Private Pilots License

titansox

titansox

Well-Known Member
I was just trying to get a rough estimate of how much a PPL cost. I have to be getting one this spring/summer and I need to budget it into my school costs. Thanks for any info.
 
titansox said:
I was just trying to get a rough estimate of how much a PPL cost. I have to be getting one this spring/summer and I need to budget it into my school costs. Thanks for any info.
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That is impossible to really guess. National averages vary from 55-81 in my readings and I have been told as high as 90. What I tell people is to calculate for 60 hours of flight and 60 hours of ground. Put that into the costs at some local airports and at least it can give you a rough guess.
 
shdw said:
That is impossible to really guess. National averages vary from 55-81 in my readings and I have been told as high as 90. What I tell people is to calculate for 60 hours of flight and 60 hours of ground. Put that into the costs at some local airports and at least it can give you a rough guess.
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Oh, I was looking for what others have spent on their PPL.
 
On the PPL I spent about $12,000-13,000 or so spread out over 3 years. Most do it in around $8,000 is what I've heard, but here in the San Francisco Bay Area, everything costs more.
 
ChasenSFO said:
On the PPL I spent about $12,000-13,000 or so spread out over 3 years. Most do it in around $8,000 is what I've heard, but here in the San Francisco Bay Area, everything costs more.
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I was just reading how the faster you do it, the cheaper it well cost. If you do it 3 times a week you won't have to refresh your memory like you would if you did it 3 times a month.
 
I have finished students at 5500 being the lowest, 8000 being the highest. Do your ground school first and it will be cheaper.

PPL at the bare min's

172 @ $70 /hr wet 40 hrs $2800 Good luck find another 172 at our rate, find a 152.
CFI @ $40 /hr hobbs 20 hrs $800
Examiner $350
Books $300 Craigslist has them cheaper from time to time
Written $90
Medical $100

Total $4440

Spoonfeeding you ground school because you do not want to read the book or are to lazy. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Very few people ever finish at 40 hours.
 
Rudabega said:
I have finished students at 5500 being the lowest, 8000 being the highest. Do your ground school first and it will be cheaper.

PPL at the bare min's

172 @ $70 /hr wet 40 hrs $2800 Good luck find another 172 at our rate, find a 152.
CFI @ $40 /hr hobbs 20 hrs $800
Examiner $350
Books $300 Craigslist has them cheaper from time to time
Written $90
Medical $100

Total $4440

Spoonfeeding you ground school because you do not want to read the book or are to lazy. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Very few people ever finish at 40 hours.
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You have any schools in the washington DC/Northern VA area? :D

The ground school is optional correct? And if I were to not take the ground school aspect, I'd have to study some textbooks and such? Is that it?
 
titansox said:
I was just reading how the faster you do it, the cheaper it well cost. If you do it 3 times a week you won't have to refresh your memory like you would if you did it 3 times a month.
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This is certainly true. I gave you the 60/60 idea because I don't know the costs in your area. I would suspect they are about what mine are.

50 dual hours
10 solo hours
60 ground hours

Here in a 172 that is 100 an hour and 40 an hour for the instructor.

50+60 = 110 total instructor hours * 40 = 4,400
60 flight hours * 100 = 6,000

Total: 10,400 + gear would be 11,000
In a 152 at 80 an hour you can knock off 1,200 for a total of 9,800.


Most schools will not set you up to do as many ground hours as flight hours, I highly recommend you request it. A thorough ground understanding will almost always reduce the flight time necessary. You can also start studying now, do the kings flying ground school (250 i think) and read some basic flying books like:

Stick and Rudder
Emergency Maneuver Training
Takeoffs & Landings

Spend time on these forums, there is a wealth of information here on JC. Spend time at my site in my sig, that site will be devoted to instruction and goes live this month. The more time you give it on your own the cheaper it will cost you in the long run.

Sorry for the ramble, it is late and I am beat, hope it helps and good night.
 
titansox said:
The ground school is optional correct? And if I were to not take the ground school aspect, I'd have to study some textbooks and such? Is that it?
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Part 61 which is usually the cheaper route all you have to do is read your textbook and show your CFI that you know your stuff. Then they sign off that your knowledge is up to par and you take a written test. There really isn't much to it.

Before you start lessons you will want to pick up the Jeppeson textbook and a POH (pilot operators handbook) for a 152 or 172 whatever you plan to train in. If you know the school that you are going to go to then get the year of the plane. Picking up a sectional of your area and a AFD (airport facility directory) would be wise as well.

I have seen the Jepp textbook go for $20 on craigslist and a new POH will run you under $20. Read these cover to cover, understand them and you will cut a bare minimum of $1000 off of your training costs. 60 hours of ground is expensive, by knowing your stuff you can cut that down to 10 hours or less.

The king schools DVD's are pretty good and will explain things clearly. They will even sign you off to take your written test. At $250 they are not cheap, but they are much cheaper than the added time in ground you would spend with your instructor.

Last thing, I would go with a older instructor and make sure to use a sylabus. If you don't know the reason then you will find it in many other posts titled 'My instructor left.'
 
Rudabega said:
Before you start lessons you will want to pick up the Jeppeson textbook and a POH (pilot operators handbook) for a 152 or 172 whatever you plan to train in.
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I would get the Airplane Flying Handbook and the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, PDF, from the FAA, for free. For over the $8 for a copy of the FAR/AIM too. Study these inside out.

http://www.faa.gov/Library/manuals/aviation/pilot_handbook/

http://www.faa.gov/library/manuals/aircraft/airplane_handbook/

$8,000 is probably typical right now. I spent a lot less, but it was also in a $38/hour 152 10 years ago.

Also, book an appointment with an AME and get your Class III medical now. No point spending money on training if you don't pass a medical later.
 
There's lots of schools in the DC area. Manassas Regional alone has Aviation Adventures, Dulles Aviation, American Aviation, Manassas Aviation, and I might be missing a few. Most are in the $120-$150 range for C172 - G1000 C172. I think the 152 runs $90. Instructor rates average $50/hr.

Leesburg has another branch of Aviation Advantures, AvEd and a few others that I can't think of off the top of my head.

I trained in CT and spent around $9000 but I took 80 hours. That was at $87/hr plane + $35/hr instructor.
 
Holy crap, what do you guys pay for rental? I have to dish out $135/wet for the 172R, if its booked its $155/wet for the 172S models. CFI is $55/hour. People elsewhere pay $70? I almost wish I just non-reved to Kansas or something and flew there.
 
I spent around 6-7k and got it with 90 hours, 15 or so in gliders and another 15 in a twin, so it was about 60 hours in a 172 and that was because I started young. You can expect around 6-8k for your certificate if you do it quick.
 
SJM said:
I did the PPL in a 152. I estimate it cost me about $6000, all said and done.
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It doesn't matter what airplane you do a PPL in, it is the same certificate in the end. That said, a 152 is very easy to fly. So in addition to lest cost per hour, it will probably take you fewer hours to learn to fly it.

I would also suggest NOT doing primary flight training in an aircraft with GPS. It will probably be cheaper, and you will actually learn how to use a VOR and ADF.
 
Thanks for the info guys. Keep the numbers coming! lol

So I emailed one of the flight schools near me last night and here is what they sent me (in a nice looking word doc.):

Price Quote:
Private Pilot Certificate


The Private Pilot Certificate requires a minimum of 40 hours flight time and 20 hours of instruction. The Cessna-172 is used for the Private Pilot Certificate. The estimated costs are as follows:


40 Hours Cessna 172 at $115.00 per hour =$4600.00
20 Hours Certified Instruction at $45.00 per hour = $900.00
Supplies (Headset, Charts, etc.) = $200.00
Private Pilot Ground School Training = $400.00
FAA Knowledge Exam = $100.00
FAA Flight Test = $400.00

Total: =$6600.00



Instrument Pilot Certificate

The Instrument Pilot Certificate requires a minimum of 40 hours instrument flying and 15 hours of instrument instruction. The estimated costs are as follows:


40 Hours Cessna 172 at $115.00 per hour =$4600.00
15 Hours Instrument Instruction = $675.00
Instrument Ground School Training = $400.00
Supplies (Charts, etc.) = $100.00
FAA Knowledge Exam = $100.00
FAA Flight Test = $400.00

Total: =$6235.00


Commercial Pilot Certificate

The Commercial Pilot Certificate requires 10 Hours Complex Aircraft Training and a total of 250 Hours flight time (This includes the Private and Instrument times). The estimated costs are as follows:

40 Hours Piper Arrow (Complex) at $145.00 per hour =$1450.00
10 Commercial Instruction at $45.00 per hour = $450.00
160 Hours Cessna 172 at $115.00 per hour =$18400.00
Supplies (Charts, etc.) = $100.00
FAA Knowledge Exam = $100.00
FAA Flight Test = $400.00

Total: =$20900.00
 
I spent about 6k for mine. For about the first 30 hours I was paying $105 wet for a 172m, and $35/hour for the instructor, then I got a job at the FBO on the weekends and started paying $65/hour wet + $35/hour for my instructor.

Biggest tip for saving money I can give (other than working at the FBO) is to study a lot on your own so you have well thought out questions to ask your instructor, find an instructor who likes to hangar fly and BS and you will spend far less on ground instruction, or hang out at the airport and glean info from the other airport bums, and find a smaller part 61 place...imho, they are usually cheaper, and as long as the planes are maintained well, you dont need fancy.

So 6k wasn't bad, the instrument was an entirely different story...
 
Ok, just looking at the private here since this is what you asked about.

Supplies (Headset, Charts, etc.) = $200.00
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Really? $200? Headset, sectional and terminal(depending on where you live) charts every 6 months, AFD, E6B, Plotter, Knee board, flight bag, flight plan logs, and a fuel strainer all for $200? I think they're down-playing some of the costs so I'd be careful, there's probably stuff you'll need to buy that I forgot to mention as well.
 
Jshutt64 said:
I did mine in about $7000-$8000.
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:yeahthat:

Two years ago, Part 61, in a C-152. Used the Jepp Books and I rented the Sporty's videos, also took practice exams on Sporty's site for free.

Basically all the information can be found for free on various web sites and on JC, but you need to plane for the skills.
 
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