How much do you PAY?

Captain

Captain

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What did your flight training cost? I hear the average loan at FlightSafety for a Commercial Multi Instrument is over 100K. That's for training and room & board.

In 1995 I paid 3K'ish for my private. That's the whole wad including headsets (used) books, tests and all.

In 1997 I paid 22K for CIME and another 7K'ish for CFI, MEI and CFII. Also, I did all instrument training in a ME.

What did / are you guys paying?
 
I paid perhaps about $1,500 total, for the private, over a 4 year period. But that dollar is not the same as the one I know now...
 
For Private, I figure about $2k. A bit more ($3k??) for Commercial, Instrument and ME. ATP was about $2k.
 
PPL cert was $3,400 (All inclusive, plane, fuel, instructor, books, tests and check ride) done over the course of 10 months in 2009, a new years resolution I actually kept. Due to the increase in fuel prices, it'll cost you about 500 more today if you take as long as I did... Close to but less than 60hrs. CFI loves to fly, and owns the Cessna 150 he gives training in, if he breaks even on the plane rental, I'd be surprised, he only went up 5 bucks an hour WET when fuel increased over 2 bucks a gallon.
 
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My PPL was around $7k in 2008 and my IR was $5.8k recently in my plane.
 
I'm at $3,500 ($1000 is club fees) right now at 13hrs. I figure it will cost me about $7000 all said and done.
 
Back in 2009 I paid $69/hr for a Cessna 152 and $35/hr for my CFI who I am still friends with.

I did the ground school portion mostly on my own with the help of borrowed King Schools videos and Jeppesen Flite School software for the written test.

Cost me just under $5k.

I'm in the process of doing my IR right now, I figure it will cost $8-9k.
 
I forgot to mention to put years in so it's in context.


In 1999 my employee rate for a PA-44 was $42/ hr wet. I miss that.
 
In 1996 I had about 60 hours when I took my ride, and based on the rental rates back then (75 for the airplane and 25 for the instructor) I'm guesstimating I spent $5000 all told including the examiner fee.

The instrument, commercial and multi were more expensive but I had the GI bill to pay 60% of it.

My CFI was paid for by my employer and that was $3450. I could have done it in less time but we'd built a syllabus with a lot of time in the Arrow and heck, it wasn't MY money.

Nowadays, in my area, a 172 will rent for 150 and an instructor is another 50. I know from experience that the instructor sees half of that rate. I also know from experience that the flight school is not making a double-digit margin on those rates.
 
Started flying in 1980.... 152 was 23 an hour wet... N5416M... There was a 172 for 25 an hour wet but that N number does not stick in my head like the 152 does... She was my first ya know..:yesnod::)..

Instructor. Glen Perkins, was 12 an hour... I soloed in 21 hours and got my ticket at 42 hours..... And I still remember my first solo like it was just yesterday..:):).............. Oh, the good ol days...
 
N801BH said:
Started flying in 1980.... 152 was 23 an hour wet... N5416M... There was a 172 for 25 an hour wet but that N number does not stick in my head like the 152 does... She was my first ya know..:yesnod::)..

Instructor. Glen Perkins, was 12 an hour... I soloed in 21 hours and got my ticket at 42 hours..... And I still remember my first solo like it was just yesterday..:):).............. Oh, the good ol days...
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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.
 
Not counting the cost of purchasing supplies that I still use like my headset, flight bag, and kneeboard I spent around $8000 actually obtaining my PPL last year. That includes 50 hours of wet rental, flight instruction, written test fee, checkride DPE fee.
 
I figure my private and the instrument cost about $5000 each. That was 96 and 98. Private took longer cause everything was new. Instrument was less time.
 
I spent close to 10,000 for my PPL but it's flying so that money does not count right??? Took me just over 62 hours to get my PPL last year.

Man am I jealous of all of you who got it for much less. Unfortunately 10,000 is the going rate around here. I still consider it one of the best ways to spend my hard earned money.
 
I don't think you can make a valid comparison of costs or hours. On the $$$ side, there is so much variation both in CFI & aircraft rates. Ground school is another - some people self-study, others take one of the varieties of ground.

Same goes for hours-to-[fill in the blank].
 
I think I'm on track to spend around $6K to $7K. Right now if you don't count the flying club membership I just paid for (which I don't, since I'll sell it for the same amount if/when I leave the club) I'm somewhere around $3500, maybe a little less. I'd have to total it up. I have not kept a running tab, but I have kept all my receipts for a number of reasons.

I have been renting a Cherokee at $95 per hour wet. The club's 172 will cost me $83 an hour wet. Monthly dues are $45. Instructors around here go for $35 an hour.
 
Captain said:
What did your flight training cost? I hear the average loan at FlightSafety for a Commercial Multi Instrument is over 100K. That's for training and room & board.

In 1995 I paid 3K'ish for my private. That's the whole wad including headsets (used) books, tests and all.

In 1997 I paid 22K for CIME and another 7K'ish for CFI, MEI and CFII. Also, I did all instrument training in a ME.

What did / are you guys paying?
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I spent just under $3500 all in when I finished my PPCert, that was Soft Com headset, written, books, charts and $100 for the Examiner. I believe it was March of 92 because it was a year after I got my CG Masters License. After that my training did not cost much because it was done in my own plane and much of it was done 'on the way' places, so we'll call my Private ME $150 for the ride and $400 for the airplane since all I paid for my first 2 years of ownership was gas, and I even got a bunch of that from my boss as well. My IR I did in a 172 though because it came for $30hr wet with instructor as long as I did the labor on his annual off my bosses clock, so my IR was $1200 (I did all 40 with him in a week, tough week that was). CP-SEL/S was $1150 that would have been in '93 in a LA 4-200, I got a break on that one as he only charged me one DE fee and went over on hours because I fixed the prop linkage while floating on lake Mojave as it wouldn't respond. CP MEL was $995 and CP MES was around $5k which is nearly what I paid for all the other ratings combined, but worth it.:D
 
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I paid $14,400 for Private a year ago.

Captain said:
What did your flight training cost? I hear the average loan at FlightSafety for a Commercial Multi Instrument is over 100K. That's for training and room & board.
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Taking out a loan is a crazy bet, because student loans cannot be discharged if things go sour. Have an accident and lose an eye, your life is finished under the burden of the debt. I don't know why people even do it. The risk is insane.
 
I think that may depend on the type of loan. I borrowed 20K and had my dad co-sign. I also had the GI bill but that only re-imburses 60% so I still needed the money upfront. I used the GI Bill money to pay for CFI, CFIIS, and MEI outright.

Point is, student loans are forever, but mine was technically a signature loan. It's paid off now anyway.
 
I think my total was around $3500 in 1989 though I never figured out how many hours were instruction and how many were solo in the T-craft I bought while getting my license. I think I had about 100 hours when I took the check ride. Aircraft were the Taylorcraft L2 (mostly N48832) for primary through solo, Taylorcraft F-19 (N3579T mostly) and my own 1941 BC12-65 Taylorcraft N29871. The L2 rented for $18/hr, the F-19 I think was $24/hr and instruction was $18/hr if I recall correctly. My Tcart cost about $5/hr including fuel, tiedown and insurance with fuel at $.60/gal for autogas and $.89/gal for 80 octane Avgas. I did some instruction in my plane to allow me to fly from Tracy Ca TCY to San Jose RHV for instruction. All in all a worthwhile bit of money spent though I never went past private.

Frank
 
I have all of the commercial requirements completed except for the 10hrs dual/complex. I'm looking at about $3k to get the complex plane, training, written and checkride done. I was extremely dissapointed when they did not remove the complex requirement, as this is responsible for the bulk of the cost.

Past that I think i'll only need about 1k to get from there to CFI. I have access to a cheap 152 and a CFI friend. I have to spend probably 10 hours in the right seat, take the written, FOI, and the checkride is usually (free) through the FAA correct?
 
Around $7500 in 1999 for my private. Took me close to a year to complete the training due to my crazy damn rotating shift work (including three weekends per month).:mad2: I'm at work now:lol:
 
ejensen said:
I figure my private and the instrument cost about $5000 each. That was 96 and 98. Private took longer cause everything was new. Instrument was less time.
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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.
 
I have no idea what I've paid for all my various certificates and ratings over the years. All I do know is that I've paid for all of it with cash.

I typically tell my students that if someone tells them how much it'lll cost them to get a private certificate they're being lied to. Instead I provide them with the lowest it could possibly could emphasizing it's highly unlikely they'd be done for that amount. Then I provide them with more realistic numbers based on the national average.
 
dell30rb said:
I have all of the commercial requirements completed except for the 10hrs dual/complex. I'm looking at about $3k to get the complex plane, training, written and checkride done. I was extremely dissapointed when they did not remove the complex requirement, as this is responsible for the bulk of the cost.

Past that I think i'll only need about 1k to get from there to CFI. I have access to a cheap 152 and a CFI friend. I have to spend probably 10 hours in the right seat, take the written, FOI, and the checkride is usually (free) through the FAA correct?
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If you get to take the ride with the FAA yes, it's 'free' in that it doesn't cost you any cash' you better make sure the plane is up to snuff though because while you're doing your oral there will be airworthiness guy along to give the plane a complete exam, the kind where they snap on a glove and tell you to bend over and relax.:eek:

Lots of FSDOs are going with Designee Examiners for initial CFI now, I'm not sure you will be able to take it with the FSDO if they don't want you to. It seems to me that all the people I know who try to take rides with the feds when the feds want to assign a designee often have problems scheduling a ride.

Apparently they just don't have enough examiners to handle the commercial end work load to be using up one for an entire day and a second for a half a day just to make sure you can instruct a few people a year how to fly; they're more concerned with Commercial and ATPs who never really learned properly these days...

















Because they had lousy instructors who had lousy instructors who had...:mad2:

The training system is broke just the way the FAA broke it taking away all the things that freaked pilots out and got them into their 'terminal reaction' into a panic freeze keeping them from progressing into airliners. Back in the 20s* when people learned in Jennies and became OX-5ers without even realizing it yet, your check ride started with the examiner on the ground watching you take off, climb to 1500', do a 2 turn spin to a heading and come back and land. Then it's time to start your exam. We've taken away our reaction test because it was getting people killed in training; thing is now they're in the front of airliners filling the cockpits. We lose less of them early on because they learn to avoid all those things that get them killed, problem is it's not a perfect world and things go wrong so when something does go wrong, and it can be something as small as one of three airspeed indications failing, leading to hundreds of casualties because we had pilots who mentally froze up in command of a flight carrying passengers for hire.

You cannot train operators to fly airplanes without killing some every now and then in training exposing them to great risk. The military knows this as well and try to minimize it, but they still train them to fight and they have some training losses.

This is where our great Nanny Society (I won't say State because that would indicate it's restriction to the halls of Government) fails us. Our fear of death is getting us killed lol.

*Before I hear crap about not being old enough to know about any of this, that is how Jim Conroy, Win Kinner, and a few other QB-OX5-UFO's relayed their check ride stories to me 20 years ago. They also saw to it that I was trained 'the old way' as well, and for that I'll be forever grateful to them for their time with me as youngster. I fell into the perfect place to get into aviation at Foley's in Long Beach, Ward Foley opened up an entire world of aviation to me.
 
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Training started in 2000, check ride in April 2001 for my Private. Through the end of the checkride I had spent $2938.55 on aircraft rentals ($50/hour wet for most of that time in a C-172N) and $1769 on the CFI, for a total of $4707.55. Checkride fee, headset, charts, etc add to that, of course. I had 58.9 hours in the log at the end of the checkride. Gotta love the spreadsheet I use for backing up my log.

We won't discuss what I spent over a number of years to finally get my IR last September. Not sure I want to know. I do know (that darned spreadsheet again) what I've spent on CFIs, CFIIs and aircraft since 2000 racking up 350 hours in the log. My wife does not have a need to know, so she doesn't see it. But, if you amortize it over 12 years, the annual cost isn't so bad.
 
I do not now, nor have I ever, kept an accounting of hobby/recreation costs.
 
Put me in the camp of those who don't know what they paid for any rating.
 
I could go back and calculate it, but that'd be scary. ;)

Cash and carry baby. If the money's in the account, I go flying. If there's a big training expense involved the account has to have more $ in it first. ;)
 
Henning said:
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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Yep, my primary worked much harder than the ir. She pretty much watched the planes in and out of DIA while I learned the procedures.
 
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
 
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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Maybe but if you start realizing an income with your CFI, that will certainly offset the interest.
 
Im currently at 52.6 hours, started July of 2011 . I have one more lesson of ground , and doing my check ride prep flights. I need to do written and then the check ride. I'm right around the 6k so far.
 
I never added it up but I would estimate it was not much different from how much my wife paid for her shoes, purses, watches, and other useless stuff over the same time period so in my mind whatever it was, it was a bargain. :D
 
dell30rb said:
Well you fly for a living!
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No, absolutely not for a living. I lucked into a great part time activity that pays a fair rate based on my experience, ratings and the equipment type being flown. It has I guess paid more than my ratings cost. 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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Gubbins said:
I never added it up but I would estimate it was not much different from how much my wife paid for her shoes, purses, watches, and other useless stuff over the same time period so in my mind whatever it was, it was a bargain. :D
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Brave man :D
You do realize that anything you post on the Internet lives for ever. And can and will be used against you.
 
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