Private Pilot License - Cost Supplementary to Training

The amount of conflicting information and the numerous costs involved can make it challenging to determine the private pilot license cost. Beyond flight hours, prospective pilots need to consider additional expenses that include materials, a head set, insurance, a medical exam, and ground school. Below, Summit Flight Training has broken down these costs.

These are estimated costs that may vary based on region, school, and other factors. See our post about some of these factors here.

Training Materials

Estimated Cost: $160

Your flight school will provide a list of required and recommended training materials. These typically include:

Required Materials:

• Logbook

• Current FAR/AIM

• E6B Computer (electronic or paper)

• Aviation Plotter

• FAA Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge

• FAA Airplane Flying Handbook

• Non-Polarized Sunglasses

• Notebook for Ground School Notes

Recommended Materials:

• Headlamp with Red Light Capability

• Flight Bag

• ASA Private Pilot Oral Exam Guide

• Highlighters, Page Markers, Book Tabs

• Deodorant, Mints, and Gum

Remember to ask your flight instructor for additional recommendations as there are many other materials available to aid you in your training.

Headset:

Estimated Cost: $100-$1,300

While many flight schools offer rental headsets, they are often lower quality, may not have noise cancelling, and can be uncomfortable to use. A good aviation headset with features like active noise cancelling and Bluetooth will enhance your ability to hear radio communications and accelerate your learning, so it's worth budgeting for a purchase.  Remember that with headsets, you generally get what you pay for.

Damage and Liability Insurance

Estimated Cost: $200-$800/year

Insurance requirements vary among flight schools due to differing insurance and deductible structures. As a renter of the aircraft with solo requirements, ensure you have adequate coverage to meet the specific requirements of the flight school. If you are training out of an aircraft you own, you will typically pay closer to the $800/year range.

Medical Exam

Estimated Cost: $200

You are allowed to begin training before you obtain a medical certificate, but you must have one before you solo. This is not something you can go see your regular family doctor for. You must get it from an aviation medical examiner (AME). To find one near you, visit the FAA Designee Locator Search page.

Online Ground School

Estimated Cost: $300

One way to reduce the private pilot license cost is to complete an online ground school in preparation for the FAA written exam. This typically involves watching educational videos and working on practice questions and tests, and is less expensive than one-on-one instruction with a flight instructor.  We recommend taking the written exam only after consistently scoring 90% or higher on practice tests, keeping in mind that a 70% is required to pass. During the oral portion of your checkride at the end of training, your FAA examiner will ask you questions about all the topics you missed. It is important to learn all the material the best you can for your written exam so you do not have to redress topics on the day of your checkride.

FAA Written Exam:

Estimated Cost: $175

Before or early in your training, you should take the FAA written exam, a 60-question test administered at a testing center.

Online ground school and an instructor at Summit Flight Training can help you prepare. 

When planning for the private pilot license cost, it is important to budget for the cost of materials, a head set, insurance, a medical exam, and ground school in addition to the flight training costs.