Please reach us at sunshineflyersaviation@gmail.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.
We are a Part 61 flight school which allows us to customize training to individual student needs. We will work with you to set up a training schedule ranging from every day to every other week. A Part 141 flight school is found in a university setting with a rigid schedule, a formal application process and preset (expensive) costs. A part 61 flight school like Sunshine Flyers will give you all of the same ratings as a 141 school. Here you take lessons when you want and pay as you go. You will be able to schedule yourself through our online scheduling software once you are established with us as a student.
1. Private pilot students must be 16 years old to solo, 17 to become obtain a license.
2. You will need to show proof of US citizenship. This can be done with:
(a) A valid US Passport
or
(b) an original US Birth Certificate with a government issued photo ID.
(c) If you are not a US citizen, you need approval through the Flight Training Security Program (FTSP) found here: https://www.fts.tsa.dhs.gov/home
3. Start flying!! The more often you fly, the faster you will learn.
4. Apply for your Student Pilot Certificate with your Flight Instructor.
5. You will need an FAA medical certification prior to soloing an aircraft. If you have concerns or questions about your medical, please ask us for help in navigating these issues.
6. Start an online Ground School to prepare for the Knowledge Exam. Flight Insight, King Schools, Cessna Flight Training, Sportys, ASA, Jeppesen, and many others are good options.
7. Take and pass the Knowledge Exam. It is good practice to have this done at about the same time that you solo the aircraft.
8. Get Non-Owned Aircraft Insurance Before you solo! It is inexpensive. Ask us for assistance.
Most students use an online Ground School to prepare for the Knowledge Exam. For this reason we do not typically offer an in-person ground school. Some examples of online schools are; Flight Insight, King Schools, Cessna Flight Training, Sportys, ASA, Jeppesen. These are all good options.
During flight training you will be receiving ground instruction relating to the actual maneuvers, flying and aircraft. This is an important part of your training to prepare for and debrief after a flight. During the course of flight training you can expect to have between 15 to 20 hours of billed instruction. The more you study at home and prepare for your lessons, the less ground time you will have. Your instructor will verify with you when ground training is happening so it is never a surprise expense.
The FAA minimum requirement is 40 hours of time in an airplane and 20 of those hours with an instructor. We find on a national average that it takes about 65 hours in an airplane and 30 of those hours with an instructor.
This means that your aircraft and instructor time will cost about $15,000. If we add in the costs of things you have to do outside of Sunshine Flyers, like a medical exam, online school, Practical and Knowledge exam fees, you can expect another $4500.
The amount of time depends on multiple factors. The often you fly, the more you will retain between lessons. This can cut your total hours as well as reduce your time-frame for getting certified. If you flew 3 days a week totaling 3 hours per day you would reach 65 hours in less than 8 weeks. More common would be flying 2 days per week totaling 1.5 hours per day. This would have you at 65 hours in under 6 months.
We recommend focusing on skills and goals rather than hours. We have seen people get certified in a few weeks with 45 hours and others taking a couple years and 150 hours. In the end, both are certified pilots that have passed the same exams and tests.
Customers pay an hourly aircraft rate that includes fuel. This time is recorded by a clock in the aircraft while it is running. You also pay an hourly rate for an instructor. This rate is the same for flight or ground lessons. These two rates are combined to get the total cost of a lesson. For example an hour of time in a 172 might be $195. An hour of instructor time is $90. If you fly for one hour in a 172 with an instructor the total hourly cost is $285.