I'm New and I wanted to know how much does it cost for a cadet....

[Globemaster]

How much does it cost for a cadet (15 yo) to get a PPL (yes I know you've got to be 16 to get a license) through CAP

[tsrup]

Lets see, FAA requires 40hrs minimum, so based on the Minimum,

$35.00 an hour for the aircraft x40= $1,400
Fuel comes to about 60-80 dollars an hour. so about $3,200
Books come to about 200 dollars
Medical comes to about 150 dollars depending on what your local flight doc charges and whether or not it's covered by insurance.
PPL written exam is like 95 dollars,
and then your check-ride can be around 250 (that depends on what your check pilot charges)

So you can expect to spend about $5295

Now keep in mind that figure is figured for about 80 dollars an hour for fuel, and is for the minimum amount of time needed for your PPL.
Your actual cost may vary with cheaper/more expensive fuel and the very real possibility that you can take upwards of 70 hours to finish your PPL.

Hope this helps.

[peter rabbit]

Costs in our area:
$29/hour for a CAP 172
$5.70/gal max (usually 4.95) for fuel at 8 gallons per hour for a 172
$75-100 for a medical
other costs should be about the same, except add for a headset and other incidentals

Knock about $1,500 off the $5,295

[Cliff_Chambliss]

Actually while the FAA requires a minimum of 40 hrs for a Private Certificate, nationally the actual average is 55-60 hours.  I have had a few students checkride ready at 35 hours (Part 141 Program) and I have had a few take 80-90 hours (flying 1 flight per week, time off for proms, football, SAT/ACT Tests, girls, etc).  Plan on the high side of costs.

Add in grond school  approximately $300-$400  Formal GS, Dvd, Interactive, whatever, the cost is going to be about the same.

[Thrashed]

No one knows the real average. Everyone just makes up quotes without any real data. The FAA might have the numbers on the PPL application, but that is not published. The average is way above 40 hours though. Just Google "private pilot average hours" and you'll get a dozen different numbers. In the end, it's up to the student flying. Everyone is different.

http://www.aopa.org/letsgoflying/ready/time/options.html

Money is always an issue, but add CAP flying to that. You need to find an airplane. CAP has a lot of C182's, C-206's, etc. Those are not good trainers. You'll need to find a C172 nearby. They are getting rare. Then you will need to find a CAP instructor with time to teach and that will work for free. In my wing, you must get authorization from the wing & squadron commander for cadet flight training. Then you MUST use the Cessna or Jeppesen 141 syllabus (with all the stage checks). Be sure to check your wing's requirements.

I'm a CAP instructor and I've never heard of a cadet getting their private through CAP. Most go to the local FBO and fly.

Good luck.

[Flying Pig]

Its takes the same amount of money as anywhere else.....it takes every penny you have!

[tsrup]

I'm a CAP instructor and I've never heard of a cadet getting their private through CAP. Most go to the local FBO and fly.

Well, add one to your list

[simon]

Globemaster, forget CAP. Set aside $10k and go to an FBO.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but better you know up front. Welcome to aviation. It is fun but expensive.

The subject of getting a PPL through CAP has been done to death in other threads so I won't repeat it here. Read up in those threads and you will see the pros and cons.

I did my PPL in the San Francisco Bay area at an FBO in 2007. I stopped counting at $8k but I reckon it cost me around $12k. Your mileage will vary. The bay is probably more expensive to train at than, say, Nebraska. In addition, there is some additional emphasis on getting airspace right in busy areas like the bay, since there is a lot of it. So an instructor is not going to put you up for a check ride there until they are sure you have that under control. It adds to the cost. Oh and I also learnt in a taildragger which takes a few more hours to master. I think it took me 80 hours. The plane was $110 back then when fuel was $4 a gallon. My instructor was something like $65 and he was generous with his time. Go figure some numbers on that.

In a less busy / expensive area with a tricycle and a sport pilot certificate, you might do it for 40% less. But there are limitations.

Talk to people and get the best instructor you can find. Not  by cost. One that fits your personality. Let it all flow from there. If I had to give one pieve of advice, that would be it.

Good luck.

[Thrashed]

Good advice. Find a good instructor. Lou Fields in OAK? I flew some taildraggers by in the '80's there. I instructed in HWD and SJC.

[Spaceman3750]

I've always thought Tailwheels, Etc. has an interesting program...

[mocap84]

Try applying to a NCSA once you have completed an encampment.  You can get a weeks worth of flight instruction for about $1000 at most flight academys. While that does not earn you your PPL, you can get a lot of experience from it.

[Flying Pig]

Try applying to a NCSA once you have completed an encampment.  You can get a weeks worth of flight instruction for about $1000 at most flight academys. While that does not earn you your PPL, you can get a lot of experience from it.

A weeks of flying? Wow! Thats 168 hours for $1000!

[Thrashed]

Try applying to a NCSA once you have completed an encampment.  You can get a weeks worth of flight instruction for about $1000 at most flight academys. While that does not earn you your PPL, you can get a lot of experience from it.

10 hours in a week. Pretty good for flying though.

[Eclipse]

And most of those academies will include the complete ground school as well.

[mocap84]

wow, sorry about that typo, I meant week, not weeks. 

[mocap84]

Try applying to a NCSA once you have completed an encampment.  You can get a weeks worth of flight instruction for about $1000 at most flight academys. While that does not earn you your PPL, you can get a lot of experience from it.

A weeks of flying? Wow! Thats 168 hours for $1000!

I meant that the academy lasts one week or so, sorry for any confusion.

[SarDragon]

Lighten up, Francis.

He was making a funny.

[Buzz]

Globemaster, consider all options.

For instance, you may find a glider program in your area.  It is cheaper to get your PPL in sailplanes, then get your SEL endorsement -- and flying sailplanes is one of the two best things that you can do to become a master pilot (the other being spin training) rather than just another PP.  You are already old enough to solo sailplanes, and there is no medical required.

Sport Pilot is another possibility, 20 hours less required, and often lower per-hour costs.  Again, no medical required.

Get started either way, then as the money comes, you can take SEL training, get your medical, get signed off, take your checkride and have your PPL SEL later.

There is also the option of buying or building an ultralight, learning to fly, then taking that skill with you when you start your PPL training.

The big thing to keep in mind is that any fixed-wing flying you can get will improve your skills.  The primary objective is to become a good, safe pilot, able to fly solo and build your experience.  You can't get your license for another 2-years-plus anyhow.

[simon]

I totally agree with Buzz. If I lived closer to a glider area, had more time than money (Enough to spend my weekends at the airport instead of with my family), I would have learnt to fly in a glider. In the same way that learning in a taildragger over a tricycle will give you improved directional control on the runway, learning in a glider will give you a improved situational awareness in the airport environment and a better understanding of total aircraft performance. These are airmanship skills that most pilots would agree are important but ones that a tricycle pilot might be able to squeak through with during their PPL.

Most pilots learn in tricycles and there is of course nothing wrong with that. Taildraggers will cost you more (Due to more hours) but they are exciting to take off and land in (Using the word 'exciting' liberally) but sailplanes will cost you significantly less, have their own unique kind of excitement and will do great things for your flying foundations. Plus you'll be hanging out at airports with a bunch of old airport dogs that love to give tons of free advice - people who fly for the pure joy of it - why we all started.

Of course you will need to add extra hours after your sailplane rating to get a PPL and that is not an insignificant cost. If you have a gliding club nearby, you might wish to head over and talk with a few instructors. Not an option for everybody, but if hours and dollars are an issue, might be one for you.

[Cliff_Chambliss]

Actually it takes more than an endorsement to add Private Pilot Airplane to a Private Pilot Glider Certificate.
I would invite your attention to 14CFR61.63 where additional ratings are discussed.  Basically this part says the applicant must take the Private Airplae Written Test, Comply with the Experience Requirements of 14CFR61-109, and take a Practical Test with an examiner. 
  About the only thing the holder of Private Pilot Glider does not have to do is concern themselves with the minimum 40 hours flight training and 15 hours required dual training.  All other requirements for Private Pilot Airplane, (cross country, night, etc) must be met.

As an instructor I sure do wish a lot more starting student pilots (and former military jet pilots) had a few hours in a sailplane - They would then at least understand that the feet do more than just carry them to the airplane.