“You can’t get there by bus, only hard work and risk and by not quite knowing what you’re doing. What you will discover will be wonderful. What you’ll discover will be yourself.”— Alan Alda
What is a Private Pilot Certificate?
As a private pilot you are authorized to carry passengers in single-engine aircraft, under visual flight rules day or night.
A private pilot certificate (license) is one of three possible initial pilot certificates — the other two are the sport and recreational pilot certificates. There are more requirements for the private pilot certification process, therefore it takes more time. But private pilots can also fly larger and faster aircraft than sport or recreational pilots.
How Long doe it take to become a Private Pilot?
At TakeWING the average number of flight hours is 55 to 60 and the average length of time to complete these hours is six to eighteen months.
Flight hours verse calendar days. The FAA gives a 40-hour private pilot minimum. However most people want and need more practice and training to be safe and secure in their abilities.
The national average for attaining a private pilot certificate is about 70 flight hours. With consistent training and a structured syllabus it is possible to finish in fewer hours. Depending on your personal training schedule, it can take as few as 4 months or as many as 18 to 24 months to finish.
How Often Will I Take lessons?
For best results plan on a minimum of one lesson per week.
TakeWING offers you very flexible lesson scheduling (you can choose a different day each week if you want). It is best to have at least one lesson per week — more if you can. You will work one-on-one with your instructor using Cessna Aircraft Corporation’s most modern training curriculum. This ensures your training meets or exceeds all federal requirements. Our pilots are typically ready to take their final FAA check ride in 50 to 60 flight hours.
How Much Does it Cost?
The cost is determined by the number of hours of aircraft rental and hours of time you spend with your flight instructor (flight and ground) plus training materials, pilot supplies, and required tests.
We’ve tried our best to nail down what your educational investment will be to obtain a private pilot certificate but the simple fact is people learning new skills learn at vastly different rates. Some people need more time and practice than others. Add in fluctuations in fuel prices and weather — and it makes it difficult to estimate costs precisely. But if you are of average ability, come prepared for each lesson, fly at least once per week, study your assignments, pass the FAA knowledge test in the required time, and have no large time breaks while you are in-training, then you can expect to pay between $12,500 and $13,500*for our private pilot course, based on 55-hours of aircraft rental PLUS 112-hours of instruction (ground and flight). The average lesson "session" can take between two and three hours and depending on how long your flight time is, may cost between $235 and $320. *Flight training prices on our web site are estimates. All prices are subject to change without notice.
How Do I Pay?
We work with both pay-as-you-train and financing options. For more information contact us or view our Financing Your Training page.
