The number 1 way to ensure your success in becoming a pilot is by properly managing your time and 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 School.

The ground school was 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 Top 10 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.

Click here to watch the video

Which Aircraft: The Best Aircraft for Students to Train in

The short answer: The reliable one that fits your budget.

But it is more nuanced than that. There are technically advanced aircraft with digital flight displays and GPS systems that can make flying a lot easier. There are old reliable aircraft that are preferred by pilot purists and help you learn the fundamentals better. There are safer aircraft with more redundant systems and safety features to make your loved ones feel better about you flying.

The right aircraft for you depends on your budget, what is available and how you want to learn. This article will cover all the most popular options and what’s best of each of them so you can make the right choice!

Note: Not everyone will have a choice. In some cases students may only have one aircraft in at their flight school or in their budget. That’s OKAY! It is more important to find an aircraft that works and a good flight instructor than anything else. Don’t get too caught up in finding a fancy aircraft… that can come later!

For Private Pilot Students

Private Pilots can train in any single engine aircraft as long as it has two front seats and dual controls for an instructor and is not an experimental aircraft. Sport Pilots, which we will discuss below, must train and fly as a certificated Sport Pilot in what is called a Light Sport Aircraft or LSA.

Best for Reliability

The most important aspect to acquiring the skill of flight and doing it affordably is momentum. Gaps or delays in a student’s training can cause skill to be lost and lessons to be repeated (which costs $$$).

If your aircraft is down for maintenance, this can be problematic… because you can’t fly! So it makes sense that having a reliable aircraft, like a car, is very important.

Here are some aircraft considered by the aviation community to be the most reliable based both on maintenance data and word of mouth:

Cessna 172
- This is the most flown aircraft in the world! And for a reason.
- The biggest reason is the reliable Lycoming engine and the fact that parts are easy to find (think of like a Honda or a Toyota for cars).
Piper PA-28 (Warrior/Archer)
- Similar to the 172 but a low-wing aircraft instead of a high-wing.
- Some people will plant their flag on the high-wing side or the low-wing side but it isn’t much of a difference. I trained in both and prefer to the high-wing but that’s just because I can see below me more often and I like that.
- PA-28s have a strong safety and reliability record
Diamond DA40
- Another common trainer aircraft with good durability record
- Low-wing aircraft
- The big difference between the other two is that this aircraft is a composite aircraft and is therefore less susceptible to corrosion over time than aluminum aircraft

Best for Cost

As I mentioned earlier… it is much more important to find a reliable aircraft that will be there for you when you need it and an instructor that you vibe well with and knows his/her stuff than it is to save a few bucks every hour on aircraft rental.

However, I understand money is an issue and if you save $10/$20/$30 or more per rental over your training… it can really add up.

The price of aircraft rental varies depending on where you are flying and the demand for the aircraft, but generally, the most affordable aircraft are:

Cessna 152
- The 2-seater, older counterpart to the 172
- An affordable option because of their age, lower fuel burn (less horsepower) and reliable maintenance history
Tecnam P2008/P92
- Very fuel efficient engines means less cost on fuel (4-5 gallons per hour)
- Also good on maintenance costs
Piper PA-28 (Warrior/Archer)
- Another affordable options similar to Cessna 172 (below)
- Reliable and fuel efficient for the horsepower
Cessna 172
- More expensive than the 152 but it has more horsepower. And compared to it’s horsepower peers, it is an affordable option.

Best for Safety

Safety is a huge component of flying and choosing an aircraft. No one wants an aircraft engine failing or flight controls jamming in flight.

Plus, it can help to assure our loved ones that we are training in one of the more safe options for aircraft. Aircraft are considered safe if they have a low accident rate, are forgiving in stalls, can glide really well (so if you lose an engine you can glide somewhere safe), have good visibility, and if they have new advanced safety features like collision avoidance, parachute systems, etc..

Cessna 172
- According to NTSB & AOPA these have a low accident rate of 0.56 per 100,000 flight hours
- Docile stall behavior, easy to fly and high-wing visibility of what is below you
- Good glide ratio
Diamond DA40
- According to NTSB & AOPA these have the lowest accident rate in general aviation of 0.35 per 100,000 flight hours
- Composite “crush” zone acts like a bumper/airbag on a car to lessen impact forces on occupants
- Low stall speed and great glide ratio (nearly over 10:1)
Cirrus SR20
- According to NTSB & AOPA these have an accident rate of 1.63 but with their CAPS activation this number is being reduced
- CAPS stands for Cirrus Airframe Parachute System and it is a parachute for the airplane! So if you can’t glide somewhere safe, you can slow to a certain speed and deploy the parachute to softly fall to the ground
Piper PA-28 (Warrior/Archer)
- According to NTSB & AOPA these have an accident rate of 0.73 per 100,000 flight hours
- Similar to Cessna 172 as it is easy to fly, docile stall behavior and good glide ratio

Best for Advanced Features

Advanced features can make an airplane safer but sometime less reliable. However, the main benefit to them is that they make a pilot’s job easier.

Things like glass cockpits with flight displays and GPS, or parachute systems, or additional instrumentation, designs or material innovations are all considered in this category and can make your life as a pilot easier.

Note: A lot of old/purist type pilots believe in the old school analog instruments and flight control systems because they make pilots have to understand and be more in tune with the aircraft while they fly. They believe it makes you a better pilot to learn on an old school aircraft. I tend to agree with this. However, we can’t just act like this technology doesn’t exist and doesn’t really help. I always recommend students learn the old school way before using the new technologies. This way, they understand how to use both and should the new tech fail… they are prepared.

Diamond DA40
- Comes with Garmin G1000 glass cockpits, sleek and modern composite design and built-in autopilots
Cirrus SR20
- Comes with G1000 or Perspective glass cockpit avionics, autopilot, and Flight Management System-style knobs similar to airline aircraft.
Tecnam P2008
- Can come with glass cockpits and our very modern in design

For Sport Pilot Students

Sport Pilots are required to fly in Light Sport Aircraft or LSAs. LSAs are aircraft that have a max takeoff weight of 1320 lbs (or 1430 if a seaplane), have a max airspeed of 120 knots, have fixed landing gear, are single non-turbine engines and have a maximum of 2 seats (1 passenger).

Students training for Sport Pilot will therefore fly in Light Sport Aircraft (LSA). Here is a breakdown of the best LSAs for pilot training.