Pricing
& Partners
Hourly Rates
Training with an independent CFI is generally more cost-effective since the training is customized, there will be a lower student/instructor ratio (higher availability and efficient schedule), and no mandatory stage-checks, which sometimes delay progression.
- Flight Instruction: $80/h
- Ground Instruction: $50/h
- Airplane: $199/h
- Simulator: $70/h (via Partner)
- Discovery Flight: $300 flat rate
Notes: 1) Airplane is expected to become available for flight instruction starting in the summer (after commercial insurance is secured). 2) We do not rent the airplane for solo flights that are not part of a training for rating/certification. 3) Discovery Flight includes 1h of ground instruction + 1h of dual flight instruction.
Instrument Rating
Although the FAA requires only 15h of dual instruction from a CFII for the instrument rating, there is also a requirement for 50h cross-country PIC and 40h of instrument time. A private pilot will have some of these hours already, and the rest can be achieved throughout the training. The prices below are estimates based on the following assumptions (and can vary significantly depending on the student).
- Pilot has 3h of Instrument time coming from the PPL
- Pilot has ~20h of cross-country PIC before starting training
- Online Ground School already completed
In that scenario, the pilot will need to build another 37h of instrument time and 30h of Cross-Country PIC time at least. Here’s the estimate and comparison based on these assumptions:
| WestFlying | Hours | Rate | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flight Dual CFII | 20h | $80/h | $1,600 |
| Airplane Rental | 20h | $199/h | $3,980 |
| Simulator Dual CFII | 7h | $50/h | $350 |
| Simulator Rental | 7h | $70/h | $490 |
| Pre/Post Ground | 10h | $50/h | $500 |
| Ground Instruction | 5h | $50/h | $250 |
| XC PIC Package (1) | 20h | Flat | $3,990 |
| Total | $11,160 |
Traditional Schools (Averages)
| Other Schools | Hours | Rate | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flight Dual CFII (2) | 25h | $85/h | $2,125 |
| Airplane Rental (2) | 25h | $209/h | $5,225 |
| Simulator Dual CFII (2) | 12h | $85/h | $1020 |
| Simulator Rental (2) | 12h | $80/h | $960 |
| Pre/Post Ground (3) | 12h | $85/h | $1020 |
| Ground Instruction (4) | 8h | $85/h | $680 |
| XC PIC Solo (5) | 20h | $209/h | $4,180 |
| Total | $15,210 |
Training with us is at least 27% less expensive than training in a traditional flight school.
Notes (referenced above):
- WestFlying XC PIC Package is a discounted dual instruction blocked-hours and includes 10h flying by instruments.
- Because other schools don’t have a XC PIC package like we do, additional 10h instrument will be needed in order to complete the 40h required by the FAA, and for this estimate we have added 5h in an airplane and 5h in the simulator.
- Because more flights are needed (see item above), more pre/post flight hours will also be needed.
- Traditional Flight Schools require at least 3 Stage Check quizzes, which are charged as ground hours, increasing the total spending.
- Because other schools don’t have the XC PIC Package that we do, pilot are required to fly solo in order to accumulate XC PIC hours.
X-Country PIC Package
Once a new pilot gets their Private Certificate, at minimum that pilot will have 5h XC PIC, as that experience is required by the FAA for the PPL training. However, in order to qualify for the Instrument Rating, they need to have at least 50h Cross-Country PIC time. That means a lot of flying, most of it solo, to distant airports, and done by a pilot that still doesn’t have a lot of experience.
Because of that, in order to help pilots to accelerate their Cross-Country PIC hours, we have created a heavily discounted package: You will fly with a CFI/CFII in cross-country flights for a total of 20h. You will plan your flights, the flight plan will be reviewed by the CFI, and you will receive dual instruction during the flight. At least 10h of these 20h you will be flying under the hood, helping you accumulate the 40h Instrument Flying required by the FAA. You will be in the controls, will log PIC, and will receive instruction on both areas of operations 61.65 (Instrument) and 61.127 (Commercial). You will also perform your long IFR dual cross-country, which is required for your Instrument Rating, and at least one dual cross-country required for your Commercial (if you decide to do that later).
The package includes pre/post flight, and any additional ground instruction required for briefing the flight plan. By the time you finish your 20h, you will be familiarized with clearances, approaches, flying by reference to instruments and cross-country planning. It will help you not only accelerate those XC PIC hours needed (at a very discounted price), but also accelerate your Instrument Training as well!
- Price for 20h block: $3,990
Private Pilot
Although the FAA requires at least 40h total flight time for a Private Pilot Certificate, in average students get their certificate with 60-65 hours. The extra time is needed for the student to develop proficiency, particularly in the busy airports in the Seattle area.
The estimate below is based on a student receiving 50h dual flight instruction + 10h solo. The actual spending will vary depending on the student, dedication and frequency of training. Our estimate is that training with us will be at least 10% less expensive than training with a traditional flight school.
This estimation also assumes the student already completed an online ground school before starting training.
| WestFlying | Hours | Rate | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flight Dual CFI | 50h | $80/h | $4,000 |
| Airplane Rental | 50h | $199/h | $9,950 |
| Simulator Dual CFI | 6h | $50/h | $420 |
| Simulator Rental | 6h | $70/h | $420 |
| Pre/Post Ground | 20h | $50/h | $1,000 |
| Ground Instruction | 10h | $50/h | $500 |
| Solo (Airplane) | 10h | $199/h | $1,990 |
| Total | $18,160 |