LSA Airplane Instruction and Proficiency Check Fees
- Flight Instruction with aircraft* (includes $100 airplane per hour, $20 dollar fuel surcharge) and $60 per hour flight instructor, or $180 total per hour with airplane and instructor for flight time.
- Ground Time/Instruction time** is $60 per hour for ground school, and pre/post flight briefings.
- Flight simulation time $80 per hour ($20 flight simulator and $60 flight instructor simulator time) or $20 hour solo after getting checked out.
- $120 aircraft rental for solo requirements and/or Checkride/proficiency check ($100 aircraft rental and current $20 fuel surcharge which can change without notice) **
- $370 Sport Pilot Practical test/Checkride (no aircraft)
- $350 Sport Pilot Proficiency check (no aircraft)
- $390 Sport Pilot Flight Instructor (CFIS) Proficiency Check (no aircraft)
- $180 Biennial Flight review (minimum time requirements) in pilot supplied aircraft
* Includes aircraft, headsets, and fuel.
** Ground/flight time includes Paul’s time from meeting applicent to when the applicant leaves.
*** Includes headsets and fuel.
How much does it cost to get a sport pilot license?
This depends on allot of factors. Let’s look at the variables first.
Numbers below do not include the fuel surcharge which is a moving target.
Will you be learning in your own aircraft or renting one?
- Will you be doing a concentrated course where you are flying every day until you get your license, will you be doing the optimum schedule of flying one day on and one day off, or will you be dragging it out by only flying on weekends?
- Are you a good studier, motivated to study on your own or will you need someone to teach all the material to you?
- How fast do you pick up the motor skills to control the aircraft?
Overall, the costs to become sport pilot airplane are about half that of a private pilot. It must be understood that these are realistic numbers, not something pared down to make it look inexpensive. Most “learn to fly for $2XXX” do not include the FAA test fees or much in training materials. The following is provided to give you a realistic view of absolute minimum cost and a high cost for comparison.
Let’s look at the optimum situation using your own aircraft, with a concentrated course or optimum flying three days per week, you study everything to get through your three types of ground school, and you have great motor skills to have the minimum flight hours required for the license.
| Task or item | time | cost | total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student Pilot Kit | $260 | ||
| Flight/Hobbs time CFI | 15 | $60 | $900 |
| Flight brief/debrief and ground school lesson review CFI | 15 | $60 | $900 |
| Solo flight time | 5 to 10 hours | use own aircraft | |
| Solo flight ground instruction CFI | 2 | $60 | $120 |
| Ground school for the aeronautical flight, knowledge test and Checkride CFI | 40 | $60 | self study |
| FAA Knowledge Test | $150 | ||
| Checkride | $370 | ||
| Totals | $2700 |
If you take out what most schools do not include, the knowledge test and checkride this would total $1680. However, we are going to include these in our comparisons since this is part of the cost.
Let’s look at the optimum situation where you rent the airplane for dual and solo training, with a concentrated course or optimum flying three days per week, you study everything to get through your three types of ground school, and you have great motor skills to have the minimum flight hours required for the license. It usually takes more hours to get through the course. Usually 20 to 25 hours of dual.
| Task or item | time | cost | total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student Pilot Kit | $260 | ||
| Flight/Hobbs time CFI and Aircraft | 15 | $180 | $2250 |
| Flight brief/debrief and groundschool lesson review CFI | 15 | $60 | $900 |
| Renters Insurance | 1 year | $500 | |
| Solo flight time | 5 | $120 | $500 |
| Solo flight ground instruction CFI | 2 | $60 | $120 |
| Ground school for the aeronautical flight, knowledge test and Checkride | 40 | $60 | self study |
| FAA Knowledge Test | $150 | ||
| Checkride | $370 | ||
| Totals | $4550 |
Let’s look at the extended situation where you rent the airplane for dual and solo training, with an extended training schedule not flying constantly and/or having to go back and repeat flight tasks as needed and/or it takes more time than the minimum to get through which is typical. You do not study much and require an additional 40 hours of ground time to get through your three types of ground school. This will cause sticker shock but notice the $2000 for the ground school which you can study on your own.
| Task or item | time | cost | total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student Pilot Kit | $260 | ||
| Flight/Hobbs time CFI | 25 | $180 | $4500 |
| Flight brief/debrief and groundschool lesson review CFI | 25 | $60 | $1500 |
| Renters insurance | 1 year | $500 | |
| Solo flight time | 10 hours | $120 | $1200 |
| Solo flight ground instruction CFI | 3 | $60 | $150 |
| Ground school for the aeronautical flight, knowledge test and Checkride CFI | 40 | $60 | $2400 |
| FAA Knowledge Test | $150 | ||
| Checkride | $370 | ||
| Totals | $10,660 |
Overall, there is a wide range of total costs to get your sport pilot WSC trike certificate. It depends on how you want to do it.
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