How to Get a Student Loan for a Private Pilot's License

If you are wanting to obtain a pilot's license, you're probably a little confused on what the whole process is going to cost you. Although there are dozens of variables which can influence the costs, I'll do my best to explain the basics in this short article.

Since most people have very limited budgets, planning ahead is critical so you don't get stuck without available funds when you're only halfway through your training.

Like everything else, fuel costs are rising which makes the costs per hour of airplane training more expensive. With this knowledge in mind, consider that it will probably cost you more that most flight schools put in their cost estimates. The quotes from most flight schools are probably in the neighborhood of $2,000 - $5,000 but are probably an underestimate of what you are going to actually spend.

Here are some of the costs you will likely incur:

Private Pilot License Books and Materials Costs: You will be studying these materials for the required Private Pilot Aeronautical Knowledge Exam and a number of other things you will need for your flight training. There are many standard aviation industry courses to choose from and nearly all of them are based on the FAA publications for Private Pilot Licensing - mostly the same material, just presented differently.

Pre Solo Training Costs: These are costs associated with your Pre-Solo Phase of training. Pre-Solo training is the training which is required before your instructor can exit the aircraft and let you go on your own.

Post Solo Training Costs: There are also costs associated with the post solo phase of your flight training. Post Solo Training Costs include cross country flights, night flights and simulated instrumentation flights.

Private Pilot License Costs and Flight Test Preparation Costs: The final phase of your flight training, your instructor will be preparing you for the Private Pilot License Flight Test.

When you put these various costs together, you will see that there is much more involved than most flight schools initially advertise. Add up all of these components of your training and you'll see the cost is closer to $8,500. Remember of course, that this depends on the type of aircraft you are training on and the individual instructor rates.

The following video discusses how to get a student loan for private pilot licensing: