How to Get Your Pilots License On a Budget
Getting your pilots license doesn't have to cost a fortune. This tutorial explains how to pay for your wings through a combination of loans, labor, scholarships, and grants.
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Instructions
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Choose an FBO (fixed based operator) to receive flight training from. Visit the airports in your area interview flight instructors get information on rates for instruction and aircraft rental and inspect the aircraft fleet. They may offer to provide a low cost introductory flight but do not purchase the intro flight at this point.
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Review all of your options and choose your 3 favorite flight schools base your decision on price, aircraft quality, and instructor personality. After you've narrowed it down to 3 options purchase the low cost introductory flight from each school. Based on that experience decide on your favorite of the 3.
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Next you'll need to find an accredited online school that provides aviation related degrees and will certify the cost of obtaining flying lessons as part of the cost of attendance. This is crucial because it effects your ability to use financial aid to pay for flight lessons. Utah Valley University is a state school with an online aviation program that can meet these requirements and their enrollment is open to everyone.
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After being accepted into the aviation program of an accredited university enroll in private pilot ground and flight classes then apply for financial aid by completing the FAFSA (free application for federal student aid) at fafsa.gov. Next search for every scholarship you can qualify for and apply. Even a $500 scholarship can pay for several hours of flight instruction so don't pass up any opportunity! The idea here is to acquire as much aid from as many sources as possible because everything over the cost of tuition will be paid back to you by the university to pay for flying lessons, books and equipment at your local FBO. As a last resort if federal aid and scholarships don't add up enough to pay the total cost of your flying lessons you can apply for student loans to pay for the remaining costs which have much better rates and terms than personal loans or career training loans.
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Tips & Warnings
You can also trade your labor for lessons. Many smaller airports will provde training in exchange for volunteering arround the hangar cleaning aircraft, sweeping floors, manning the front desk, answering telephones, fueling aircraft etc.
WARNING! Avoid large branded aviation "academies" at all costs. These flight schools are overpriced (often costing double what a locally owned FBO will) and experience significant turnover of flight instructors which can negatively impact the quality of your training.
