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'How Much Does it Cost?' -- Your Private Pilot Certificate

It's the most common question I get asked about becoming a pilot. Right above, "How long does it take?" An old-timer might tell you that theirs cost them a nickel and two chickens or that they paid for it by cleaning the bug guts off their instructor's airplane. Or, you know, some other "good old days" story.

Fight training in the 21st century is unfortunately expensive and getting worse. In 2018, I passed my checkride with 56 hours and a total cost of roughly $8,500. Scholarships and other financial aid took that down to about $3,500. I funded that with credit cards which I paid off before the promotional period ended and the interest kicked in. That's how I was able to afford it when I was pumping gas at the FBO.

If I were to do it all over again today with the same plane at the same flight school for the same amount of time, the cost would be closer to $15,000 before any financial help. And this is flying a Cessna 152 in "Middle-o-Nowhere," California. I shudder to think what people are paying to fly Piper Archers in places like Los Angeles...

As for the timeframe, the FAA says you need a minimum of 40 hours flight time before you can take your checkride (35 hours if you're training through a Part 141 school). How long your training lasts depends on how long it takes you to get those hours. I tried to fly once a week, weather and bank account permitting, and that rate allowed me to finish in about two years. If you're lucky enough to have thousands of dollars burning a hole in your pocket, you can fly more frequently. That will likely lower the final total of your training because more frequent lessons mean less time to forget what you learned and that means less money spent on remedial training.

Sensible choices will also save you money. I knew a guy who wanted to train in the nicest airplane his money could rent. Until he had no money left for training... You don't need a pretty airplane (faded paint does not affect airworthiness). You don't need a fast airplane (the FAA cares about hours logged, not how fast you were flying when you logged them). You don't need an airplane that will impress your friends (you can't carry passengers yet anyway). You need a plane that is safe, reliable and has all the equipment necessary to meet the curriculum of your training. That's it. Nothing more, nothing less. And don't worry, all the fancy airplanes will still be there when you're done.

The cost, time and actual work it takes to become a pilot are all contributing factors to why 80% of student pilots don't make it to their checkride. However, while the price point might make your wallet ache, achieving your private pilot certificate is still in the "do-able" range, in my opinion. Especially if you're in a place where your wages have actually kept up with inflation. It's pretty hard to do if you're poor, but you don't have to be a millionaire. And if you're scrappy and resourceful, you can find ways to squeeze your dreams into your budget.

Here are some helpful resources for scholarships and mentorship:

AOPA Flight Training Scholarships

Black Pilots of America

Latino Pilots Association

Ninety-Nines Women Pilots Association

National Gay Pilots Association

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Every year, an airplane must go through a mandatory inspection, commonly referred to as just "The Annual." A mechanic will follow a checklist of inspection items and rectify anything that's deemed un-airworthy. It's typically the most expensive part of planned expenses as any annual less than $2,000 is "cheap" by aviation standards. How much your annual costs and how long it takes depends on aircraft type, how much is wrong with it and how hard it is to do the work. And of course, your local mechanic's rates.

Thankfully, my mechanic has fair rates, the Tri-Pacer is easy to inspect and there's only a couple of things that need to be addressed this year. This airplane sometimes proves to be an unexpected pain when it comes to labor, but the final total should still qualify as "cheap," or close to it.

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I always say I'm going to use this blog to post airplane pictures and talk about airplanes and then I just don't do that

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guys. hey guys. I'm asexual. you know what that means?

I'm an ace pilot.

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$7,830 in 1957 equates to about $85,732 in 2023. Today, you can generally find them in the $30k-$50k range in good to excellent condition, making them one of the better deals on the market for used planes. They have better performance than similarly priced Cessna 150s (and you can fly with more than one passenger). However, fabric skin means you have to keep it in a hangar as opposed to a metal airplane which can be more cheaply kept on an outdoor tie-down. They're simple planes and fairly common so parts and maintenance are relatively cheap (in aviation terms, anyway).

They're fun and easy to fly, but I can't really recommend them as a primary trainer in the modern age. Their little design quirks like the interconnected ailerons and rudder as well as having a hand brake as opposed to toe brakes might leave a student poorly prepared to fly contemporary aircraft.

Plus, they don't really stall. It's a nice safety feature, but demonstrating a full-break stall (that is, when you pitch the aircraft up to the point the wings lose effectiveness and the nose drops) and stall recovery is necessary to obtain your private pilot certificate. A stall in a Tri-Pacer is less of a nose drop and more of a polite "no thank you" as the nose gently settles back down. Hopefully that will be enough to satisfy your examiner on your checkride...

Anyway, you probably could train in one, but I'd recommend getting some hours in a modern aircraft with more typical flight characteristics unless quirky, vintage planes are all you want to fly in life. But for the already licensed pilot, the Tri-Pacer is an enjoyably, economical option for a time-builder and its eccentricities can offer a fun challenge for those suffering from Cessna-fatigue.