Private Pilot Certificate
Learn to Fly!
Getting a private pilot certificate opens your world to flying just about everywhere. You can fly day or night in good visual weather conditions, taking friends and family with you wherever you go!
With your private pilot certificate you can rent a plane, you can purchase your own, or you can purchase in partnership with others. This certificate opens up to you a world of adventure and freedom surpassed by nothing else.
Below are details of what's required to obtain your certificate, how much it costs, and how long it can take. Review them and call me to get your training started!
Training Requirements
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the government agency tasked with setting standards and rules for training and certificating private pilots. The FAA requires a minimum of 40 hours of flight time/training before sitting for your practical exam. Certain types of training flights, flight maneuvers, and certification standards must be met before you can sit for and pass that practical exam. While some students are able to complete their training around the 40 hours, the national average time is around 55-65 hours.
If a student commits to flying once/week, it usually takes around 6-8 months to complete the training. Flying twice/week cuts that time to about 3-4 months. And flying three or more times per week can cut that time down to 1-3 months. The more frequently you train, the better you retain your training knowledge for subsequent flight lessons. Accelerated training schedules are ALWAYS the preferred method.
Training Costs
Anticipate spending approximately $12,000 to $14,000+ getting your initial private pilot certificate. Due to the open-ended nature of the training time a student may require, it is difficult to provide fixed pricing on the initial pilot certificate. Factors such as preparation before training begins, prior flight experience, and the overall commitment of the student to succeed all contribute to the range of total training costs. Those students committed to training on an accelerated schedule usually finish faster and at less cost and others stretching out their training, which often times requires refresher work on previous training due to the perishable nature of flight skills over time. Prior students of mine can provide you testimony to my commitment to helping you maximize the economics of your training and minimizing the total costs. End the end though, it all depends on the individual student.
Other costs you will incur in addition to the flight training are books, ground school courses, medical exams, Examiner Fees, airplane renters insurance, etc. These can run between $1,000 to $2,000.
Payment Schedule
Payment for initial private pilot training will be made in installments of $4,000, with the initial payment made before the first flight lesson. After that, additional installments of $4,000 will be requested when your account balance needs replenished. Settlement of any balance after training is complete will be billed on an hourly basis and/or credited back to you if any overpayment remains.
I can accept cash, checks, or credit/debit cards for payment.
Student guide & frequently asked questions
Ready to Get Started?
If getting a pilots certificate is something you'd like to do, clicking the button below will take you to the FAA website where some of the more commonly asked questions will be answered. You can also reach out to me directly and I will help you with questions you may have.
Once you've made up your mind, there are Other Steps to getting started that I can walk you through as we train, or you can use the links provided below to navigate yourself.
OTHER STEPS TO GET STARTED
Where do I get an FAA medical examination?
I recommend you complete your medical exam early to ensure there are no medical factors limiting your ability to earn your certificate. Click the link below to find a Medical Examiner and schedule your appointment. Be sure to setup via MedExpress to complete the initial portion of your application. This will be required by the AME to complete your medical exam.
Where Do I Take the FAA Knowledge Exam?
There are a number of testing centers that offer the FAA Knowledge tests. Click the PSI Testing Centers link below to schedule a Knowledge Exam. You can also visit:
https://www.faa.gov/training_testing/testing/
Here you will find other FAA resources related to Airman Testing.
Where do I find good online ground school options?
There are a number of very good options available to student pilots for online ground school training. While I don't endorse any particular trainer due to individual learning styles, I have listed a few below for you to review and consider:
There are a number of other great ground schools out there to train with. Just because they aren't listed, doesn't mean they aren't good. The main criteria should be that you feel you have a learning connection with the person(s) teaching the material.