Private Pilot Certification Cost

Private Pilot License Itemized Cost

This itemized cost is provided based on the current Aircraft Rental Rates, Instruction Rates and other mandatory costs for obtaining your Private Pilot License. This is intended as an estimate and prices are subject to change.

This itemized cost gives the breakdown for a student obtaining their Private Pilots License at the "FAA Minimum Requirements" and for the "Average Flight Student". Depending on what you know your aptitude to be, you should be able to get a great estimate of how much you will actually pay for your Private Pilots License.

If you have any questions about the requirements or itemized cost, hover your mouse over the aircraft images to get a complete description.

Please click "Proceed" if you understand that prices are subject to change, and while you are obtaining your Private Pilots License, the prices may vary.

Select Cost Analyses:
Select Aircraft for Itemized Cost:

Hover your mouse over these images to view a full description of the item.

This is the minimum time a student must fly the aircraft.

This includes:
• mandatory 20 hours of flight with a certified flight instructor

• mandatory 10 hours of solo flight time

• 10 hours consisting of either Dual or Solo flight depending on student needs in preparation for the FAA Flight Examination.

Keep in mind, this is the minimum FAA requirements, and some students may require more total flight hours to be prepared for the FAA Flight Examination.

This is the minimum required time a student must solo the aircraft.

Solo flights consist of local flights to perform flight examination maneuvers including stalls, emergency procedures, traffic pattern work, landings, and a solo cross country.

This is one of the most rewarding aspects of your flight training, and many students are able to solo within their first 15 hours of flight.

This is the time you will spend flying solo in preparation for your FAA Flight Examination.

Your instructor will have specific things you should work on during this time from emergency procedures to traffic pattern work and landings.

This is the amount of time you will spend flying with your flight instructor in preparation for the FAA Flight Examination.

You will cover all of the flight test requirements, and this is a time that you really want to fly within the parameters those requirements set forth.

Welcome to Inter-State Aviation

There are many aspects of flying which are challenging, yet extremely rewarding. Before you begin your flight training, you probably have many questions, and your first is most likely: "How much is it going to cost?"

This webpage should be able to help you with this. If you have any questions about the flight requirements, or the itemized costs, please hover your mouse over the

image next to the item you would like more information about to view a full description.

We hope you are able to find this information useful. Happy Flying!

Dual Instruction consists of the time flown with a Certified Flight Instructor.

This is the minimum Dual Instruction time required by the FAA, but you will most likely fly at least 5 more Dual hours in preparation for the FAA Flight Examination.

For the below costs, this extra 5 hours has been added to the minimunm FAA requirements in the calculation to give a better cost estimate.

Ground Instruction Time consists of your one-on-one time with your flight instructor reviewing and teaching you the fundamental aspects of flight from instruments, powerplant operation, aerodynamics to weather and proper flight planning.

This also includes the time of brief and debrief for each flight with your instructor, averaging 15-30 minutes per flight.

This Average Ground Instruction time is what we see takes most people to reach their Private Pilots License, but varies depending on student needs and performance.

This time refers to the Pre-Flight Briefing and Post-Flight Briefing. For each flight, the instructor needs to give instruction on the ground covering learning objectives for the flight. Afterwards the debrief is used for feedback on the flight.

There is no FAA requirement for this instructional time, but it is a necessity in flight training. For some flights the brief and debrief may be longer than others, but you can expect anywhere from 15-30 minutes per flight.

Aircraft Rental Cost calculation:
Minimum Flight Time × Aircraft Rental Rate.

Aircraft Rental Rate is a "wet" rate, meaning Fuel and Oil are included within the rate.

* This is the minimum flight time required by the FAA, and many people need more flight time in preparation for the FAA Flight Examination.

This is the FAA required minimum Dual Instruction Time + the Flight Exam Dual Preparation time multiplied by the Flight Instruction Rate.

The ground instruction price is determined from both the "Ground Instruction Time" and "Flight Brief and Debrief Time"

Both these Ground Times are added together and multiplied by the Ground Instruction Rate.

This consists of the Flight Manual, Pilot Operating Handbook, FAA Written Test Examination Questions, Private Pilot Practical Test Standards and a logbook.

An FAA Medical Examination is required in order to solo the Aircraft. This examination must be performed by an FAA Certified Flight Examiner.

This is also known as your "Student Certificate" and it must be obtained in order to fly the aircraft solo.

The FAA Written Examination is a computer based test consisting of 60 questions pulled from the FAA Written Question Bank covering all aspects of a Private Pilot Certification.

Your Flight Instructor will ensure you are prepared for this test. Students typically have great success with this.

This test is administered here at Inter-State Aviation.

The FAA Flight Examination is your final examination and check-ride before obtaining your Private Pilots License.

It consists of an Oral Examination and Flight Examination with an FAA Certified Flight Examiner. The Oral Examination typically takes 2 1/2 hours, and the Flight Examination 1 1/2 hours.

All aspects of Private Pilot Requirements are covered within the Oral and Flight Examination.

When you pass this examination you will be a Certified Private Pilot!

Itemized Private Pilot Cost for a: Cessna 152 - $6,153.50

Aircraft Rental Rate:	$85.50 per Hour
Ground Instruction Rate:	$31.00 per Hour
Flight Instruction Rate:	$35.00 per Hour


Minimum Flight Time:	35.00 Hours
FAA Minimum Solo Time:	5.00 Hours
Flight Exam Solo Preparation:	5.00 Hours
FAA Minimum Dual Time:	20.00 Hours
Flight Exam Dual Preparation:	5.00 Hours
Ground Instruction Time:	35.00 Hours
Flight Brief and Debrief Time:	10.00 Hours

Estimated Costs:

Aircraft Rental Cost:	$2,992.50
Flight Instruction Cost:	$875.00
Ground Instruction Cost:	$1,395.00
Pilot Supplies:	$294.50
Medical Certificate:	$96.50
FAA Written Examination:	$150.00
FAA Flight Examination:	$350.00