MONEY TIPS to make flight training cheaper

How to save money in your flight training. Which aircraft should you learn in? Should you prepay? How many hours and how much money does it take to get a pilots license? Money tips and hacks from professional Flight Instructor Philippe.

In case you were wondering, Philippe is a friend and I thought this video would help potential and student pilots with ideas for making flight training cheaper. I wasn't paid to endorse Philippe's flight training school but we mention it a few times as one of many options when it comes to learning to fly.

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VERY IMPORTANT: I am a private pilot and am NOT qualified to give flying instruction. This video, like all videos on this channel, has been significantly edited from the original source footage and is provided for entertainment purposes only. Many radio calls and procedures have been omitted. If you have any questions about anything you see or hear, please speak to a Certified Flying Instructor first.

[MulveysMooney]

I started at a flying club and had no perspective. I wanted to take the cheaper route. I picked a local CFI and flew this great LSA. The Tecnam Sierra 2002. My instructor never had me do a weather briefing and did no ground work with me at all. I was one lesson away from soloing. When he got called back to service in the Airlines. I then went to a school closer to me. And discovered that I was in no way prepared to solo an airplane. I was completely uneducated. And yet my previous instructor was ready to let me go up with no practical knowledge of what I was doing other then flying the plane. How was I going to pass my practical test? (Check ride) Now I fly for an hour and do two hours of ground study through the Jeppesen program. Soloing next week. Getting the right education is critical.

[spiderjoeri]

I started flying gliders for 3 years since I was 15 years old. At the age of 24 I started my PPL and I noticed how much the gliding helped me understanding basic aerodynamics. Another huge boost is training on IVAO or VatSim. It trains your frequency confidence talking to actual people making those mistakes in the sim and it's free.

[quikstop]

This is exactly how I did it... started with a restricted PPL, then unrestricted and finally CPL with associated endorsements and ratings as time and money allowed. Starting in the late eighties, it took probably 10 years all up to attain all the qualifications to reach multi engine IFR. One thing I can suggest for hour building cost reduction is to seek an aircraft hire based on tachometer or air switch. It’s very cost effective and promotes a higher level of safety as there’s no inclination to rush or worry about the $$$ whilst performing ground operations or if you’re experiencing delays.

[bryan.meijer]

I'm 16 and I have my RPL and I'm working towards my PPL. I like to go flying once a fortnight, it seems like it's enough to stay relatively competent. Great video Stef👏

[joshhicks]

Great video Stefan. I would love to see a video on a in-depth break down on cost of maintaining and flying your Cirrus. Another video on cost of landing at airports.

[joeaho]

One more thing in the USA is the Civil Air Patrol which is the US Air Force Auxiliary. The cadets, who are age 12-18, are allowed and encouraged to learn to fly in Civil Air Patrol aircraft with Civil Air Patrol certified pilots that are also CFI's. The cadets get instruction at a discounted rate compared to a commercial flight school. It is considered part of the cadet's Aerospace Education. Unfortunately this isn't available to Senior, adult, members.

[blakebrothers]

Great video! It can be important to time one's training so you don't end up bumping into nasty fall or winter conditions that restrict your ability to fly. If that happens, you may end up having to postpone the remainder of your training until the following spring which likely means redoing flights and going over previously learned materials and ground briefings. Starting early with a very conservative estimate of how long it will take helps along with determining if your flight training centre can actually accommodate your schedule. Depending on where you live, understanding how busy the airport is that you are flying out of can be important too. Some airports at the height of training season can be so busy that it results in cancelled lessons or you being parked in a 20 or 30 minute lineup waiting to take off.

[MattyCrayon]

Great conversation 👍. Thanks for creating this.

I’ve just got back into doing longer navs, after getting signed off on my RPL nav endorsement, but the cost factor still weighs on me. I took a 172n up to Peterborough the other week. It was about 1.7hrs each way and cost just over $1000 even with the plane flying on normal petrol.

Paying for those little extra things definitely bites into funds. I recently paid for an aerobatics experience in our schools owners Great Lakes, just so I could make a video about aerobatics. That was fun!!! And just posted the video last night.

Another possible discount, is for block hours, like if I wanted to fly from Adelaide to Sydney etc. I’m pretty sure my school is ok with that.

The only other method of saving on the 172 hrs is to take some friends along, but so far I haven’t found anyone with deep enough pockets to share the cost of longer flights 😂

Having an RPL in AUS with a class 1 or 2 med, allows a pilot to take more than 1 passenger, add a ctl airspace and ctl airport endorsements and you just about have the same privileges as a PPL, so that could be a help in reducing costs, if you have the friends.

I’ve chosen to just bypass the PPL and go for a CPL, which right now I need about another 70hrs of command.

The only other option I have to save costs at my school, is to get rated on a turbo Sportstar, which is GA rated and about $70/hr cheaper than the 172N.

We used to have a 172S available, at the same price as the 172N, but the owner recently had an engine overhaul and has bumped the price by $20 more than the 172N, so I probably won’t hire that as much, but I do like it’s G1000 and autopilot. Still, the non autopilot 172 forces me to fly better.

Oh, and talking about taking a long time. I originally got my GFPT back in 96!!! 🤯. When I finally pulled my finger out and got back into flying in 2019, that was converted to an RPL, so no matter how long it takes, anyone can do it 👍

[guillaumefo]

I did my PPL in Australia and fully studied 8h/day for 3 weeks for the whole theory (i had basics basics with an RPC before) and got 86% first shot for the theory exam. Got the PPL practice exam 2 months later. So when you say at 10:00 that taking a leave and do it in one block might be a solution, well I'd say yes :)

[seanmcerlean]

I went through the RAF cadets initially before joining an approved school at Booker.
Funny enough their quote was of £8000 back in 93 was pretty accurate but then they were a great school with approvals to do more than just ppl.
Well maintained fleet of 152/172/PA28 archers and they made clear that all CAA tests were on top of the quote.
Great video from you both & nice to see Phillipe again.

[aminfozdar]

Yeah there are some pipestrel electric planes in a hanger here in Jandakot

[AA-cbvz]

As a former flight instructor I can say the biggest reason training cost more for certain students it is because the students didn't do enough self study.

[lachlanmcmahon]

Love the vid Stef it is interesting to see how to make flight training cheaper

[OscarHines]

I recently had my 14th birthday and started lessons. I picked a local flight school, and started flying the Tecnam P2002 Sierra. The weather is bad throughout winter in Ballarat, so I started this early because of the big block I wouldn’t be flying. Good education though

[philipgledhill]

I pals hope both of you are well. Nice to see you both looking well. Philippe I have put some thing on your Instagram. Brilliant video thanks for the information lads philip.

[chrism]

It took me approximately 70 hrs to get my PPL - and I worked across the street from the airport, so it was pretty efficient...I used a flying service for my instruction (in the US).

[fabior]

I'm about to commence on a 2 month mission to complete as many hours as possible before commencing my CPL ME/IR in the summer. This is very helpful, thank you :)

[michaelcollisson]

I train at Moorabbin and think that Watching this channel and playing Xplane has certainly helped me between flight lessons.
Thanks Stef and keep up the good work mate .

[LewisLevy]

Interesting points chaps, unfortunately I got my PPL yesterday haha

[Ttom]

I strongly recommend anyone to try gliding if they’re considering becoming a pilot. It has given me a huge advantage through my PPL and will continue to help through my flying career.

It is also extremely satisfying to climb above FL200 now and again without an engine!