Flight Training: Unknown Options you Need to Look Into
TLDR
There are two main categories of flight training; Accelerated/Full Time Flight School (Part 141) and Step by Step Rating/Part Time Flight Training (Part 61 or Part 141).
Accelerated Part 141 schools can be at universities or dedicated flight programs that usually take a large tuition to take a pilot from student all the way to being able to apply for the airlines. These schools are typically $85,000 to $135,000 or more and require a student to work full time on their flight training if they want to finish in an accelerated fashion (1-2 years).
Non-accelerated or Part 61 or smaller Part 141 schools that do not take a complete tuition can also be done quickly. The time it takes to complete training for a pilot certificate at these schools is completely up to the student’s commitment. The difference is, these schools are more of a pay as you go to earn each pilot certificate individually as you work your way up to whatever level (private, IFR, commercial, ATP) you want to achieve.
In this step by step path, someone can become a flight instructor and build hours towards the airline transport pilot minimums. When they do this, they can save money due to the fact the student is paying for the aircraft rental as well as paying them an hourly rate.
The article also talks about becoming a member of the military as an option and going to a 2-year or 4-year aviation degree program that integrates flight training.
There are several options that you have for flight training. It all really depends on what works best for you, your time, and your finances. If money is not a problem and you would rather become a pilot as soon as possible and make money doing it, then an accelerated flight school at an institution or university might be for you. If money isn’t falling from a tree in your backyard then knocking out a private pilot, IFR and commercial rating one step at a time on weekends and free days at your local flying club might be for you. The following explains what are the different options for flight training:
So let’s first divide your options into two categories:
- Accelerated/Full Time Flight School or Degree Program (Part 141)
- Step by Step Rating/Part Time Flight Training (Part 61 or Part 141)
Accelerated/Full Time Flight School or Degree Program (Part 141)
Part 141 schools operate under the Part 141 FARs. They are essentially schools that have had their ground and flight syllabus and curriculum reviewed and okayed by the FAA. We have more about the differences between Part 61 and Part 141 here.
An accelerated flight school will require you to be present full-time as if it was your full-time job or full-time school. While it depends upon the school, you will usually spend 2-3 hours of ground study and 4-6 hours of flight training for 5 or even 6 days of the week.
An accelerated flight school will take you from zero experience to getting your private, IFR and commercial ratings. They also offer you to then get your 1500 hours to become an airline transport pilot (ATP) and apply for airline jobs. Accelerated flight schools vary and usually come with contracts that state what you will get in return but they generally costs around $85,000 to $135,000 .
An accelerate flight school can also vary in how long it takes. Some schools give you the flexibility of choosing a program that fits the amount of time you have available. Usually, accelerate flight schools take about 1-2 years to complete all the ratings and all the hour building to be an airline pilot. Achieving the ratings of private, IFR and commercial can only take a 3-6 months but the hour building takes the vast majority of the time.
Think of an accelerated flight school as a degree program where you are studying and flying full-time. Some of them even offer housing for an additional cost. If money and time are not an issue and you know you want to be an airline pilot, an accelerated flight school might be for you. If you do not have the time to study and train full-time, you do not have $100,000 and don’t want the debt, or if you only want your private pilot or private pilot and IFR to fly as a hobby then accelerated flight school may not be for you. Even if you do have the money, you may be interested in some of the flight training options listed below in the next section.
Aviation Degree Program & Restricted ATP
Restricted Airline Transport Pilot (R-ATP) certificate is a special provision that allows pilots to become a First Officer (co-pilot) for an airline with fewer flight hours and at a younger age than the standard, unrestricted ATP certificate. Normally, an ATP requires 1500 total flight hours and a minimum age of 23. The R-ATP aims to help address pilot shortages by creating a faster pathway to the airlines for qualified individuals, enabling them to serve as a co-pilot until they meet the full ATP requirements.
The primary ways to qualify for an R-ATP with reduced flight hours are through specific aviation degree programs or military experience. If you pursue a 2-year aviation degree program from an FAA-approved institution (under Part 141 and with an FAA Letter of Authorization for R-ATP privileges), you may be eligible for an R-ATP with 1,250 total flight hours (instead of 1,500). If you complete a 4-year aviation degree program from a similarly approved institution, your total flight hour requirement for an R-ATP can be reduced to 1,000 total flight hours. These programs typically integrate flight training with academic coursework, providing a structured path to meet both the educational and reduced flight hour requirements for the R-ATP, usually allowing pilots to start their airline career at age 21 rather than 23
Flight Training through the Military
Becoming a pilot through the military involves a fundamentally different path than civilian training, as you are first and foremost an officer (or warrant officer in the Army for helicopter pilots) and military leader, with flying as your primary duty. The process typically begins with earning a college degree (often a bachelor’s, sometimes a master’s, or even just a high school diploma for Army Warrant Officer flight training), followed by commissioning as an officer through a service academy (e.g., Air Force Academy, Naval Academy, West Point), ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) at a civilian university, or Officer Training School (OTS). Upon commissioning, successful candidates are selected for highly competitive Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT) or Naval Flight Training, which is a rigorous, multi-phase program (often 1-2 years long) that covers all foundational flight skills, advanced aircraft systems, tactical operations, and eventually leads to receiving your “wings” and a specific aircraft assignment (e.g., fighter jets, bombers, transport planes, helicopters).
While the military completely pays for all flight training, equipment, and provides a salary and benefits during this period, it comes with a significant service commitment (typically 6-10 years post-training), during which time you gain unparalleled flight experience in advanced aircraft and develop leadership skills highly valued by civilian airlines upon separation.
Step by Step Rating/Part Time Flight Training (Part 141 or 61)
Like most of us, you may be thinking “I can’t afford $100,000 for flight school” or “I have a job, I can’t do that full time, how will I make the money I need?”.
If this is you have no fear. There are still viable options to get your private pilot, IFR, commercial or even airline transport ratings. In fact, 1000s an 1000s of aspiring pilots do it this way! It usually takes slightly longer but can be much less expensive and even more rewarding.
The best part about getting your ratings in a step by step manner is the different options for training:
Flight Schools
- A flight school is a business/establishment that can range from small scale to large scale. From bright and shiny new aircraft to old and reliable aircraft.
- Your typical flight school is a business with about 4-6 trainer aircraft (Cessna, Piper, other), a hanger, a lounge/classroom and about 4-6 flight instructors on staff
- These schools usually charge an hourly rate for the instructor and airplane rental
- An accelerated flight school is usually for those pilots that know that are going to go for commercial status and fly professionally
- These schools usually charge a tuition and promise in return your private pilot, IFR and commercial ratings and even sometimes housing, food and books like a university would. In fact, some universities do this.
Flying Clubs
- A Flying Club is a “club” or group of people who all share ownership in the assets of the club. You pair this with some flight instructors and it can work and act exactly like a flight school but with possibly less expensive rates
- Owning an aircraft is expensive (cost to own, maintenance, fuel, insurance, spare parts, etc.) but when you get together with other people in a “club” you can share the costs of it all which can reduce the hourly rental rate of the aircraft
- A student pilot can join a flying club with a monthly membership rate and as long as they pay their rate they are part owners of all the aircraft at the club and can use them at a reduced rate
- At the end of the day the cost of getting a Private Pilot License through a flying club is not drastically different than getting it at a flight school. But, with the right club, a student pilot could save 10 to 20% on their training in the long run with the right club
But these are not your only options. If you are willing and able, there are some other options that can be beneficial both financially and academically speaking:
Knowing someone who Owns a Plane
- If you know someone who owns a plane, you can eliminate a major chunk of the costs of flying. That is if they don’t charge you an hourly rate or can give you a discount. If someone you have a connection with will let you fly the plane and pay for the gas… get on it!
- You’ll need to make sure the plane is of the right category, is airworthy, and is kept up to safe standards.
- You’ll still need an instructor… don’t forget!
Buying your Own Plane
- For those of you that are financially able to afford an airplane, this can be a very good investment
- You can use it for flight training and if you plan it right you might be able to rent it out to a flight school or a charter company when you aren’t using it
- Just beware that there is more than just the buying cost, there are recurring costs such as maintenance, space parts and insurance to plan for
If you want more information on the ins and outs of buying your own aircraft including what to look for when searching for one to buy… we covered it on a BONUS episode on the Free Audio Ground School podcast which you can find and listen to here.
Knowing someone who is a Flight Instructor
- Sometimes, people know someone who is a flight instructor, and sometimes flight instructors will not be actively flying with students but will still want to keep their currency as an instructor. In this scenario, you may be able to take them up with you.
- You pay for the aircraft rental and in exchange they teach you how to fly.
Essentially you need an airplane and a flight instructor that can certify you for the ratings you are going for. If you want to go all the way to become an airline pilot, you would simply get your Private Pilot rating, get your Instrument rating, get your Commercial rating and then build towards 1500 total hours for your Airline Transport rating. Generally, by the time you get your commercial rating you will have anywhere between 250 and 400 total hours. So obviously, the hour building to get to 1500 hours is going to be the large majority of your costs and time. This is why students are always looking for creative ways to build time. The most common way they do this is by becoming a flight instructor.
By becoming a flight instructor after your commercial rating you can accumulate flight hours while you get paid as a flight instructor and your students pay for the aircraft rental! So how much would this all cost? Well, lets brake it down per rating:
- Private Pilot Rating – $14,000 to $21,000
- Instrument Rating – $9,000 to $14,000
- Commercial Rating – $22,000 to $34,000
- Multi-Engine Add on – $6,000 to $11,000
- Instructor Rating – $7,000 to $11,000
- Airline Transport Pilot – $6,000 to $11,000
- Total – $64,000 to $102,000
As you can see at an average of about $80,000 this can be substantially cheaper than an accelerated flight school but will take you longer to accomplish (mostly dependent upon your free time). And remember, once you become a flight instructor you will be able to at least pay the bills while earning your 1500 hours to become an airline pilot such that this $80,000 could feel more like $60,000 or $70,000.
So no matter what option you choose, you’ll have to learn the knowledge and ground school portion of flying yourself. Even some accelerated flight schools require you to pass the FAA Private Pilot written exam to be able to apply, but that’s why Part Time Pilot is here to help you!
The number 1 way to ensure your success in becoming a pilot is by properly managing your time & money
And the easiest way to properly manage your time & money is by doing ground school before it’s too late and ACTUALLY understanding the material
5 years ago I saw NO ONE mentoring unsuspecting students on the traps in flight training that was costing them $1000s
This is why I created the Part Time Pilot Online Ground Schools
The ground schools were created with these ideas at the heart of our mission statement:
- Mentoring students from start to finish
- Providing content that saves time & money & provides a deep understanding
How does Part Time Pilot compare to other Online Ground Schools?
I went to the website of each of the Top10 Online Ground Schools and gathered ALL the relevant info a student pilot like you needs to make an informed decision.
Things like cost, student ratings, lifetime access or not, types of lessons, bonuses included, scholarships included, support available and more.
Then, I lined them all up and compared them all in a single table so that student pilots could make the best, most informed decision on their training.
