Do these flight instruction/rental rates seem fair?

killbilly said:
For a 172. $130 wet is still pushing it - maybe if it was glass.

Remember when rates were going up because fuel was 2.5x the price it is now? Notice that fuel went down and rates didn't?

I can rent a PA-28R in DC for $125 dry at one place, and I get another one just like it for $137 wet/tach through my club.
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I'm not saying that it's good but I'm saying I can understand it from my past rental prices in aviation. Keep in mind I came from an aviation college and did my CFI at another flight school which still had extremely high rental prices. 130 to me just seems normal now with almost every school I go to I see that price range.

I'm sure for others it's outrageous. Back in 2012 I was paying 75 for a 152.
 
Heard back from my buddy, apparently he called the school and told him those prices were "outdated". And they charge $200 /hour for a 172 wet including instructor. Still taxes and fees on top of that though apparently. I told him that it seemed a bit high and he might want to look elsewhere.
 
chrisreedrules said:
Heard back from my buddy, apparently he called the school and told him those prices were "outdated". And they charge $200 /hour for a 172 wet including instructor. Still taxes and fees on top of that though apparently. I told him that it seemed a bit high and he might want to look elsewhere.
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If he's got a bit of dough laying around, he could by a 172, hire a freelancer, get PPL and IR (if plane is IFR) and then sell it for almost what he paid.

You can operate a 172 - with an instructor - for a lot less than $200 an hour.
 
Yeah I've seen Seneca's cheaper than that and I've also seen 172s run $250 wet w/ instructor....brutal prices these days
 
chrisreedrules said:
Heard back from my buddy, apparently he called the school and told him those prices were "outdated". And they charge $200 /hour for a 172 wet including instructor. Still taxes and fees on top of that though apparently. I told him that it seemed a bit high and he might want to look elsewhere.
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shouldn't be any taxes or fees if it's towards a private and not a solo rental....

at least that's how it was for me
 
tcco94 said:
Yeah I've seen Seneca's cheaper than that and I've also seen 172s run $250 wet w/ instructor....brutal prices these days
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$250 boarders on criminal (and I am a red blooded capitalist and dam proud of it!). If a flight school is charging that much higher above national rates there better be VERY extenuating circumstances, like they are the only flight school in the entire country.

I see this time and time again with FBOs and Flight schools who have no clue how to run a business. No concept of pricing theory. Or competitive advantage. Seems like they just throw a bunch of numbers out and see what sticks. Its likely one of the primary reason for killing the industry.

Just dealt with a similar issue. Looking for hanger space, took me a month and a half to get a response. I was going to spend $2500 a month with the company yet to finally talk with the person in charge I had to go sit outside their door and wait for them to show up.

Few people in aviation seem to have any understanding of business or customer service. Its almost like they feel like they are doing the public a favor by being in business......unbelievable.
 
Crop Duster said:
If you rent there, I've got a bridge I'd like to sell you.
$130 for a DRY 172??!! You can put the emphasis on "172" or "Dry"; either way, someone is smokin' the crack pipe.
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Actually, the rates are wet per the fine print at the bottom; however, they do impose a $15/hr fuel surcharge, which makes it $145/hr....so wayyyy too high for an old model 172.
 
A150K said:
Actually, the rates are wet per the fine print at the bottom; however, they do impose a $15/hr fuel surcharge, which makes it $145/hr....so wayyyy too high for an old model 172.
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It clearly says "fuel not included" at the top and then "fuel included" at the bottom, but also includes surcharges.

If they can't put together a clear ad, you shouldn't do business with them.
 
av8tr1 said:
$250 boarders on criminal (and I am a red blooded capitalist and dam proud of it!). If a flight school is charging that much higher above national rates there better be VERY extenuating circumstances, like they are the only flight school in the entire country.

I see this time and time again with FBOs and Flight schools who have no clue how to run a business. No concept of pricing theory. Or competitive advantage. Seems like they just throw a bunch of numbers out and see what sticks. Its likely one of the primary reason for killing the industry.

Just dealt with a similar issue. Looking for hanger space, took me a month and a half to get a response. I was going to spend $2500 a month with the company yet to finally talk with the person in charge I had to go sit outside their door and wait for them to show up.

Few people in aviation seem to have any understanding of business or customer service. Its almost like they feel like they are doing the public a favor by being in business......unbelievable.
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There is a particularly-well-run FBO in my local area that does get it. They do charge a little more but you also get considerable value. In general, selling at a premium on the value proposition is difficult to do - the advantage they have is that flight training isn't a commodity in this area so they can differentiate fairly well. I'm not wild about some of their practices but I do understand why they do what they do.

But yeah - like you, I see a lot of that same behavior. I also see people stepping over dollars to pick up nickels. For example - if you store your airplanes outdoors, a modest investment in a set of wing covers will prevent you from having cancellations due to icing in the slow season. You make up the cost outlay in one season, and then you've got more revenue-generating days with those airplanes than you had before.
 
av8tr1 said:
$250 boarders on criminal (and I am a red blooded capitalist and dam proud of it!). If a flight school is charging that much higher above national rates there better be VERY extenuating circumstances, like they are the only flight school in the entire country.

I see this time and time again with FBOs and Flight schools who have no clue how to run a business. No concept of pricing theory. Or competitive advantage. Seems like they just throw a bunch of numbers out and see what sticks. Its likely one of the primary reason for killing the industry.

Just dealt with a similar issue. Looking for hanger space, took me a month and a half to get a response. I was going to spend $2500 a month with the company yet to finally talk with the person in charge I had to go sit outside their door and wait for them to show up.

Few people in aviation seem to have any understanding of business or customer service. Its almost like they feel like they are doing the public a favor by being in business......unbelievable.
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Are you renting a heated hangar in Anchorage? There's cheaper stuff in birchwood or the valley if for some reason you insist on a hangar.
 
killbilly said:
It clearly says "fuel not included" at the top and then "fuel included" at the bottom, but also includes surcharges.

If they can't put together a clear ad, you shouldn't do business with them.
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Oh...I entirely missed the part at the top. Guess I'm trained to go straight to the fine print :D
 
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