in the plane and fly it.
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Well, I agree. I know this only represents a minority of pilots who go through the mill, but I can't imagine plopping down 100k and going from zero to hero. Obviously they think its going to be a fun job, but i'm sure there are some who emerge and find they aren't cut out for it or don't like it.

If you've been flying awhile and know you want to get to the next level, that's quite a bit different IMO
 
From Apr 09 to May 11 I spent mid $13k (used to know exact figure to penny) getting PPL, which included everything I spent on GA down to my GATS and Gleim.
 
Lance F said:
I do not now, nor have I ever, kept an accounting of hobby/recreation costs.
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I'm with you! Kind of like figuring how much you spent on your girlfriend then dividing by ****. Always cheaper to rent. :wink2:
 
PPL October '72 to March '73. $150 to join the FBO "club". $9/hr for a 150 wet. $8/hr for the instructor. Couldn't afford groundschool or an E6B. No assets, so no insurance. Don't remember paying much or at all for my checkride. If I did, it couldn't have been more than $20. Total about $750.

Oh...and no headset. Wasn't an option. Had to be real comfortable with your CFI.
 
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Trained in 2010. 60 hours or so to completion. Total with supplies, testing costs, etc was about $7500.
 
I will be that guy on the high end. I have spent right around $40000 for Private, Instrument and Commerical. I will most likely spend another $20000 before its all done with. That will include Multi, CFI, CFII, MEI. So I will be in the hole for about 100k in student loans at the ripe age of 23.

I have around 245 hours. I can give you the exact time when I fill out ICARA for Commercial.

Our rates breakdown as the followed:

Per Hour

Maule: $118.25
Arrow: $127.25
Twin Comanche: $228.25
CFI: $39.25 (Payed $18, 20 22 I think)
Fuel Surcharge: $12.50
 
2002: About 3.5k or so for private.
2003-2004: Another 40 hours IR instruction (I didn't do the safety pilot thing) and 25 hours of solo - so about another 5.5k or so.
2004-2006 wasn't worried about commercial and racked up 291 additional hours between my IR and passing the commercial ride @115/hr operating cost on my Cherokee = 33.5k
2006 17hr CFI training @ 150/hr = 2.5k
Multi = 2k

$47000, but with a lot of time and money spent on not getting the ratings.
 
It's $135 wet plus $49 for the instructor. I have about 20 hours right now. So, I think a little over three grand has been spent so far.

I think the most expensive will be my commercial. Boo.

When I'm finished, though, it will have been cheaper than one of those places like ATP, ERAU, etc.
 
ARFlyer said:
I will be that guy on the high end. I have spent right around $40000 for Private, Instrument and Commerical. I will most likely spend another $20000 before its all done with. That will include Multi, CFI, CFII, MEI. So I will be in the hole for about 100k in student loans at the ripe age of 23.

I have around 245 hours. I can give you the exact time when I fill out ICARA for Commercial.

Our rates breakdown as the followed:

Per Hour

Maule: $118.25
Arrow: $127.25
Twin Comanche: $228.25
CFI: $39.25 (Payed $18, 20 22 I think)
Fuel Surcharge: $12.50
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Why does your signature say PP? Did you take the comm ride yet?
 
In 1978 I started with the Piper "Blue Sky Solo Program", which included all airplane and instructor time through solo up to a maximum of 12 hours for $249. After that I paid ~$17/hr for a Cherokee 140, plus ~$8/hr for the instructor. I finished the Private in <40 hours (part 141).

All other ratings were earned in my own aircraft, using freelance instructors.

Today I am teaching in my really nice Beech Skipper which rents for $79/hr wet, and I charge $45/hr for instruction (ground or flight). My typical student finishes his/her Private rating in about 55 hours for ~$8,000 (including medical, books, ground school, check ride...)
 
Jaybird180 said:
Why does your signature say PP? Did you take the comm ride yet?
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I am taking my comm ride this week hopefully. Thats why I included it in the prices on my post. The actual training is done so the cost will only be another $700ish.

Everything is done besides two landings I messed up on my EOC. So once I get that done Tuesday morning our Chief CFI will call our DE. So by Friday I should have my comm and be working on CFI.
 
Im up to about 10k right now for my PPL (almost done).

125.00hr for gas+40hr for CFI to ride with you, and the cost greatly adds up.

Whats even worse is that i have found out that the FAA guy they use (which they tell me is very good and not an ass) charges 450.00 total (and this doesnt even include the price i mentioned aboved). All in total around 650.00 for final checkride. I AM RUNNING OUT OF MONEY!!!!:mad2:
 
I'm still a 25 hour student going for my PPL. I currently pay $110/Cessna 172 and $40/instructor. My old school I was paying $125/Cessna 172 and $50/instructor. I've probably spent +/-$3500 including my ground school and supplies. I'd be happy if I can spend less than 10K for my PPL and within 60 hours. If I went to a school/flight club thats closer to me on my side of the Bay Area I'd end up spending more. Planes on my side of the Bay go from $115 - $170 (G1000) and instructor rates go from $50 - $90 hour. Also, I've hard of some schools and flight clubs here that won't let you take a check ride with at least 100 hours. :eek:
 
Legiox said:
Im up to about 10k right now for my PPL (almost done).

125.00hr for gas+40hr for CFI to ride with you, and the cost greatly adds up.

Whats even worse is that i have found out that the FAA guy they use (which they tell me is very good and not an ass) charges 450.00 total (and this doesnt even include the price i mentioned aboved). All in total around 650.00 for final checkride. I AM RUNNING OUT OF MONEY!!!!:mad2:
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You should be able to find other DPE's in your area.
 
That brings up something to mind that I often see that confuses me, I see instruction rates go up from say, "Private Pilot Instruction $35hr Advanced Rating Instruction $50". To me that makes no sense because the high work load, high risk, instruction is going to be the PP time.
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Generally advanced training merits a higher dollar value to the instructor.

The CFI can teach the private pilot, but not the instrument student. The CFII spent more money and invested more time in his or her qualifications, and holds additional certification above the CFI. Likewise, for the MEI.

If you think fixed wing is expensive, try helicopters.
 
DouglasBader said:
Generally advanced training merits a higher dollar value to the instructor.

The CFI can teach the private pilot, but not the instrument student. The CFII spent more money and invested more time in his or her qualifications, and holds additional certification above the CFI. Likewise, for the MEI.

If you think fixed wing is expensive, try helicopters.
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It really makes no sense though. The CFII cost me less than a thousand dollars. Primary training is by far the most stressful and demanding. I am pretty worn out after the first couple primary lessons.

I charge anywhere from $25/hr to $35/hr depending on the person and how I am feeling at that moment in time.
 
PPL in 2001 - almost exactly a year from start to checkride, ~6K inclusive of gear.
 
ainokea said:
Also, I've hard of some schools and flight clubs here that won't let you take a check ride with at least 100 hours. :eek:
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WTF??? FAA minimum is 40 hours. Where did this come from? Somebody is looking to gouge somebody. I'd run, not walk, the other way.
 
Ghery said:
WTF??? FAA minimum is 40 hours. Where did this come from? Somebody is looking to gouge somebody. I'd run, not walk, the other way.
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Ditto that. A club that has higher mins than the FAA is wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong.


Did I mention..wrong wrong wrong. Mins are mins. Nobody gets to raise them. Can they? Sure, it's a free country. But the pilot is free too. I'd run away out of spite even 'if' I met their 'mins'.


Redonkulous.
 
Captain said:
Ditto that. A club that has higher mins than the FAA is wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong.


Did I mention..wrong wrong wrong. Mins are mins. Nobody gets to raise them. Can they? Sure, it's a free country. But the pilot is free too. I'd run away out of spite even 'if' I met their 'mins'.


Redonkulous.
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Yup, that's why I don't train at peninsula airports (SQL and PAO) and drive a lil further to save money at HWD. One of my coworkers went to these flight clubs and he got his PPL at 115 hours. He wouldn't tell me how many hours of that was dual. I'd assume most of it was dual. Some of the CFI's there do this as a full time job. I'm sure most of these CFI's are holding on to their students to pay the bills. I wouldn't doubt that some of these CFI's are easily making 6 figures a year.
 
Legiox said:
Im up to about 10k right now for my PPL (almost done).

125.00hr for gas+40hr for CFI to ride with you, and the cost greatly adds up.

Whats even worse is that i have found out that the FAA guy they use (which they tell me is very good and not an ass) charges 450.00 total (and this doesnt even include the price i mentioned aboved). All in total around 650.00 for final checkride. I AM RUNNING OUT OF MONEY!!!!:mad2:
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That sounds extremely high, most places around advertise less than $7000.00, and that's counting on doing the check ride at around 50-60 hours.
 
onwards said:
My PPL training, completed last year, cost roughly $10K... maybe closer to $12K once you figure in materials, headset, exam and checkride fees and all that stuff.
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I took more than double the time he did and I'm in the same location so I'm guessing around $20,000 hopefully less.

Let's see.

90 hours - $120 / hour (plane) - $10,800

90 hours - $50 / hour (instructor) - $4,500

Test (written) - $200

Test (the real one) - $350

Kings Course - Somewhere between $400 - $700

All books listed in PTS - Probably over a hundred or two

Headset - $200

Misc. Supplies - probably a hundred or two more

Driving 1.5 - 3 hours round trip (depending on traffic) to each lesson - lots and lots of dollars

CFI ground - gosh who knows

You get the idea.
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
I took more than double the time he did and I'm in the same location so I'm guessing around $20,000 hopefully less.

Let's see.

90 hours - $120 / hour (plane) - $10,800

90 hours - $50 / hour (instructor) - $4,500

Test (written) - $200

Test (the real one) - $350

Kings Course - Somewhere between $400 - $700

All books listed in PTS - Probably over a hundred or two

Headset - $200

Misc. Supplies - probably a hundred or two more

Driving 1.5 - 3 hours round trip (depending on traffic) to each lesson - lots and lots of dollars

CFI ground - gosh who knows

You get the idea.
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:yikes::yikes::hairraise::hairraise::eek:
 
If you don't count what my plane cost to buy and maintain, my PPL cost about $4K total.

PLEASE don't make me total up all the airplane expenses. If I were to see it all in one lump sum, I'm afraid I would quit flying due to the shock.
 
MBDiagMan said:
If you don't count what my plane cost to buy and maintain, my PPL cost about $4K total.

PLEASE don't make me total up all the airplane expenses. If I were to see it all in one lump sum, I'm afraid I would quit flying due to the shock.
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I could have owned 3 houses free and clear at 35. I try not to think about that often.
 
I don't remember the total cost for my private, but it was in the neighborhood of $600 in 1968. The 1959 Cessna 150 was 5.50 per hour wet. I do remember the multi-engine rating, it was a flat $295 guaranteed in a PA23-160 Apache. My commercial rating, instrument and instructor ratings were very low, because I had started a flying club which turned into a flight school where I flew for close to nothing. My MEI was free along with my complex and high performance endorsements as they were grandfathered when the FAR's changed.
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
I took more than double the time he did and I'm in the same location so I'm guessing around $20,000 hopefully less.

Let's see.

90 hours - $120 / hour (plane) - $10,800

90 hours - $50 / hour (instructor) - $4,500

Test (written) - $200

Test (the real one) - $350

Kings Course - Somewhere between $400 - $700

All books listed in PTS - Probably over a hundred or two

Headset - $200

Misc. Supplies - probably a hundred or two more

Driving 1.5 - 3 hours round trip (depending on traffic) to each lesson - lots and lots of dollars

CFI ground - gosh who knows

You get the idea.
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Man with that much money spent whether typical or not flying better be something you eventually do three or four times a week.
 
LJS1993 said:
Man with that much money spent whether typical or not flying better be something you eventually do three or four times a week.
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No, more like with that much money spent I'll be paying it off forever. They said 40 hours, well 90 hours wasn't expected and I had to use a credit card for some of it. So now I'm paying it off with no money left to go flying. Pretty suckey.
 
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