Cost of PPL

[Rob Sherlin]

  Most of the Airline Transport schools have PPL as part of their course, and they have financial aid, housing and such, but the cost is somewhat high. Even if I were interested in going that route, it's a lot of money for what could be a dissapointment. There are Computer Animation schools popping up left and right that draw people in, charge them a fortune, and people see the promise of "job placement assistance" as a way in. Then they come out to find the reality of it.....There are really no animation jobs because they're all overseas now (funny it was mentioned flight schools catering to people from India and Taiwan, because that's where most of the animation jobs went), there's so many animation courses and schools because there are a lot of "out of work" animators teaching them, and they're now stuck paying off this huge loan, while having to take a job at home depot or something.
   The flight schools catering to forgien students kind of irks me! I realize the schools point of view (it's money for them). But, I see forgien students who get (probably free) money to go through flight training, meanwhile, I was born in America and can't seem to reach my dream because of costs and lack of funding.

[Rob Sherlin]

  I'm trying to find that school that was mentioned earlier. $4,000.00 for lessons, housing and guaranteed PPL sounds pretty cheap (it's the best price I've seen). Otherwise, I'll have to keep researching grants and stuff, or just fly my sim and hold off untill after I move. One way or another, I'll get there (I don't want to wait til I die to earn my wings).

[caprr275]

I just gave my cadet student pilot a idea of the cost and I though it was worth putting up on here

it works out to $110.6 per flight hour

40 Flight hours + current fule costs= $4424
60 Flight HOurs + Fule = $6636

[CASH172]

What type of airplane with fuel comes out to be $110.60 per hour?  That seems a little bit high of a wet price, unless you're using a newer plane.

[SJFedor]

What type of airplane with fuel comes out to be $110.60 per hour?  That seems a little bit high of a wet price, unless you're using a newer plane.

That's about 80/hr wet for the aircraft, plus 30/hr for the instructor. Unless he's doing it through CAP, in which case he may be flying something like a 182 or G1000 182.

And, I can't remember if I've shared this before...but courtesy of one of my CFI friends...

[Rob Sherlin]

  Not only am I finding that the cost of aquiring a PPL (and so on) is costly, but afterwards the cost of flying period (as was mentioned before). Considering all this, now I'm starting to think of getting financed to go through an academy for ATP. There are several schools I found that will take you to CFI, then you serve an internship while studying the rest. If what they say about their job placement success rate, and if my research is correct on anual salary for a pilot (1-4 years), then I should be able to get all my ratings, and be able to afford to buy my own aircraft. That should make it a little easier to fly when I want to.
  I figure I have another 20 years or so (I hear Airline Pilots HAVE to stop at age 65) to make a good income and such.

  There's also some community colleges who offer aviation programs I'm looking into. With the financial aid, they should run a little cheaper than the commercial schools.

[Climbnsink]

I wouldn't throw down the $$$(or debt) to be a commercial pilot without at least having a PPL first.   Keep looking.  Flying for a living isn't that great a gig.  Lots of pitfalls in that career path.  Besides when you make hobbies work you have no hobbies left. 

[caprr275]

the prices I gave were for a 2008 182T G1000.

average av gas is around $5.30 and the plane uses about 13 gal per hour.
when you include the $45 for the CAP aircraft it works out to that.

[caprr275]

As for airline pay a FO (first officer) at a average regional job will make between 16,000-23,000 per year

I am graduating from a part 141 school and it cost (including the regual university classes) about $100,000

If your thinking about getting your own plane, good luck!
hanger costs and keeping the airplane in working order are huge hidden costs

[Rob Sherlin]

Hmmm!

  So, I'd probably be better off trying to grow wings.

  I am looking into soaring, $200 for every 3 lessons doesn't seem so bad.

[Climbnsink]

Now you are thinking.  :clap: Soaring is more fun anyway.