Cost of finishing PPL
- Thread starter BCTAv8r
- Start date
stesta5074
Well-Known Member
When did you solo?
jrh
Well-Known Member
Do you have all of the requirements met? All of your solo time, cross country time, instrument time, etc.? You only need to prep for the checkride now?
If so, I'd estimate 5 hours of flight time and 5 hours of ground time, plus the checkride itself.
6 hours x $125/hour for airplane = $750
5 hours x $50/hour for instructor = $250
Examiner fee = $300
Total to finish = $1300
If you need to complete other requirements, add those to the $1300 estimate.
If so, I'd estimate 5 hours of flight time and 5 hours of ground time, plus the checkride itself.
6 hours x $125/hour for airplane = $750
5 hours x $50/hour for instructor = $250
Examiner fee = $300
Total to finish = $1300
If you need to complete other requirements, add those to the $1300 estimate.
Pépé le Pilot
Well-Known Member
Those prices seem quite high... In DAB, CFI's usually go for $25/h and you can get a wet c152 for about $80 or a bit less if you buy block time...
jrh
Well-Known Member
Yeah, there's a huge spectrum of options. You're quoting the absolute cheapest option out there...which may or may not be the best way of getting things done. I was estimating what it would take to finish at my school.
I also realized I didn't account for the instructor fee for the flight time in my original estimate, either. So tack on $250 for that.
I'd be surprised if the OP could finish for less than $1000, even at the cheapest of places, and I'd also be surprised if it takes more than $2500, even at the premium places.
This is a classic example of why stopping training midway through a rating should be avoided if at all possible.
Pépé le Pilot
Well-Known Member
As always, there are many options out there, he didn't mention where he's from. California is considerably more expensive on all aspects than Florida. I don't know about the other states.
And I absolutely agree that any rating or license should be done in one shot, it ALWAYS ends up costing more to split. But in this economy....
RICHARD5
Well-Known Member
Before completing my pvt I had to stop for work. It was well after I had soloed. I had been flying 3-5 times per week so I thought a 2 month hiatus shouldn't be that much. It took significantly longer than I expected to get back to being ready for the checkride. The chief CFI thought it would take about 2 times the hours than what I thought. He was exactly right.
While hourly cost of the aircraft is a substantial part, it really comes down to the readiness of the student including how much time he is willing to invest. Don't loiter between flights, git er done.
While hourly cost of the aircraft is a substantial part, it really comes down to the readiness of the student including how much time he is willing to invest. Don't loiter between flights, git er done.
drunkenbeagle
Gang Member
I spent more than a year each on my private, instrument, and commercial. You get the same certificate in the end. If you are like me, and fly primarily because you like flying, there's nothing wrong with that.
We are talking about finishing a private certificate, not flying as a career. My guess is about $2,000, but whether it takes you 2 weeks or 6 months, my only suggestion would be to try and fly at least once a month. Even after you get the certificate, you really need to do that anyway to be proficient and safe.
There are also a million other things that I would put before flying - school, career, family, going to a baseball game, etc. There are plenty of good reasons for taking a break from flying.
I soloed in May 2008. Had to stop flying July of 2009 because I got laid off due to the economy. I only had the long x-country and checkride left.
I really have no idea as to how much I've forgotten over the past year. If I'm gonna be like a pre-solo student or someone who needs just a couple of hours to get back into shape.
I'm in South FL by the way.
I really have no idea as to how much I've forgotten over the past year. If I'm gonna be like a pre-solo student or someone who needs just a couple of hours to get back into shape.
I'm in South FL by the way.
jrh
Well-Known Member
I'd say to expect 10-12 hours total of flying then. A couple flights to get back in the saddle, a dual XC, a solo XC, and a few more hours of checkride prep.
jrh
Well-Known Member
I totally agree. I'm not saying flying should be a person's top priority in life, nor does it have to be done quickly.
But the reality is that the OP probably is going to spend about $1000-$1500 more than he would have needed if he'd never stopped. That doesn't make him a bad person or a bad pilot, it's just the way life works.
If he had never stopped, he could have taken that money and gone out to the movies every Saturday night for the next three years. Or treated himself to a steak dinner every week for the next year. Or bought a couple of iPads--one to keep, and one to chuck off a freeway overpass, just because he can.
A person can start and stop flying all they want. I'm just trying to express how doing a rating consistently in one shot is financially a very wise move.
JOEFRIDAY2
Well-Known Member
If you allow $2000-$2500 you should be fine. If you haven't passed your written, you should do that before you start back flying.
Joe
Joe
drunkenbeagle
Gang Member
Maybe it takes 5-10 hours more, maybe not. But it isn't like those hours are "wasted," they still go in the logbook, they still count for experience towards other ratings/insurance/etc.
Anyway, your CFI is the only one that will really know how long it will take, and he won't know how long until he signs you off
KSCessnaDriver
Well-Known Member
The only people I know charging 25/hr for instruction are the brand new guys. Beyond that, lots of guys bump their instruction rate up. In quite a few cases, spending 10-15/hr more on an instructor may save you in the long run. But hey, if it makes you feel good to save 15/hr, go for it.
Pépé le Pilot
Well-Known Member
I can't remember how much my school charged at the time, but at ERAU I was being paid $14/h as CFI I think, back in 2000...
$12/h at PhilAir but then we were flying at least 100h/month, 12 months a year... Those were the days...
$12/h at PhilAir but then we were flying at least 100h/month, 12 months a year... Those were the days...
What I would say is choose a flight school, take a flight with an instructor, and then ask THAT instructor the question. When I was instructing, thats exactly what I used to tell people who asked this question. These people here who are throwing around number with having never flown with you, and have never sat down to review your ground knowledge are shooting from the hip. Fact of the matter is, you may have forgotten a lot since you last flew, or you could have forgotten nothing.
Sit down with a CFI and ask them the question.
Sit down with a CFI and ask them the question.
How can you say something like this with having never even shaken this persons hand. In all honesty, you have no clue what it will take to finish this guy up. Kinda like some people take 25hrs to solo, and some are ready in 10. People are different, every one of them. The OP could be a wonder child and know everything and need the three hours for a sign off, or the previous instructor could have left huge gaps for the next guy to fill in. I had more than my share of gaps to fill as a CFI.
drunkenbeagle
Gang Member
:yeahthat: