In this guide, we will learn why light aircraft training is so expensive and some tips and best practices that you can apply to plan your flight training finances better.
Financing is one of the biggest challenges of learning how to fly a light aircraft. Whether you are enrolling in a flight programme to develop your hobby or to take up an aviation career, learning to fly aircraft can be quite an expensive endeavour. This is why it is important to strategise how to finance your training programme!
Most people fail to create a strategy for financing their goals and dreams, which is why they end up not only losing time but also money and other resources.
Learning to fly can start anywhere from £5,000 and can go up to £90,000 for commercial training – and if you want to progress through your training in the most effective way possible, then you will have to learn the best practices of financing your light aircraft training.
In this guide, we will learn why light aircraft training is so expensive and some tips and best practices that you can apply to plan your flight training finances better.
Why is Flight Training So Expensive?
Aviation has always been an expensive field due to its requirement for complex and expensive aircraft, real estate for storage, and additional land for runways. Not to mention there is also considerable cost with maintenance and administrative operations in aviation. All of these costs add up to a huge amount which has to be passed on to the consumer, i.e., the pilots. However, it is important to note that historically, aviation costs have come down significantly.
In the early days, aviation was only accessible to a select few individuals who could afford the exuberant costs associated with renting and flying a plane, but as technology progressed and fuel prices became standardised, the overall cost of aviation started to come down.
Today, aviation is still considered to be an expensive endeavour, but it is still quite feasible, especially if you opt to make a career in aviation.
Even for enthusiasts who don’t want to fly professionally, there is no better time to join now than ever. The reason for this is that there are far more flight schools now than in the past. This means that there is also a lot of competition in the market. More competition is generally a great thing for consumers because it means that businesses will not only compete on price but also on services. Flight schools today offer a range of economical training packages that can suit the needs of every pilot.
On top of this, there is also quite a lot of effort to make aviation accessible from a regulatory standpoint too. For example, the Civil Aviation Authority, the premier authority for air-related activities in the UK, has introduced various types of licenses to make aviation accessible to the public.
If you don’t want to fly professionally, then you can also pursue a private license that can allow you to take up aviation as a hobby and you can also fly various types of light aircraft.
If you can’t invest in a Private Pilot License (PPL), then you can also go with a Light Aircraft Pilot License (LAPL) which is geared for people who just want to learn the basics of flying and can settle with flying fewer light aircraft.
On the other end of the spectrum, you will find the Commercial Pilot License. This is the most comprehensive license in aviation and will allow pilots to fly large commercial planes.
As you can imagine, becoming a commercial pilot requires quite a lot of money. On average, a commercial pilot license can cost £60,000 to £90,000. The reason why this license is so expensive is that it involves a lot more training hours which can ramp up the hourly cost of training.
On top of that, you will also have various other forms of training like more extensive ground training and even simulation training. The good news is that if you successfully obtain your license and have built a reputation as a great pilot, then chances are that you will be offered a job right out of flight school.
Pilots who start as fresh First Officers will usually have a salary of around £22,000 to £35,000 per year. More experienced First Officers can even get up to £40,000 to £70,000 per year. Once you become a captain, you can expect to earn a minimum of around £70,000 to £120,000 or more annually.
Light Aircraft Finances – A Quick Breakdown
Here are all the average costs that you can expect from light aircraft training:
Let’s start with the most basic license for light aircraft, the Light Aircraft Pilot License (LAPL). This type of license is primarily for people who want to step into the world of aviation without fully committing to a more comprehensive license. A LAPL will allow you to fly light aircraft and is one of the most affordable types of light aircraft licenses in aviation.
The average cost of a Light Aircraft Pilot License is around £5,000 to £8,000. This estimate includes ground school training, studying resources, certificates, landing fees, and more. The cost can be adjusted depending on your training requirements but, in either case, a LAPL will be more suitable for people with financial restraints.
The second most common type of pilot license is the Private Pilot License (PPL). This license is for people who want a more comprehensive flying experience. Private pilots will get access to a wide range of light aircraft (more than LAPL) and will get to explore flight training in greater detail too. This type of license is excellent for people who only want to join the aviation community and fly recreationally.
The biggest benefit of a private license is that once you obtain the license, you can explore the world of aviation on your own terms and once you are ready to progress your training, you can even pursue a higher type of license for commercial operations.
On average, you can expect a Private Pilot License to cost anywhere from £8,000 to £12,000. The reason why this license is more expensive than a LAPL is simply that a PPL requires far more training, and you also have to deal with the added fuel and other associated costs with training on different types of aircraft.
Just like the LAPL, this cost includes ground training, study materials, associated fees, and more. Many flight schools also offer an incentive when pursuing a private license where you get flexible training hours and discounts and even financial support.
Financing Your Light Aircraft Pilot Training
Here are all the key points to keep in mind when planning the finances for your light aircraft training:
Making the Leap
Before you go ahead and invest in a flight programme, it is important to first understand your expectations and needs. Please keep in mind that aviation may look alluring from the outside, but it requires quite a lot of dedication, skill, patience, and resources. If you lack in any of these then you might as well be wasting money on pilot training.
On the other hand, people who have a passion for aviation, or people who want to push themselves to learn a new skill will find aviation to be a life-changing hobby or profession. If you have a knack for aviation then there is a high probability that you will also figure out a way to earn back the money you invest in training, either through large commercial operations or through private work.
Estimating Costs
Once you have made up your mind about joining aviation, you will have to begin by estimating all the costs associated with training.
As mentioned above, flight training includes three factors that make up most of the training fee:
- Ground training
- Flight training
- License and Associated Fee
Ground training involves studying the theoretical concepts behind aviation. These concepts are key to understanding how aircraft work and how you can fly efficiently. Ground training also includes a range of study materials that you need to master to progress in your training. There are also quite a lot of exam fees included in this training – and on average you can expect ground training to cost anywhere from £500 to £1,000.
Flight training pertains to all the practical training that you will receive throughout your programme. This includes costs associated with flying planes, landing fees, and more. As you can imagine, flight training is incredibly important in aviation, and you can’t progress forward without passing all the necessary flight training requirements. On average, flight training can cost around £150 to £200 per hour for flight instruction.
Finally, the remaining cost is divided among licensing and other associated fees. Licensing fees can vary depending on the type of license you want to pursue but you can expect a fee of around £300 to £500 which includes exam fees. You will also have to pay a license insurance fee of around £200.
Similarly, there are multiple other associated fees like medical fees, rental fees, landing fees, study material fees, and more. To get a full breakdown of the fee structure, you can visit the website of your flight school of choice. Most top-flight schools, like Sherburn Aero Club, provide a thorough breakdown of the fee structure so that you know exactly what to expect.
Assess Your Resources
Now that you know the costs associated with learning how to fly light aircraft, you will then have to shift your focus toward financing your training. The first step is to look at your savings. In most cases, people who want to pursue aviation have enough personal savings to enrol in a flight programme without the need for external financing. However, if you don’t have enough personal savings, then you will have to come up with a foolproof and feasible financing plan to pay for your training.
You don’t have to feel bad about not saving enough money for aviation either. Since this is an expensive endeavour, it is quite common to face financial difficulties with flight training. The good news is that flight schools, like Sherburn Aero Club, have various discounts and incentives for new and young pilots. While this may not take off the full financial burden, it does certainly help with making things easier.
External Financing
If you don’t have the resources to fund your training then you can also look at scholarships, grants, or other forms of financing like student loans. We highly recommend that you look towards a scholarship or a grant to fund your training. If you have strong merit, then it is likely that you will be able to secure a grant or scholarship at a flight school. In this case, your financial burden will be managed more effectively, and you will not have to face any delays in your training.
If you can’t secure a grant or scholarship then don’t worry, you also have the option to go for low-interest student loans. Student loans work best when you want to use your aviation training to make money. There are quite a lot of jobs related to light aircraft which can help you pay back your loan too.
However, you must resort to this option only when you have no other way to fund your training. Taking a loan can be risky, so you should always proceed with caution and only take out a loan when you can guarantee that you can pay it back.
Always Be Efficient and Effective
The number one tip for saving costs and increasing your return on investment in aviation is to be proactive with your training. Many young pilots tend to focus more on practical training and skip out on ground training. This strategy is not conducive and can actually end up costing you more because you will not be awarded a license until you prove your proficiency in both practical and theoretical knowledge.
For the best experience, keep your focus on your training and try to get through it in the quickest way possible. This way, you can save money and keep your training fee at the lower end of the average cost of light aircraft training!
WHY CHOOSE SHERBURN AERO CLUB
Sherburn Aero Club, which has been operational since 1964, is the ideal place for most of your training and flying needs. It is one of the largest flying clubs in the North of England and also one of the largest in the country.
If you wish to begin your career in aviation or wish to take to the skies as a hobby, Sherburn’s flight training school offers private and commercial licences, along with pilot medicals to ensure a smooth journey going forward.
For those who wish to experience the thrill of a flight for fun or to help fuel their aviation dreams, Sherburn offers experience flights for the newbie, as well as the veteran in various types of light aircraft.
With a large fleet of new aircraft and an airfield refurbishment with new runways, hangars, and an extended clubhouse, we cater to brand-new flyers who have just started their journey to the skies, as well as seasoned flyers who have been operating aircraft for decades.
The flight experience option is also available for people who wish to take to the skies for special occasions, even if they aren’t into aviation in the long run.
Sherburn offers a dedicated day-long Flight Radiotelephony Operator’s Licence (FRTOL) course for those wishing to get the certification, running the first Sunday of every month.
In addition to that, if you are looking for a hangarage for your own aircraft, need servicing or repairs, want to buy a new aircraft or aviation equipment, or are just looking to enjoy and watch the aircraft, Sherburn Aero Club is the place to be.
Call us at 01977 682 674, email us at flightdesk@sherburnaeroclub.com, or message us via our online contact form for more information on light aircraft, training requirements, fee structure, licencing procedures, as well as experience flights and pilot training at Sherburn.
Photo by Saj Shafique on Unsplash
