The numbers, up front
What Flight Training Costs in the Capital Region
Most flight schools make you call to find out what it costs. We would rather you had the numbers in front of you, because the honest answer is that learning to fly is expensive and you should plan for it properly rather than discovering that a third of the way in.
Wet · Hobbs time
Hourly Rates
Rates are wet, meaning fuel is included, and are billed on Hobbs time. Students on the SUNY Schenectady pathway pay a lower rate than out-of-pocket students.
| Aircraft / instruction | SUNY student | Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Aircraft — wet, fuel included | ||
| PA-28-140 Cherokee | $170/hr | $180/hr |
| PA-28-151/161 WarriorNon-TAA | $170/hr | $190/hr |
| PA-28-151/161 WarriorTAA | $195/hr | $210/hr |
| PA-28-181 Archer | $185/hr | $195/hr |
| PA-28R-201 Arrow | $220/hr | $225/hr |
| Instruction | ||
| Flight instructionPrivate | $77/hr | $85/hr |
| Flight instructionInstrument and above | $81/hr | $90/hr |
Advice from the right seat
How to Keep the Cost Down
- Fly at least twice a week. Sporadic training is the most expensive mistake in aviation — every gap means spending the first part of the next lesson re-learning the last one.
- Read the syllabus before every lesson, and study the assigned ground subjects beforehand. Learning it on the ground is free; learning it with the engine running is not.
- Bring all your materials to every lesson. See our student materials list.
- Study the Airman Certification Standards before the final stage of each certificate, so nothing on the checkride is a surprise.
- Write your questions down between lessons and ask your instructor on the ground rather than in the aircraft.
- Chair fly. Sitting at home, walking through a maneuver in your head, genuinely reduces the hours you need.
How billing works
Paying for Your Training
Flight training is funded through the lab fee deposited at the start of the semester, which generally covers 55 hours of flight time. Unused funds are refunded or carried over to your next rating.
For those financing this pursuit individually, we offer two payment methods. Lump Sum Deposit or Pay-as-you-Go.
Loans and free money
Financing and Scholarships
We work with Meritize, which offers flight training loans that take your background and academic record into account rather than your credit score alone.
Scholarships are widely available through the new SUNY Reconnect program. Qualified incoming students can receive full tuition and flight training funding from this program.
Final Thoughts
Is It Worth It?
Whether you’re looking for a professional airline pilot career or just looking to be a weekend warrior pilot, we can get you there. The personal and professional rewards (as well as the skies) are waiting for you.