Becoming a pilot is super-expensive, it really is. Flying lessons cost between €50.000 and €150.000 depending on where you live.
Where do you get all that cash from? How do you pay for flying lessons? These are all questions you might be asking if you dream of becoming a pilot.
Airlines usually offer sponsorships to pilots who apply for them. This is because there are many applicants and the selection process is very competitive.
You should try to get a sponsorship if possible. Otherwise, you’ll need to borrow money or pay for the training yourself.
A selection process is required before starting a pilot training program.
This includes taking math, physics, and IQ tests. There are also interviews, simulator grading, and group assessments. Pilots must pass these tests to become pilots.
In this guide, we’ll be talking about how to become a pilot if you haven’t got the funds to support you. So, keep on reading to find out more.
(Average prices are correct at the time of writing)
How Much Does It Cost To Become A Pilot?
Pilots must pay for their training. Students pay $75-$200 for a student pilot license. Sport pilots pay $4,400. Recreational pilots pay $6,500. Commercial pilots pay $30,000. Airlines pay $5,000. Instructors pay $5,000 per year.
Ground and flight training makes up the biggest chunk of the total cost. Other expenses, such as test fees, amount to less than a fraction of it.
Medical Written Practical Exams And Miscellaneous Costs
To become a pilot, you need to get a medical certificate. You can pay anywhere between $75 to 200 dollars to do this. You also need to take an aviation exam to get your license. This costs around $150.
Practical exams vary depending on what kind of plane you’re flying. Some planes require different types of checks while others require the same thing.
You need to know how much money you’ll be spending before you take the exam.
Sport Pilot License Cost
A sport pilot license is required for flying LSA. You must pass an instructor’s test before you can get your license. There are two types of ground schools: instructor’s lessons and home study courses.
Instructors charge an average of 40 dollars per hour for ground instruction. Some online courses cost from 100 to 400 dollars, and some are even completely free.
The FAA sets a minimum flight time for a sports pilot license at 20 hours. This includes at least 15 hours of ground instruction and five hours of solo flight time, but instructors may choose to give more than this.
The average cost of renting an airplane is $100 per hour. Flight instructors charge $40 per hour. So, the total cost of training is $2,600.
However, the minimum number of flight hours needed to be certified as a pilot is 20 hours. This means that the actual cost of flying lessons is $1,200.
A sport pilot license costs about $4,400.
Recreational Pilot License Cost
Pilots who fly recreationally are less likely to be active in aviation. Most people who fly recreationally do so because it’s cheaper than getting a commercial license or a private license.
Recreational pilots are required to log at least 30 hours of flying time before receiving their certificate. This requirement includes 15 hours logged with an instructor.
Pilots need about 20 hours to learn how to fly. This means that the average cost for a plane rental and flight lessons is about $1,000.
A home study course, medical exam, test fees, and other expenses add up to about $3,500. Thus, the total cost of getting your private pilot license is about $6,500.
Private Pilot License Cost
Private pilots must be trained by an FAA-certified flight instructor before being allowed to fly solo. Pilots who hold a commercial pilot certificate (CPC) or multi engine rating (MIR) may also apply for a PPL.
A PPL does not allow the pilot to operate large aircraft such as jumbo jets or airliners.
Private pilots need to be licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The FAA’s minimum requirement is 35-40 hours of flying time.
Pilots usually take an additional 60-75 hours to become fully qualified. The average price per hour ranges from $10-$20.
Ground instruction costs around $300-500, but you’ll be able to access it forever.
Commercial Pilot License Cost
Commercial pilots are paid for flying planes. They must be certified to fly aircraft. There are two types of licenses: part 61 and part 141. A CPL requires more than 2,500 hours of flight time.
Under Part 61, you need about 250 hours to become an instructor pilot. But you only need about 190 hours to become a certified flight instructor.
So if you’re going to train as a CFI, you’ll probably spend more money than if you were going to take a Part 141 course.
Private pilots need to be careful about what they do. Since the FAA heavily regulates Part-141 schools, they tend to charge more for aircraft rentals and instructors.
Many commercial pilots also take multi-engine and instrument ratings. The rationale is that these skills are necessary for most commercial flights.
Commercial pilots must be licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The FAA requires that applicants pass an exam before being issued a certificate.
The cost of this exam depends on the type of aircraft you want to fly. For example, if you want to fly a single-engine plane, then the cost of your license is around $30,000.
However, if you want to take a multi-engine airplane, then the price goes up to about $60,000.
Flight Instructor Certificate Cost
A certified flight instructor (CFI) is someone who teaches others how to fly. CFI’s usually teach people how to fly airplanes. This person is also known as a flight instructor.
To become a flight instructor, you must first earn your private pilot certificate. You then take a flight training program. After this, you’ll be ready to start teaching others about flying.
Part 61 schools require less than 25 hours of flight experience before becoming a flight instructor. Part 141 schools require more than 25 hours of flight instruction before becoming a flight instructor, but costs vary by school.
A CFI is a person who teaches people how to fly airplanes. He/she must be certified by the FAA. This certification requires a lot of training and experience.
An MEI is someone who teaches people how to operate different types of planes. He/she needs to be certified by the FAA, too.
An R-ATPL is required to be an airline pilot. To become an airline pilot, you need to log 1,500 hours. You may also get an R-ATPL if you attend an FAA-approved school.
An ATP certificate requires completing an FAA-approved airline transport pilot certification training program. Typically, an ATPL program runs at $5K, which covers the training cost, knowledge exam, and practical test.
Drone Pilot License Cost
Recreational drone pilots need no certification. Drone pilots must be certified by the FAA. There was a huge increase in recreational drone pilots after 2016.
There are two options for licensing pilots. For those who want to fly as a hobby, there is a low-cost option. For professional pilots, there is a high-cost option.
Those who want to fly for fun must pay the fee for the low-cost option. People who want to become professional pilots must pay the price for the high-cost option.
Drone pilots learn how to fly by watching videos online. They can also get free lessons from local flight schools. They can also buy cheap drones online.
Pilots can pay less than $450 for a license. They can also use public parks as flying fields.
You should buy an old plane because it costs less than new ones. Renting an old plane saves you money. Group discounts are available for training courses. Accelerated courses are cheaper if you want to save more money.
The Bottom Line
People don’t need a lot of money to become pilots. You can get your private pilot license for a few thousand dollars. But if you want to be a commercial pilot, you’ll need more than $100,000.
You should start shopping around for an aircraft before you decide what kind of plane you want. Different airlines charge different prices for renting planes.
Some instructors charge more than others. And some companies let you finance your plane.
We hope this guide has made you feel a bit better about how to become a pilot if you haven’t got a lot of money to support you!
I decided to create this source of knowledge from my own experiences, in the hopes of helping budding pilots to get through their training.
So, if you’re thinking about becoming a pilot or are in the middle of your training, I hope that this website and my knowledge comes of some benefit to you. I’d love to think that my website made your experience a little less stressful and a lot more fun!
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