There is no doubt that flight training is expensive. Just the cost alone of keeping an airplane in the air is high. It is always best to have budgeted for your training ahead of time so that money is not something you need to think about while you are doing your training. Remember that you don’t pay everything up-front. You pay as you go so that can make things a little easier to budget.
The details…
Private Pilot License Minimum Costs provided below are based on Transport Canada’s required minimum of 45 hours of flight training.
Please note that it is very unusual for someone to finish with these minimum hours. The national average to complete the PPL is 75 hours. Most students will take 60 hours or more to complete their training. Everyone learns at a different pace, and flight training is not a race!
| PPL Flight Training | Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Ground School Tuition | 45 hrs Ground School | $500 |
| Supplies & Textbooks | Supply List: E6B Flight Computer; VFR Navigation Chart; ICAO Chart Ruler; Douglas Protractor; Pilot Operating Handbook; From the Ground Up textbook | $220 |
| Ground Briefing | Estimated 20 hours @ $70/hr | $1,400 |
| Dual Flight Training | 17 hours @ $300/hr | $5,100 |
| Solo Flight Training | 12 hours @ $230/hr | $2,760 |
| Dual/Solo Flight Training | 16 hrs (to make up the minimum 45 hours) | $4,800 |
| Total | Minimum Training Cost | $14,800 |
Other things to consider…
As you are shopping around, don’t forget to consider other factors outside of the hourly rate such as:
- travel time to and from the airport
- ground taxi time, which can be much longer at larger airports reducing your time in the air
- proximity to flight training areas, which can result in additional flight hours at larger airports
- availability of instructors and airplanes
- friendliness and one-on-one attention from staff