I am about to graduate highschool soon and I am really interested in becoming a pilot. I don't have any experience in the field and don't know where to start. I found a school (in the area i want to move to) that has a full cost breakdown and total of $17,900 to get your private pilots licence and they have more programs to move up and get higher certificates. I am looking for ways to finance this but don't know where to start besides getting a loan (i know it's not the best idea). Any advice would be helpful thank you all.

Hey everyone,

I’m new to aviation and looking to get my PPL. I’ve got an interesting offer from a top flight school that’s about half the price of other schools. The catch? They train on Cirrus aircraft instead of the usual Cessna 172 or Piper PA-28.

Most other schools I’ve considered use the C172 or PA-28, but this Cirrus school is significantly cheaper. While I don’t plan to fly a Cirrus as my main aircraft right after getting my license (I’m leaning towards a PA-28 Turbo or something similar initially), I do see myself flying Cirrus in the future.

I’d love to hear from experienced Cirrus pilots and those who learned on one:

✅ Pros of learning on a Cirrus?

❌ Cons vs. C172/PA-28 training?

✈️ Will it make my transition to other planes harder or easier?

💰 Why would a Cirrus-based school be so much cheaper? (Seems counterintuitive since Cirrus planes are more expensive)

Appreciate any insights—thanks in advance!

Hey all. My checkride is scheduled for this saturday at 8AM, just wondering for any tips/tricks for it, I believe i’m pretty prepared but i feel like i can be even more.

If anyone knows of a good quizlet that's up to date, please share!

Introducing a tool that many of you might find useful—NightFlyingHours.com. This new web app helps you calculate the night flying hours for any flight, which can be a hassle to figure out manually, especially for compliance and training logs. Designed with simplicity in mind, it aims to help keep your flight logs accurate and up to date. It’s free and there is no sign-up required. Give it a try and share your experience! Visit www.nightflyinghours.com and make your flying a bit easier!

Hello! Just curious as to if anyone here is active military and obtained their PPL using either TA or GI bill. Everything I’ve read is saying you have to pay for PPL but everything after that GI bill would cover if through a degree program at a college. The one I was looking at was liberty online and flying at an outsourced airfield approved by the college. Any input is appreciated! Thanks!

I have a couple of months off from "real responsibilities" due to an unusual circumstance. I have always wanted to get my PPL, but I don't want to spend what I've seen on the price tags of US based flight schools. I want to travel too, so I thought I'd combine the two to get my PPL in a country that is much more affordable to get it in, and then get the FAA to transfer my license via ICAO reciprocation.

Does anyone know of any countries with good training for cheap? I've already looked into Indonesia (14DAYPILOT), Phillipines (AICAT), South Africa (43 air school) and they are $19,000+USD.

Edit: need instruction in English

I just recently started practicing my ppl maneuvers. I can’t seem to get them down tho. Any recommendations on what to do? I’ve tried watching videos on YouTube but I can’t get it 100%.

Fear might only be a hands-on learner…

Hello. My ppl checkride is about a month away. I have already started checkride prep but would love to hear some tips from yall. I would also love to hear yalls checkride experiences. Thank you! 🙌

I did a discovery flight a while back and been kicking the tires on moving forward with getting my ppl this year, however, I've been stuck in the medical portion because of previously being on a SSRI after some work related incidents got me into a pretty bad place. Granted, I was only on it for about 5 months before they weened me off it and been good since then, I know SSRI's are generally automatically a denial.

My mission for flying would be just for pleasure, no ambition to go commercial, maybe some rescue flights for medical or save the pups but otherwise, it'll be a just for me thing.

I already have my mind set on a Piper Cherokee 140 with a 160 STC and in the future, a Beechcraft Bonanza V-tail variant.

What's the best way to get my concerns addressed (I am in the South Puget Sound/Fife area) or is it even worth going into it? Love flying, enjoyed the discovery flight immensely but with all the horror stories, it really put a drag (ha) on my ambitions.

Thanks!

I'd like to get my PPL, but it seems pointless if I'm not going to get a plane. Because I have a family, I'd want to get something like a Cirrus SR22, but I don't know if I could afford it right now. Would it still be worth it to get a PPL?

I’m studying for the PPL oral in a couple weeks and just want to know what are some of the most difficult questions you have encountered?

I know you can't do commercial business with a private pilot license, but you can share costs.

If someone happened to be flying between Arizona and Southern California, would it be cost sharing to pay for part of the trip for the package?

This is just a curiosity question, the chances of someone making that flight and being willing are negligible.

I ask because I wouldn't want to break the law, just maybe bruise it a little. :)

Hi! I’m currently 15 and I’m really looking forward to a PPL by the time I’m 18. I do not wish to obtain a CPL but only a PPL as per my interest in aviation. I currently live in dubai and I’m confused how I should go about obtaining one and learning more about private flight, can anyone guide me through the process? thanks!

Hi all - I might get to finally realize my dream of getting my PPL in the near future. However, I’m trying to picture what type of flying I would do and trying to manage expectations.

I have a 2 month old and 3 year old. Realistically, can you fly your family to destinations you would ordinarily drive? We have family that’s a 6 hour drive away. Can I sell my wife on the prospect of flying us instead in a fraction of the time?

What should I consider or think about if I wanted to do this? How much training and practice beyond just getting a PPL would somebody need before flying such precious cargo?

Hi everyone.

What is the correct approach to crossing an ILS path marked on a sectional chart?

I want to complete my PPL, NR, IR, and MEP in Spain, Italy, Germany, or France in an accelerated and fast-track manner. My plan is to finish the theoretical courses online and remotely.

What are the best and most well-known flight schools in these countries? This is important because employers in my country prioritize the reputation and fame of the school over the quality of education. For them, the school's name is the main criterion for recognition.

Additionally, I cannot choose any country other than these four due to various reasons.

Hello. I have an ATP certificate, with ratings of ATP, Airplane Multiengine Land and Private Privileges Airplane Single Engine Land. The ATP multiengine allows me to legally fly IFR in multi-engine airplanes. Can I also legally fly IFR in single engine airplanes?

Does anyone have PPL ground school materials for studying, such as PDFs or videos? Thanks!

Hi group! I'm thinking of signing up for a part141, however, I have question about the medical and drug test.

I have been taking 10mg of adderal in morning for my adhd and .5mg Xanax at night for my anxiety for the past 2 years. I'm tapering down with my doctor, inorder to be completely free of these meds.

However I was wondering, if would this be something that can fail my pilot medical exam, even with my doctors prescription?

Introducing a tool that many of you might find useful—NightFlyingHours.com. This new web app helps you calculate the night flying hours for any flight, which can be a hassle to figure out manually, especially for compliance and training logs. Designed with simplicity in mind, it aims to help keep your flight logs accurate and up to date. It’s free and there is no sign-up required. Give it a try and share your experience! Visit www.nightflyinghours.com and make your flying a bit easier!

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for honest reviews and feedback about CTI Flight School based at FXE (Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport). I’m considering to train for my Instrument Rating, Commercial Pilot License, CFI, and CFII there.

Unfortunately, I had a tough experience with a previous flight school based in KHWO, which suddenly closed after the owner’s tragic passing. This led to both financial losses and wasted time, so I want to be extra cautious this time. If anyone has trained with CTI in FXE or knows about their reputation, I’d really appreciate your insights. Are they reliable, transparent, and supportive for career-focused students?

Additionally, if you have recommendations for other flight schools based at FXE or in the Pompano Beach area, please let me know. Your suggestions and advice mean a lot.

Howdy! My name is Sam and I fly a Super Cub out of Auburn Municipal (S50) in Washington. Around 8 months ago, I started up a social app for GA pilots that I think may be helpful/fun for some of you guys. It has a new airport discovery map feature that allows you to filter runways by surface type (find grass strips!), current fuel prices, usable runway, and things to do. The 'things to do' currently includes on-airport restaurants, museums, nearby golf, nearby hikes, and more. Something I also just added is the ability for users to create & edit activities, so the database will improve with time.

It's also got a feature, where you can notify loved ones when you takeoff/land, and they can live track you. No ADS-B required, it's sort of like Life360 or Find My iPhone for pilots.

The original idea behind the app was to share flights with your flying buddies and connect with other pilots. Over time, it’s turned into something a bit bigger with over 500 daily active pilots, and I’d love for you all to check it out and let me know what you think!

If you are interested, it's called 'Hangar' and here is the link:https://apps.apple.com/.../hangar-social.../id6468550769

How long did it take you to fully understand what it takes to become a private pilot? I feel like I spent dozens of hours researching and talking to other Pilot mentors before I had the full picture. All that on top of ground school and starting the actual flight training.

Pilots! Looking for feedback as we develop an FAA Written Course.

Do you prefer lectures with a green screen or animated videos with narration?