Where and how much you paid for PPL

Cyclenorthman

Filing Flight Plan
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Apr 23, 2017
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Cyclenorthman
Hi Folks,

I am near Duluth MN where Cirrus and other aircraft businesses are located and it looks like the average min cost for me to get mt PPL is about $12,500.
Would like to hear from some of you about where you received your PPL and about what it cost you.
I started my PPL in 1990 and I found a young CFI just out of school who instructed me for free with the cost of the Champ @ $12.50 an HR wet and later a C150 for $15.00 HR wet . We were able to put 2.5 Hrs in and the the 150 failed it's annual (engine had metal fragments in the oil filter, spun bearing) and was down for several months.Moved away a few months later. I should have gone back to the Champ,my loss.
I would be willing to travel just have to do the research about flight training in different locations.

Thanks,

CNM
 
It was awhile back, but if memory serves it was less than $4k. That was in a C152, in Connecticut, in 1984-85.

Don’t remember individual hourly costs.
 
1965.....................$400.

Thanks Wally! $7.......airplane, $3.......instructor!!
 
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A lot....don't keep track of the cost. I flew a couple different places.....checkride at home here in Ohio. But if you are able to take a few weeks and just get it done, Kingsky in Lakeland, Florida is good. I could give you names for two instructors that are awesome. Great weather this time of year compared to where you're at too.
 
2013- $12,500 for accelerated program at Tailwheels in Lakeland Florida...Could have been done cheaper and closer but was worth every penny IMO.

Haven't crashed yet...
 
Haven't crashed yet...

Now why did you go and say something like that! Negative waves man, negative waves.

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1964 Vandenberg AFB Aero Club in central California and then Ogden, Utah FBO. $400.
 
FWIW, looks like a conservative estimate (65 hrs aircraft, 45 hrs instructor, DPE fee) is about $7K in a C152 around Boise, ID.
 
1974 Osan AB Korea, Cessna 150 $9/hr, CFI $5/hr.
 
2013- $12,500 for accelerated program at Tailwheels in Lakeland Florida...Could have been done cheaper and closer but was worth every penny IMO.

Haven't crashed yet...
How many hours did you take your checkride at? I had 56 hours and total cost was $12k including checkride.
 
2012 or sofor my wife.
Bought a 400 SMOH 4000 TTSN C-150 ugly but mechanically sound for 14k.
Made a deal with my partner who is a CFI. He trained her for free in exchange for free use of the C-150. insurance cost about $650 / year.
Fuel 6 GPH at $5.50 / gallon x about 60 hours.
One annual at $350. couple of tires at about $70 each if I recall.
Flew it for another 120 hours or so then sold it for 14k.
 
About $3K from Chandelle Aviation at Palm Beach International in 1986. As far as I know Chandelle augered in.
 
I think I just won the "most amount spent on training" award! :confused:
I have almost 100 hours, ready to take the CK any day now, and have spent 30 large ones so far!
But no surprise here, when CFI rates are $90 - $120, planes are $160 - $180 and landing fee is $13! :(
Base: KSMO
 
I think I just won the "most amount spent on training" award! :confused:
I have almost 100 hours, ready to take the CK any day now, and have spent 30 large ones so far!
But no surprise here, when CFI rates are $90 - $120, planes are $160 - $180 and landing fee is $13! :(
Base: KSMO
Jeez.
 
i did the cessna 995 thing too,, at bremerton national 40 hours in 3 months in 1978.

It been over 40 years, but I think I came in just over 50 hours. I may dig out my first logbook and check it out out of curiosity.

I think the $995 was guaranteed. I recall on my final “Stage Check” I came up a little short and needed a few extra hours to polish some rough edges. I’ve never been a “quick study”, but I am persistent.
 
Not sure exactly since my target was on 250hrs anyways, but I'd wager nowadays average is like 8k or so.

There are ways to get more for less, but that's another topic.
 
I think I just won the "most amount spent on training" award! :confused:
I have almost 100 hours, ready to take the CK any day now, and have spent 30 large ones so far!
But no surprise here, when CFI rates are $90 - $120, planes are $160 - $180 and landing fee is $13! :(
Base: KSMO

Primary CFI $100 an hour??


I would move to another state.

Any state.
 
Primary CFI $100 an hour??


I would move to another state.

Any state.
Mine is 80 per hr, avoid my state as well . BW, I am much happier man when I stop tracking my flight cost

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
 
I paid, if memory serves, $3,490 two years ago. I posted about it here and you can go find that post if your interested in more details.

Another member from Arizona who had just started looking into flying read the post and flew here from Arizona and got his cheaply in about 3 weeks. He went in to get his commercial and is now flying twin Otters.

I think the local prices have increased slightly but it’s still about the most affordable I’ve seen referenced anywhere.

ML
 
How many hours did you take your checkride at? I had 56 hours and total cost was $12k including checkride.

I managed to do 44.5 hours to checkride...had a few more days and hours if I needed it, but we pushed to get it done and scheduled with a DPE that was a known entity to the CFI. Wasn't easy!
 
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