The True Cost of Learning to Fly

Learning to fly is not cheap. The national average indicates that most pilots require 60 to 75 hours of flight training to acquire a private pilot license. The actual cost can range from $11,320 to $19,990 at the high end for 60 hours of flight training. Below are several scenarios that outline the costs of learning to fly.

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Scenario 1: At the lowest end of the potential cost scale is the minimum required 60 hours of flight training. In this scenario, we assume you use free pilot books provided on this website, take the practical exam with the FAA (not commonly done), and rent smaller training aircraft without glass cockpits. With these parameters, you can expect to spend around $11,320.

Scenario 2: With years of experience, I have seen the average student pilot follow the scenario below. They also rent the most affordable aircraft but take the practical exam with a DPE (designated pilot examiner), purchase printed flight training books and study manuals, subscribe to Foreflight (a digital chart subscription), and purchase a mid-level noise-canceling headset. This scenario pushes up the cost of earning a private pilot license by nearly $1,000, bringing the total to $12,290. (Blue text indicates additional changes.)

Scenario 3: Toward the higher end of the flight training spectrum, I have seen student pilots who want to learn in newer aircraft equipped with updated avionics and GPS. Some student pilots also prefer a more experienced instructor that often comes with an increase in price per hour. In this scenario, I increased the instructor's rate to $60 per hour. At this price point, I have also seen a trend that most pilots purchase a high-end headset such as the Bose A20 and use a form of online/computer learning to complement instruction.

Scenario 4: At the highest end of flight training, I have seen pilots ask to learn in high-performance aircraft with the latest avionics. The reasoning behind learning in this aircraft is usually safety, as these aircraft are just a few years old, come equipped with TCAS (traffic collision avoidance system), glass cockpits, and, in some cases, parachute systems in the event of an emergency.

Flight Training Cost Calculator

Every flight school has varying costs. Above are only a few scenarios that outline the cost of learning to fly. If these numbers don't seem to fit your situation try our flight training cost calculator by clicking here.

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