Cost me about 5500 GBP all in in the UK (50 hours at 100 pounds per hour and 500 for the rest of the stuff). That was fairly cheap, as I learned at a small place with no landing fees.Richard

Well, I guess i'm lucky. i've been living in the US for two years now (I'm originally from Venezuela) here in Miami there's lot of oportunities to get the PPL. But I was under the impression it was extremely expensive. Besides, I consider myself old for flight training. I guess my dream of become Airline pilot is something out of reach now i'm 31, so what's left is earn enough money to get my PPL, ATP, buy a used 727 and have my own transport. The good thing is that I have a clear objective: To earn enough money in my new business venture so I can train to be a pilot and buy me a big airplane ;) life is wonderfull when you have something difficult but achivable to pursue.Thanks guys for you answers.

I got my PPL in 1990 and I think it was around $3000.00Did it at a nice school in florida :>)

"I don't see how it would be possible to stay in the $4500-$6500 range, at least here in the Chicago area. Maybe other places are cheaper. I spent considerably more than that."Like I said it depends on many variables and I know many people who have spent 10K on private training. BUT!If you go about it in a way that lets you fly frequently and you are a good student thats about what it should cost. Example for a person who has to use a 172 or a PA-161 type aircraft that costs in the $70 per hour range (so the high end... yeah you can pay $120hr if you want but most folks dont). 60hrs C-172 @ $70hr = $420030hrs Duel @ $30hr= $900 (30 hours is generous for many students)20hrs Ground @ $15hr= $300 (Again an estimate most of my students have less)Medical= $75Written FAA= $75Checkride= $300 (Frequently less, but thats the high end)Headset= $300 (David Clark H10 13.4 as an example)Books= $145 (Jeppesen Deluxe Private Kit)All that is $6295. Several of my students now are training in a C150 or a flying club C172 that is $42hr so take $1680 off of the rental for them and they are down around $4600.If you only fly now and then and need more duel and rental time then yup the cost goes up. So if you are at the high end of total time before the checkride like 80 hrs in a 172 you are now in the $7500 range, but if you were in a 150 you would still be under $6000.All depends on you! This is all based on average costs in the U.S.

Hi Bojote,You have a lot of ambition - that's a good thing - so good luck with your "727" project...You know, flying GA aircraft just for pleasure is a fine thing in itself, quite satisfying I can assure you...(not that I want to discourage you or anything...LOL)Take careTwister

Hi Shay,My brother got his PPL in California (he lives there) and according to my calculations, it cost him roughly a third of what I paid in Israel.Of course, there are some really gifted students who manage to make it under 50 hours (I don't know anybody that falls into this category...)If you add all the expenses (books, theory + Radio Telephone courses , flight instruction, equipment, fees for exams, etc..)you will be close to 85,000 NIS ( based on a average of 80 hours of flight instruction).I live in Zichron Yaakov (5 minutes from Pardes Hannah) so you are welcome to contact me (6293108).By the way, I began my flight training in Haifa (Golden Wings) and later moved to Megiddo.Good luckTwister

Good for you, now the fun continues. On the second job, I understand that, it's very pricey doing all this stuff, especially if you decide to quit renting and buy your own aircraft. There's nothing like being able to go grab your airplane and launch out to where ever for that $150 hamberger or for that trip to see friends and relatives. Blue skies and tailwinds, but when you get your instrument ticket, it's really a much better "ballgame" and tons of fun flying in IMC.

Interesting. If those are national averages then prices in my area must be on the high side. I haven't seen 172s or Cherokees for rent anywhere in the Chicago area for much below $100 an hour. If anyone is aware of them, please let me know since I am on the lookout for an affordable place to rent, preferably out of the south suburbs. Also, instructor fees seem to run higher here. I paid about a third more for dual than the number you quoted. When I was shopping around I noticed that instructor fees varied from school to school. Some were slightly lower than what I paid--some were higher, too--but nowhere did I find that magic combination of low instructor fees and low rental charges. I settled on a place that had slightly higher instructor fees but slightly lower plane rental charges. However that entailed a considerable drive, so I must figure in gas and mileage on my car among the hidden charges of the adventure. When I get up the nerve, I am going to sit down with a calculator, logbooks, receipts, etc. and try to figure the total cost of my certificate. I am assuming it will be closer to 10K.In what part of the country do you instruct?

I admire your courage. Robert Randazzo of PMDG has written a number of good threads entitled "the life" in which he talks a lot about making a similar decision to the one you made. Interesting reading and I am sure you will find them affirming.Best of luck. Colin

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Depends heavily on where you are.In the US, you can get it for as 'little' as $5500 or so. Where I live in the Netherlands prices start at around

Typical of what it is here too, only more expensive still (didn't think that would be possible!).Must be the smaller number of private aircraft available making for higher prices (demand/supply at work), as here it's mainly taxes and exam fees that make it expensive.9 exams of 100 questions each (part multiple choice, part written), 1 flying test. That's the new JAA-FAC exam for the EU as executed in the Netherlands.

Congrats on passing! Our DE sounds kind of like yours, he's around 70, very professional and nice, not to mention being a retired professor at the local university.

Great news Moghdad, sincere congratulations on your achievement.I have been in the hospitality industry for 20 years and one day I decided that I wanted to learn to fly, in two years I had the PPL and my commercial licence, I gained them both in Canada.I am still running luxury hotels but soon I hope to fly for a living - hey it sure beats working!Fly safe and be happy you are only here once!

Congrats Moghdad !For those wondering. I received my PPL in Oregon and the rental prices range from $46.00 to $71.00 per hour for a C150/152 depending on the training facility/FBO. All these prices are from local FBO's within 15 miles of where I live. Current instruction rates are $25.00/hr for ground instruction and $35.00/hr for flight instruction. A C172N rents for $85.00/hr and a 1999 C172SP rents for $110.00/hr.At the time I trained (1999) my rental cost for a C152 was $43.00/hr and instruction was $25.00/hr. It took me 6 months, $6,000.00 and 63 hours to earn my PPL. I passed on my first check ride. My instructor said I might have finished sooner if I could have kept my head out of the cockpit :) Another factor to longer than minimum flight time is the inclimate weather here in the northwest (or anywhere). I made many flights where we could not leave the pattern safely due to low ceilings. We had many crosswind landings with winds from 20G26 30 degrees off runway heading. Any stronger than that and we dind't fly :)