Paying for Flight School

TXTBOOK

TXTBOOK

Well-Known Member
Hey everyone,

I'm been sort of a lurker of JC for a few weeks now. I'm 20 years old and I am looking to atleast start my PPL training this summer. I plan on doing it at Santa Paula (KSZP) at CP Aviation. I was there today and stopped by CP after having lunch at the field. They have the best rates in the area, and is fairly close to my parents house in Simi Valley, where I will be living over the summer (I am a college student, going to UCSD next year, transferring from Santa Barabara City College).

I was wondering if anyone had any tips on the following:


  • How to save money during PPL Training
  • How to raise money during PPL Training (or how you paid for it)
  • Tips on how to cut costs without compromising my pilot education
I'm going into able to pass the written test already, and that is done by my own studies. Also, and I know this is very trivial in its relativilty towards real life flying, but I am completely comfortable flying online on VATSIM, both IFR and VFR in a 172 among other aircraft. This includes checklists, manuvers, charts, and phraseology. Hopefully those two things will reduce the amount of ground school and "getting the hang of it" that I will require.

Any input on those things or advice to a pre-flight school student would be outstanding. Thanks for your time!
 
You know, I was a professional student for many years, so when it came to flying, I did my best to teach myself all of the ground material before I started training in the aircraft. When I got to my instrument training, I had already had a strong hold on the theory, regs, and procedures - this minimized the time spent in the air going over stuff. I've done very little actual ground school just because I've always been able to teach myself just about everything I needed to know in aviation (to this point).
 
Murdoughnut said:
You know, I was a professional student for many years, so when it came to flying, I did my best to teach myself all of the ground material before I started training in the aircraft. When I got to my instrument training, I had already had a strong hold on the theory, regs, and procedures - this minimized the time spent in the air going over stuff. I've done very little actual ground school just because I've always been able to teach myself just about everything I needed to know in aviation (to this point).
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I agree with this. "Ground school" for my instrument training was basically done over coffee at the airport caffe while getting the planes glideslope reciever changed out. I had all the book work done prior to showing up.
 
See if you can work for the flight school. It helped me network so I could safety pilot for free a lot of times. Not to mention, you can get a discount.
 
Can't see any reason to go to a flight school. You can pass all your written exams with self study. There are plenty of underemployed CFIs out there who will gladly teach you for half the rate the schools charge. And if you purchase your own renter's insurance (about $250 per year) you can always find someone who will rent you their plane for much, much less than the schools charge. Anyway, that's what I did. Got all my ratings for way, way less.

I have nothing but pity for all these young guys who put themselves deeply into debt only to discover that there's no job waiting for them after all their hard work. (Or if there is a job the pay is so measly that it is almost an insult.)
 
Sounds like doing as much learning on my own really is the way to go.

gliderboy said:
Can't see any reason to go to a flight school. You can pass all your written exams with self study. There are plenty of underemployed CFIs out there who will gladly teach you for half the rate the schools charge. And if you purchase your own renter's insurance (about $250 per year) you can always find someone who will rent you their plane for much, much less than the schools charge. Anyway, that's what I did. Got all my ratings for way, way less.

I have nothing but pity for all these young guys who put themselves deeply into debt only to discover that there's no job waiting for them after all their hard work. (Or if there is a job the pay is so measly that it is almost an insult.)
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I haven't thought about this. How would I find these free lance CFI's and how would I find the private aircraft to rent? Renters insurance would be non problem if it would save me the costs of the institution of the flight school.

I should also point out that I do not plan on this being a career. I'm not opposed to getting my commercial and making a few bucks on the weekends if able, but aviation is a hobby of mine for the time being.

Thanks for the responses so far :D
 
TXTBOOK said:
I haven't thought about this. How would I find these free lance CFI's and how would I find the private aircraft to rent? Renters insurance would be non problem if it would save me the costs of the institution of the flight school.
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Ask around at the airport. They probably have cards tacked up on the board at the FBO that sells gas. Or ask on of the MX guys at the field, they would know who has planes based there.

A regular flight school is good too though - more planes to choose from, the planes probably get more frequent maintenance, CFI's fly a lot more...
 
Murdoughnut said:
You know, I was a professional student for many years, so when it came to flying, I did my best to teach myself all of the ground material before I started training in the aircraft. When I got to my instrument training, I had already had a strong hold on the theory, regs, and procedures - this minimized the time spent in the air going over stuff. I've done very little actual ground school just because I've always been able to teach myself just about everything I needed to know in aviation (to this point).
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To the OP-

If you can do this, your CFI will love you.
 
TXTBOOK said:
  • How to save money during PPL Training
  • How to raise money during PPL Training (or how you paid for it)
  • Tips on how to cut costs without compromising my pilot education
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  • Peanut butter & jelly for lunch, ramen for dinner. (im completely serious)
  • work while training, and only fly when you can afford to.
  • find yourself a good school (and you have...flew with a guy who used to instruct there, and CP has a great reputation).
But like others have said, do a lot of the studying on your own, it will help you so much to go into it with a base of knowlege from which to build from.
And welcome to JC :hiya: keep us updated on your progress.
 
if you are just looking for the PPL, and not sure about going any farther i guess there are two options for being frugal...

1. already mentioned- find someone who will directly rent you their plane and fill it with you and an instructor.

2. see if santa paula has a 141 course. you can save yourself 5 hours in the plane if you are on the ball.

As far as the rest is concerned, like TLD said, fly only when you can afford to, except balance that idea with the general rule that you have to fly at least twice a week to really make headway. don't get going in this if you cant finish it, that is a supreme waste of cash. also, if you want to save money buy your food on the way into santa paula, right before fillmore on the 126 there is a big fruit stand, some of the best fruit at about the lowest price your going to find it in the county.:rawk:good luck!
 
I'm not famliliar with 141 schools or different kinds of schools at all. Could someone please explain them?
 
TXTBOOK said:
I'm not famliliar with 141 schools or different kinds of schools at all. Could someone please explain them?
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To answer in a generic way...they train under different programs. 141 is usually done faster and is typically the way, maybe even the only way :confused:, academies train. But any flight school can choose to train 141. Requires less hours but gets the same rating. Also licenses are usually/always learned with stage checks to ensure the progress is being completed for the student.
I don't know all the specifics so I'll leave that up to others. I have trained under both and don't really have a preference. I am currently under 141 but only because the VA mandates me to be so.
 
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