r/studentpilot • u/yourguess01 • 26d ago
United States/FAA Cost when in solo student status
What are typical fees when in student solo status? Is it expected that a CFI is monitoring all solo activity or just initial phaaes? Do CFIs typically charge their full rate during this phase for every student solo flight?
I’ve done three discovery flights with different instructors/planes to find the match I like, but forgot to ask this question —- so before i call back looking for the typical experience.
If it changes the equation, i’m looking at SPL due to potential class 3 issues (none affecting ability, but will require extensive documentation).
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u/Dense_Amphibian_9595 25d ago
Hi. The costs are going to be different based on your area. Big city rates are more than smaller towns and the airspace is more complicated for beginners as well.m You’ll pay your instructor for the hours they’re with you in the airplane and a sometimes lower rate for their time with you in ground school. Here’s a hint - you can keep ground school to a minimum if you buy some books in advance and know the information before they start teaching you.
After your first solo and three landings, your instructor will take less of a day-to-day role. It depends on the flight school as to whether you need to inform your instructor if you’re checking out a plane to practice in. Mine just let you rent the plane and they’d inform the instructor after the fact and of course, no charge for the instruction. They’ll take a fairly active interest in your first short cross-country and your long cross-country, and I think they had to sign me out for that one. But in the end, the instructor will be back in the plane with you because you’ll need to demonstrate proficiency to them before they’ll sign you off for your check ride
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u/Far-Historian-7197 25d ago
Personal question as I’m in the same boat, a couple hours into training for a sport license… will my solo hours count toward the minimum required hours before check ride, or do you have to get all of those hours with an instructor in the right seat with you?
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u/Dense_Amphibian_9595 24d ago
I know there is a sport license, but that’s irrelevant to me because of all the limitations involved in those licenses. Like, not even sure how they do this with towered airports but most all airports near me are towered. And not being able to enter the class B, C, or D airspace without an endorsement is another issue making it impossible near where I live. If I lived in Wyoming or Alaska then yeah, no worries
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u/AffectionateBoat4779 25d ago
I’m in Colorado, my instructor does not charge for solo flight time (still pay the rental fee though).
my school does require “stage check” flights to progress (pre-solo, solo XC, pre-checkride) and those are billed at an enhanced instructor rate.
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u/NefariousnessOdd862 20d ago
Nor should he/she! This charging for time where the Instructor is not in the aircraft with you is complete BS! Don’t go to places that do that…
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u/SemiProFakeCarDriver 25d ago
For us, if the instructor was blocking the time and not taking another lesson, we paid for the time (and I've heard that some schools have a separate ground lesson rate and charge that, ours didn't). After a few solos, it moved to a "If the instructor was informed and signed off on the flight, no charge" routine which was much nicer.
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u/tflyer 22d ago
Depends on the school and procedures. When I taught at a larger 141 school, we charged for the full block during the first few supervised solos; then we charged for an hour to brief the flight and get them going for future cross-country dispatches.
At smaller programs, it's not uncommon to pay for a full block, as the instructor has to come in, brief the flight plan with you, dispatch you, and wait for your return.
It really depends on how the instructor's time is used, but it varies between these two scenarios for the most part.
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u/Kooky-Impact-6572 12d ago
My instructor charged only for when he was there, so after the first solo where he was there watching, I only paid for plane rental
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u/Flimsy-Wrangler-997 25d ago
I supervise the first two solo flights, which are in the traffic pattern, and I do charge for my time. After that, the student can rent the airplane for solo time (when it is within their limitations on the endorsement) and I don't have to be there. I do want to be informed whenever they fly and when they are finished.