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How do I get started?
The very first thing that
you need to do after getting all of your questions
answered is to schedule a first lesson or discovery
flight. The first lesson will be a hands-on experience,
comprising of an hour and a half with
the instructor, of which you spend about an hour flying
in the aircraft. The range for this flight
and every lesson is about $170.00-230.00, depending
on the type of aircraft flown and exactly how
much time is spent flying.
NOTE:
ALL NEW STUDENTS MUST SHOW PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP AS
PER THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND
THE TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION 49 CFR
Part 1552. Expect to bring a current
passport, or birth certificate and photo ID to
your first lesson. Non-U.S. citizens please
refer to www.flightschoolcandidates.gov
for instructions on beginning flight training.
The next step is to purchase
our ground school kit, which includes everything
that you need to get you through your license,
for $329.00. The kit is an interactive CD
Rom kit with over 20 CD’s that you watch on your
home computer, and also includes a logbook for
your flight hours, a syllabus, a flight computer,
and all the texts and manuals for your training.
In summary, all it takes to start your journey
is to call for a lesson and to start studying
with the kit.
Private Pilot Aeronautical Experience FAR 61.109
A minimum of 40 hours
flight time is required including, but not limited
to:
-
20 hours
with an instructor
-
10 hours solo
The 40 hours must include:
-
3 hours cross-country training
(dual)
-
3 hours night training (dual)
- one cross-country greater than
100 NM in total distance
- 10 takeoffs/landings to a full
stop, including pattern work (no straight in’s)
-
3 hours instrument work
-
3 hours practical test prep within
60 days of taking test
-
10 hours solo time
- 5 hours
cross-country
- 1 solo cross-country
greater than 150 NM with 3 full stop landings (at
least 3 different points)
with one straight line
segment greater than 50 NM
- 3 takeoffs/landings at
a controlled airport
Recreational Pilot Aeronautical
Requirements FAR 61.99
- can carry no more than
one passenger
- cannot
pay less than the pro rata share of the flight
- can
fly within 50 NM of the home-base airport provided
they have:
- received ground and
flight training for procedures at the departing
airport
- received ground and
flight training for the area of the flight
- been
found proficient to operate aircraft in this
area
- received endorsement
in logbook, which is in their possession,
permitting the flight within 50 NM from the
departure airport
- can fly in excess of 50 NM from the departure
airport provided they have:
- received
ground and flight training on cross-country
training and been
found proficient in cross-country flying
- received
logbook endorsement, which remains in their
possession, certifying that they have been
found proficient in cross-country training
requirements
- cannot fly plane with:
-
more than 180
HP, complex aircraft,
or higher than 10,000MSL
- with visibility less than 3 SM or without
reference to the surface
- outside the USA
- towing any object
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How much time will it take?
By regulation, it takes a minimum of
40 flight hours to get your private pilot’s
license. (Realistically, it takes
about 60-80 hours). You will solo
(yes, fly the airplane by yourself) after
about 15-30 hours of experience. At
this point you will have a valid medical
certificate from an approved aviation
medical examiner which will stand as your
student pilot’s license. You can
then fly by yourself and practice as much
as you wish. This helps reduce the
cost of each lesson, because you will not
have to pay for the instructor’s time,
only the aircraft rental. The average
student schedules a flight about once a
week, however, there are always bad
weather days that prevent the lesson from
being completed. Therefore, it
takes an average of one years time to get
a pilot’s license. If you are
flying several times a week, this can be
reduced to a few months and probably less
money. The less frequently you fly,
the more time you must spend reviewing
and consequently, the more money and time
you spend on your training. We
recommend that you schedule at least once
a week to be sure that you remain on
track with your lessons and are not
dragging out your training.
Weekends obviously book up faster than
weekdays, so try to schedule yourself for
a month in advance on your favorite/most
available days to be sure that you have
your desired slots.
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How much does it cost?
The average hour and a half lesson ranges from
$170.00-$230.00
depending on the type of aircraft flown and for exactly
how long you are flying (according to the Hobbs meter).
This cost is broken down into aircraft rental and instructor
fees. The aircraft cost is between $89.00 and
$136.00
per hour and the instructor fee is $49.00 per hour.
(Additional costs are tax on aircraft rentals and a fuel
surcharge.) When you fly solo, your per flight cost
drops to the hourly rental rate on the
aircraft
Please
note that the following estimate is
based on the MINIMUM requirements as
per the Federal Aviation Regulations
and that most students require more
training than these minimums.
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C152 |
C172/PA 28-161 |
C172R |
C172S |
| 40 hours flight time |
$3,560.00 |
$4,720.00 |
$5,160.00 |
$5,440.00 |
| 20 hours instruction |
$980.00 |
$980.00 |
$980.00 |
$980.00 |
| Cessna CBI Kit |
$329.00 |
$329.00 |
$329.00 |
$329.00 |
| Fuel Surcharge @ $8/hr |
$320.00 |
$320.00 |
$320.00 |
$320.00 |
| Tax |
$213.60 |
$283.20 |
$309.60 |
$326.40 |
| FAA knowledge exam |
$90.00 |
$90.00 |
$90.00 |
$90.00 |
| Medical Certificate |
$80.00 |
$80.00 |
$80.00 |
$80.00 |
| Practical exam |
$250.00 |
$250.00 |
$250.00 |
$250.00 |
| Misc. charts, etc. |
$50.00 |
$50.00 |
$50.00 |
$50.00 |
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TOTAL: |
$5,892.34 |
$7,121.94 |
$7,588.34 |
$7,885.14 |
The
range for obtaining a private pilot’s license depends on the individual and
how frequently you are flying, how diligently you are
studying, as well as which type of aircraft you are
flying. Our policy is to receive
payment at the time service is provided,
therefore, payment is required after each
flight. We accept Visa, Mastercard,
Cash and Checks.
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AIRCRAFT TYPE
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CASH/CHECK PRICE
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CREDIT CARD PRICE
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hourly rate
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hourly rate
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C152
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$89.00
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$92.00
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C172P
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$118.00
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$123.00
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C172R - 1998
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$129.00
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$134.00
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C172S
- 2002
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$136.00
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$142.00
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PA28-161 (Warrior)
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$118.00
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$123.00
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Elite RC-1 (Simulator) cash/ck/cc
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$65.00 solo
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$114.00 dual
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Fuel surcharge
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$8.00/Hobbs hour
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$8.00/Hobbs hour
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Instructor
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$49.00
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$49.00
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Instructor
(own plane)
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$55.00
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$55.00
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Simulator
(cash/ck/cc)
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$20.00 (solo)
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$65.00 (dual)
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Return
check fee
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$25.00
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$25.00
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Master
switch fee
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$30.00
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$30.00
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Late
cancel/No show fee
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$15.00
instr, $25 plane
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$15
instr, $25.00 plane
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Tax
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6%
on aircraft rental
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6%
on aircraft rental
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What
kind of exams are there?
Before
you solo the airplane, you will need to complete
a few written quizzes, which will be reviewed by
your instructor. These are "Knowing your Airplane",
"Pre-Solo", and "TAS Inc. Rental" quizzes.
If your instructor feels you need additional home/ground
study, you may not be able to solo. There is a written
examination for your private pilot's license that
can be taken at any time. This is done on
a computer at an FAA testing center (TAS Inc. is
an official testing center).
The
results are good for two years (if you do not get
your license within two years, then you must retake
the exam). The cost for this test is
$90.00.
The fee is paid to CATS
testing, a facility located
in California. When you are ready for your
written exam, contact TAS Inc. to arrange for a
proctor, and then call CATS at 1-800-947-4228 to
schedule the test. CATS will need your name,
address, social security number and a credit card.
When you arrive for your test, you should bring
a photo ID and a written sign-off from your instructor.
Written examinations are required
for almost all licenses and ratings during your primary
and advanced training. There
is also an oral exam and a flight exam which are done
in conjunction in what is called a “checkride”. This is done with a Designated
Pilot Examiner, not your instructor. The cost
for this is $250.00, paid to the examiner. The
checkride is the last step in completing your training
and will hopefully end in a pilot’s certificate being
issued. There is much anxiety surrounding the checkride,
however, your TAS Instructor will be sure that you are
properly prepared and your ride should be a breeze.
Contact
Allison Laird, Manager, at
610-696-8664 for more information, or
to schedule a flight.
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