The Private Pilot License or PPL for short, is the first step on your journey into aviation. This is the basic training that allows you to fly airplanes. You will be able to rent and fly W.I.F.A. aircraft whenever you choose. Just like you hop into your car and go for a drive, you can hop into a plane and fly! Its that simple.

During your flight training you will learn about the aircraft and its systems, the aerodynamics involved, radio procedures, meteorology, the national airspace system and more.

The aircraft that you will be learning on is a Cessna 172. This 160 Horse Power, 4 seat trainer is equipped with a Garmin 430 GPS. The aircraft cruises at roughly 138 M.P.H. and has a range of 575 Nautical Miles. Thats enough to get from Maryland to New York City and back without refueling and in the same time it will take you to drive the same trip one way!

The course requires a minimum of 40 flight hours however the average is between 50 and 60 hours.  Below you will find a breakdown of the required hours and other essentials required for the course.
 
Here is what you need for the course and the breakdown:

- You can begin your training even at the age of 12, but you  cant perform solo flights until you are 16 and you cant get  your actual license until the age of 17.

- A Third Class medical and Student Pilot Certificate.
   Click HERE to find the Aviation physician nearest you.

- If you are not a U.S. Citizen or legal resident, you will need  to obtain prior approval of the T.S.A.

- You will be required to pass a written aviation knowledge exam, then a one-on-one exam with an Aviation Examiner.

Flight Hours:
A total of 40 hours are required by the FAA including

- 3 hours of Cross Country training
(Cross Country means flights from Point A to Point B where the distance between the departure and arrival airports are at least 50 Nautical Miles)

- 3 hours of night flight training

- 3 hours of Instrument flying
(flying the aircraft with reference to instruments ONLY)

- 10 hours of Solo flight, these are flights where you, the pilot, is the sole occupant of the aircraft.

So how much does it cost?

Many flight schools don't even list prices on their website because they are afraid it might scare away customers. Some try to make the course sound cheaper by ONLY telling you how much the flying part costs and they "forget" to mention all of the other smaller costs involved. I don't believe in "Hidden Fees" so in my estimate below I tried to include everything you will need for your course.

The cost varies from student to student as it depends on how many lessons is required for the student to become prepared for the exam.

The estimate below is based on the minimum of 40 hours. From my experianvce the average is between 45-55 hours *

Description Hours Cost per hour
Aircraft Rental 40 $120
Flight Instruction 30 $45
Ground Instruction 10
 $45
*Estimated 10 - 15 hours of Ground Instruction
Knowledge Test $150
Final Exam Fee $400
Misc Other ** $300
Total: $7,450

*Pricing is based on current  W.I.F.A. rental fees as of the creation of this web page, prices are subject to change.  (Last Update was 03/01/2010)

**Includes items like: Knowledge Test Prep and study material, Maps, Navigational Plotter, Logbook, Flight Computer, FAA Medical Exam etc.