Can you check these cost estimates for private-mei?

Customx

Customx

Well-Known Member
This estimate was put together by using the prices from the Plus One Flyers website based in San Diego. Most of the training would be in a C-152 ($61/hr wet), with additional time in a C-172 ($88/hr wet) and the twin Duchess ($180/hr). I know I'm missing some complex time, but where do I add that in?
I've estimated other fees such as medical, manuals, etc. at about $3,000, so the total cost I have right now is about $34,300
Is there something that I'm missing with these estimates? I think my calculations in the CFI, CFII, and MEI sections may be off. Thanks :)

Sorry for the formatting...transferring everything over from Excel doesn't work too well


PRIVATE LICENSE​

[FONT=&#46027]55 TOTAL FLIGHT HOURS[/FONT]​

[FONT=&#46027]25 [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]Hours dual[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]@ [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]$101.00[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]per hour[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]$2,525.00[/FONT]​



[FONT=&#46027]30 [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]Hours solo[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]@ [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]$61.00[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]per hour[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]$1,830.00[/FONT]​



[FONT=&#46027]20 [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]Hours ground[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]@ [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]$30.00[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]per hour[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]$600.00[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]Materials, Checkride & Exams[/FONT]

[FONT=&#46027]$900.00[/FONT]​


TOTAL $5,855.00​



INSTRUMENT RATING

[FONT=&#46027]40 TOTAL FLIGHT HOURS[/FONT]​

[FONT=&#46027]15 [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]Hours dual[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]@ [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]$130.00[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]per hour[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]$1,950.00[/FONT]​



[FONT=&#46027]25 [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]Hours solo[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]@ [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]$88.00[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]per hour[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]$2,200.00[/FONT]​



[FONT=&#46027]10 [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]Hours ground[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]@ [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]$30.00[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]per hour[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]$300.00[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]Materials, Checkride & Exams[/FONT]​

[FONT=&#46027]$600.00[/FONT]


TOTAL $5,050.00​


MULTI ENGINE RATING

[FONT=&#46027]20 TOTAL FLIGHT HOURS[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]10 [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]Hours dual[/FONT]


[FONT=&#46027]@ [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]$220.00[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]per hour[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]$2,200.00[/FONT]​



[FONT=&#46027]10 [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]Hours solo[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]@[/FONT][FONT=&#46027]$180.00[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]per hour[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]$1,800.00[/FONT]​



[FONT=&#46027]5 [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]Hours ground[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]@[/FONT][FONT=&#46027]$30.00[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]per hour[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]$150.00[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]Materials, Checkride & Exams [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]$400.00[/FONT]


TOTAL $4,550.00​



HOUR BUILDING (to meet FAA minimum of 250 hours for Commercial Rating)​




[FONT=&#46027]135 [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]Hours[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]@ [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]$61.00[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]per hour[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]$8,235.00[/FONT]​


TOTAL $8,235.00​




COMMERCIAL RATING​


[FONT=&#46027]15 [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]Hours dual[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]@ [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]$101.00[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]per hour[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]$1,515.00[/FONT]​



[FONT=&#46027]10 [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]Hours ground[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]@ [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]$30.00[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]per hour[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]$300.00[/FONT]​



[FONT=&#46027]Materials, Checkride & Exams [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]$600.00[/FONT]​


TOTAL $2,415.00​



FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR​


[FONT=&#46027]10 [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]Hours dual[/FONT]


[FONT=&#46027]@ [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]$101.00[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]per hour[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]$1,010.00[/FONT]​



[FONT=&#46027]10 [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]Hours solo[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]@ [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]$61.00[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]per hour[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]$610.00[/FONT]​



[FONT=&#46027]8 [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]Hours ground[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]@ [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]$30.00[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]per hour[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]$240.00[/FONT]​



[FONT=&#46027]Materials, Checkride & Exams $[/FONT][FONT=&#46027]400.00[/FONT]​


TOTAL $2,260.00​




INSTRUMENT INSTRUCTOR​

[FONT=&#46027]2 [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]Hours dual[/FONT]


[FONT=&#46027]@ [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]$130.00[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]per hour[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]$260.00[/FONT]​



[FONT=&#46027]2 [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]Hours solo[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]@ [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]$88.00[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]per hour[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]$176.00[/FONT]​



[FONT=&#46027]4 [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]Hour ground[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]@ [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]$30.00[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]per hour[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]$120.00[/FONT]​



[FONT=&#46027]Materials, Checkride & Exams[/FONT]​

[FONT=&#46027]$300.00[/FONT]​


TOTAL​

$856.00​


MULTI ENGINE INSTRUCTOR


[FONT=&#46027]7 [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]Hours dual[/FONT]


[FONT=&#46027]@ [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]$220.00[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]per hour[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]$1,540.00[/FONT]​



[FONT=&#46027]1 [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]Hours solo[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]@ [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]$180.00[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]per hour[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]$180.00[/FONT]​



[FONT=&#46027]3 [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]Hour ground[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]@ [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]$30.00[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]per hour[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]$90.00[/FONT]​



[FONT=&#46027]Materials, Checkride & Exams [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]$300.00[/FONT]​


TOTAL $2110.00​



MISC $3,000.00​



TOTAL $34,331.00​




Total Flight Time​


[FONT=&#46027]Single [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]269[/FONT]​


[FONT=&#46027]Multi [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]28[/FONT]​

[FONT=&#46027]Total [/FONT][FONT=&#46027]297[/FONT]​
 
Hey

Those figures look about average, be aware at the moment both the 150 and 152 are down and have been for quite some time, they say that they are meant to be up soon tho. If I was you I might put some of the complex time you say you need in the Instrument training stage just to spice things up a little.

I have a recommendation for a great Instrument Instructor at Plus One, if you want the name PM me.

Cheers.
 
Ohh forgot, to add the membership dues, joining fee's remembering that it's a club and not an FBO.
 
lol not me no, If only I did, I saw it once at Luton and thought it would be kool to have a plane with a nike tick on the tail.
 
I figure that with a name like Phil Knight, you have to be loaded :p That paint scheme is really love-it or hate-it though.

PS - Their pilots wear wings with a little red Nike Swoosh hidden in them.
 
Loaded, I wish, I know for a fact tho if I did have access to a GV right now, I wouldn't be sat in the back watching TV..... ahh who am I Kidding of course I would, but I would without a doubt want a play up front.

It was a long time ago and just over the fence all I remember seeing was a N1KE on the and if i remember correctly a tick on the tail, might have been new back then, will now go and look up current livery.
 
LoadMasterC141 said:
Not bad. Buffer it a little now. Things will ALWAYS cost more.
Click to expand...

Yeah that! haha always add a few thousand here and there... Also just throwing it out there... make sure you do all your x/cs and then come back and do your ME... You'll be better at your stick and rudder skills and therefore going into the ME will be slightly easier... Just my 2cents...
 
I probably add another 10k into your calculation because all your dual given is purely your assumptions. You'll probably need a bit more on your private/inst.
 
I'd budget a little higher...maybe $40k total, for a few reasons.

Private and instrument ratings seem fairly accurate, but your "higher level" ratings seem a bit optimistic. Nothing drastically far off, just a little here and there. I think you'll need more than 8 hours of ground training for the CFI, a little more flight time for the CFII, etc.

Also, over the course of your training, rental rates and instructor fees might increase.

And finally, nothing ever goes according to planned. Somewhere along the line something will happen to add a bit more on to the total. I don't know what...maybe a busted checkride, maybe an instructor leaving in the middle of your training, or whatever, but something is bound to happen to add some unexpected expenses somewhere.

Overall, looks like you found a good place though.
 
Maybe I'm just a little stupid but ...

Assuming you are doing the IR under Part 61, then you require:

  • 50hrs PIC XC (which can include your student pilot XCs)
  • 40hrs Hood (or actual) Time (which can also include whatever you do with your instructor for your private)
  • 15hrs Dual with a CFII
Therefore you want to make as much of your solo time for your ppl as XC, but this will require an endorsement for each individual XC. The minimum hood time required for the ppl is 3 hours, try and get your instructor to let you do as much hood work as possible during your ppl, like every time you go to and from the practice area do it under the hood. I would try to find someone who you could split some time with to get your hood time when not with an instructor, otherwise you will probably end up needing more dual.

Also, I am unsure what Multi Engine rating you are getting - private or commercial? You want and MEI so you will need to your CMEL, but you need to decide whether to do it as your commercial initial or as an add-on. There are benefits to doing it both ways, but either way you will be doing it after the hour building, not before. Your single engine complex time is generally done as part of the CSEL, although you can build the complex time whenever, but you need to show the complex competency in the commercial checkride.

With all of these ratings add 25% as a buffer for the reasons stated by others.
 
Thanks for all the help everyone. I can understand the need for some buffer, but assuming I add $10,000 or 25% like Hubbs and Flyviper mentioned, what is the incentive to doing everything at an FBO or flying club? Is it becoming impossible to go from private to mei for under $35k?

If I assume that I'll need about $40-43k, what is the incentive to going this route if I could go to a place like White Air, and for $46k get 155 hours in a C-172 and 125 in a twin? I'm trying to go through all available options, including flying clubs, airplane ownership, and FBOs, but it's becoming quite difficult to get a clear answer on which route is better.:banghead:
 
I fought this same battle myself when I started my training, and I'm pretty convinced that you don't save anything by flying at an FBO when you add up the line by line expenses, especially the little ones (that really add up), that are included by the better flight schools.

One of the biggest problems I see with paying per hour for instruction, both ground and flight, is this: Since you know you are paying for every minute you spend with your instructor, you are subconsciously training yourself to the bare minimum standard since you want to save money.

With a pay per program type system, you will be encouraged to use up as much of your instructor's time as possible (as its a fixed cost), and I think the outcome is significantly better with regard to the quality of training you receive.
 
Those figures are optimistic, but possible.

The first thing I tell all of my students is never budget for bare minimum requirements.

Not to say you can't do it, because I did; but I have had a few students that were nowhere near ready for a checkride anywhere near minimum requirements. This is typically more than just a slow learner, but Mx issues, bad weather, family issues, etc... happen and if for some reason you don't fly for a month it takes you a while to get back up to speed, thus costing more hours.

My numbers for example:

PPL at 46 hours

IR with 17 hours of dual received, 43 hours Simulated Instrument, and 100 hours of Cross country PIC

CSEL at 256 hours

CFI at 270 total
 
Customx said:
Thanks for all the help everyone. I can understand the need for some buffer, but assuming I add $10,000 or 25% like Hubbs and Flyviper mentioned, what is the incentive to doing everything at an FBO or flying club?
Click to expand...

You don't have to relocate to fly at your local FBO. You can stay in the comfort of your own home, fly on your own schedule, hold down a job while you train, stay close to friends and family, etc.

So there are a lot of intangible benefits, but if you're looking at strictly financial numbers, you'll basically save money on food and lodging for the duration of your training.


Customx said:
Is it becoming impossible to go from private to mei for under $35k?
Click to expand...

In short, yes. You can thank fuel prices and insurance companies for this shift.
 
jrh said:
You don't have to relocate to fly at your local FBO. You can stay in the comfort of your own home, fly on your own schedule, hold down a job while you train, stay close to friends and family, etc.

So there are a lot of intangible benefits, but if you're looking at strictly financial numbers, you'll basically save money on food and lodging for the duration of your training.




In short, yes. You can thank fuel prices and insurance companies for this shift.
Click to expand...

If I were to buy my own Cherokee 140 or Cessna 152, how much do you think I would pay for all the ratings (not including the cost of the plane)?
 
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