PRIVATE PILOT
CERTIFICATE
TAKE BACK YOUR TIME BY TAKING TO THE AIR
COMFORT. CONVENIENCE. CONTROL.
A private pilot certificate allows you to act as the pilot in command of an aircraft. You can even carry passengers (and, weight permitting, their bags, too)! That means family trips, business trips, fishing trips - you name it - can be accomplished on your schedule in a fraction of the time it would take to drive and with none of the hassles of commercial air travel. You can also tell friends, family, and the occasional stranger that you’re a pilot. So that’s neat.
And whether you’ve already started or are just getting going, our private pilot programs not only get you licensed quickly, they get you highly proficient with even the most challenging tasks and skills. Contact us today to learn more about training or to schedule a lesson.
BASIC TRAINING
REQUIREMENTS
TSA Approval (for non-U.S. citizens only)
Age: 17 Years (16 to Fly Solo)
Total Flight Time: 40 Hours
Instruction Flight Time: 20 Hours
Solo Flight Time: 10 Hours
It's important to keep in mind that while these minimums must be met, the national average for completing private pilot training is 70 hours total flight time with training in high performance, technologically advanced aircraft like the Cirrus taking much longer. Our courses are designed to get your training wrapped up in just 55 (Sling) or 65 (Cirrus) hours. Also, there is no minimum age to start flying lessons, the ages above only apply to solo flight and license eligibility.
THE PATH TO CERTIFICATION
Start first with a brief introductory flight. If you're ready to commit, speak with your CFI to sign up for lessons and get your student pilot certificate. Then apply for a third class FAA medical by completing a medxpress application and making an appointment with your local Aviation Medical Examiner (AME).
You'll work with your instructor to prepare for critical milestones like your first solo and solo cross country flights. Enroll in our ground school to help prep for your FAA written exam (60 multiple choice questions, 70% passing score). All of your training efforts ultimately lead to the FAA practical test (a.k.a. checkride) which is done one-on-one with a designated pilot examiner (DPE) and consists of a 1 to 2 hour oral exam and a 1.5 to 2.5 hour flight test.
TYPICAL TIMELINE TO COMPLETION
6-9 MONTHS
Students are encouraged to sign up for a minimum of TWO 2.5-hour lessons per week, but greater frequency is beneficial as you'll maintain a higher level of retention from one lesson to the next. Total times and costs will ultimately depend on a variety of factors including weather, aircraft maintenance, natural ability, frequency of training, and dedication to at-home study.
Our private pilot curriculum consists of 45 lessons. Each lesson has an associated homework assignment that consists of approximately one hour of reading/studying/video watching. Proper progression is highly dependent on the timely completion of all homework assignments.
SLING LSA AIRCRAFT
TYPICAL COURSE COMPLETION COSTS:
$18,725
LSA Rental Hours (65 @ $200/Hour) = $13,000
CFI Instruction (45 @ $90/Hour) = $4,050
Training Materials/Subscriptions = $500
Written Exam Fee = $175
Checkride Fee = $1000
Total = $18,725
DIAMOND DA40 AIRCRAFT
TYPICAL COURSE COMPLETION COSTS:
$22,950
DA40 Rental Hours (65 @ $265/Hour) = $17,225
CFI Instruction (45 @ $90/Hour) = $4,050
Training Materials/Subscriptions = $500
Written Exam Fee = $175
Checkride Fee = $1000
Total = $22,950
CIRRUS SR20 AIRCRAFT
TYPICAL COURSE COMPLETION COSTS:
$31,900
SR20 Rental Hours (65 @ $365/Hour) = $23,725
CFI Instruction (45 @ $120/Hour) = $5,400
Training Materials/Subscriptions = $1,600
Written Exam Fee = $175
Checkride Fee = $1000
Total = $31,900
