What is the average cost to learn how to fly

Work as an intern doing aircraft cleaning, font desk dispatch, etc. Each summer, Alliance employs a few interns that receive hours in aircraft in lieu of payment. Speak with your employer about education benefits. Many companies reimburse employees for any training they undertake. Speak with your HR department and see if flight training is eligible under their program. Come up with a plan. Sit down with your instructor and develop a training plan tailored exactly to your needs and learning abilities.

Set goals on your calendar and stick with them. Review about once per month. This will help you keep on target and assess your progress. Purchasing used books and materials will save a lot of money over purchasing new ones.

Some schools have a swap area, so use it. Great deals can also be found on craigslist or eBay, however, use caution when doing so. Make certain you are buying a current issue of the book, as FAA rules and regulations change regularly.

Outdated materials could be teaching you outdated regulations. Purchase your own aircraft. If you are committed to learning to fly, it can make sense to purchase your own aircraft to fly in. You may be able to come to an arrangement with your school to lease back the aircraft to them when you are not using it. The income generated should totally offset the cost of your training. When you are finished, you will still own the aircraft. Additionally, the tax incentives for purchasing an aircraft have rarely been more advantageous then they have been over the past decade.

If used properly, these free resources should reduce your overall cost learning to become a private pilot. Once you join AOPA, remain a member and take advantage of all their other free services. Ride along programs. Listen to the lesson and interaction between the student and CFI and observe and learn without the stress and responsibility of controlling the aircraft.

In this scenario, we assume you use free pilot books provided on this website, take the practical exam with the FAA not commonly done , and rent smaller training aircraft without glass cockpits. Scenario 2: With years of experience, I have seen the average student pilot follow the scenario below.

They also rent the most affordable aircraft but take the practical exam with a DPE designated pilot examiner , purchase printed flight training books and study manuals, subscribe to Foreflight a digital chart subscription , and purchase a mid-level noise-canceling headset. Blue text indicates additional changes.

Scenario 3: Toward the higher end of the flight training spectrum, I have seen student pilots who want to learn in newer aircraft equipped with updated avionics and GPS. As an average you will spend twice as much time with the instructor as actually flying.

If the 75 flight hours holds true, then you will spend about with the instructor. Supplies There are some training materials you will need such as a flight bag, headset, charts, flashlight, etc. The cost varies widely as some students buy used materials from Craig's List while others buy new, high-end items. The two largest expenses in this category are headset and iPad. Once you pass your checkride you can reward yourself with a nice Bose headset if you wish and use the extra one for passengers you will be taking on flights.

The iPad or tablet of your choice is one thing I would recommend though it is optional. The alternative is purchasing paper charts, directories and airplane manuals. While pilots used paper charts for decades the future is electronic due to the convenience, wealth of resources apps and accuracy.