Cost & Value
We understand that the price per flight hour is one of first questions asked when choosing a flight school, but it is important to consider the learning opportunities and overall value you are receiving. Consider two schools that use identical aircraft but charge different rates: School 1 = $410 per hour, School 2 = $400 per hour.
It seems obvious to choose school 2 – but the total saving over a typical 40hr PPL is only $400. The cost of a single lesson! If just two extra flight hours are required, then school 2 is more expensive and a frustrating experience. A cheaper per flight cost may result in the need for more hours overall due to inadequate instruction, and less efficient teaching methods.
It is obvious from this example that a cheaply priced flight school does not always mean it is the best choice for you. It is important to consider the quality and efficiency of your pilot training. Send us an enquiry and we are happy to talk you through the investment and value of your flight training.
What you need to know
The biggest challenge when you’re researching a flight school is how to determine quality.
Every flight school will tell you that they are the best in the business!
So, what can you look for to tell if a school is offering you quality flight training?
5 simple things to look for in a flight school:
1. They see you as the client
Too many flight schools treat their clients as if they are doing them a favour by training them.
If you feel like anything other than a valued client when you meet the instructors or communicate with the school then you should find another school!
2. You should feel welcomed when you make contact with the school
- Can you meet your instructor before you sign up?
- Will they show you the aircraft you will be training in?
- Is the information they provide to you tailored to what you need, or do they just provide generic pricing information?
Any quality flying school would be more than happy to spend 30 minutes talking to you and showing you around their facilities.
3. They listen to your goals, and work with you to meet them
Do you want to fly for fun or a career? A good flight school will work to meet your goals in the most efficient manner.
Many of the larger flying schools can afford better facilities and equipment but lack the personalised treatment true quality education requires.
- Do they take the time to listen to your needs?
- Will they help you meet your dream or just earn a licence?
- Can they be flexible with bookings and meet your schedule?
4. They are focused on education - not flight hours
- Are the instructors at your school dedicated professional educators, or are they just instructing to build their own hours before they can take an airline job?
- Does your instructor have many hours of flight experience or have they just recently obtained their licence?
- Does the school offer a variety of instructional methods (online, face to face) so that you can learn in the way that suits you best?
5. They have honest pricing
Many flight schools do not disclose their full costs or state the full outcomes form their courses. Most customers only look at the hourly flying rate but when you add on all the other items such as briefings and landing charges, this can increase each lesson costs by as much as 40%.
Many flying schools also quote course costs based on the legal minimum hours to get your licence. The issue with this is that very few pilots get their licence in the minimum legal time – leading to false expectations of total course cost.
Honest flight school will be able to give you an average price for their course based on the hours required for an average student to complete the course.
We publish ours right here, including all the costs and a comparison of typical competitor costs.
Another warning sign is if the flight school asks you to pay for the whole course upfront.
You should be able to pay as you go.
Next Steps
- Narrowed down your choices? Great! Now you should go ahead and book a Trial Introductory Flight.
- This is your opportunity to experience flight for the first time and get a feel for how the flight school and instructor will fit with your needs.
- Make sure you take the Trial Flight with the instructor who will be doing your training so you can get a feel for their individual teaching style and how professional and friendly they are.
- You can also observe the condition of the facilities and aircraft. Facilities need not be brand new but should be clean and suitable for teaching purposes, if facilities are old and shabby this could be a sign that the school lacks professionalism, or the business is not doing too well. The same goes for the aircraft.