Posts Tagged ‘school’
When You Can’t afford to Get Your Pilot’s License
What if your dream is to become a pilot but you just can’t afford the training for your Private Pilot’s Certificate, which can run about $8,000, much less your Commercial Certificate which can easily costs $30,000 plus?
Some young pilots take out a loan much like a medical student would in order to get their education and licenses through an aviation school but they graduate in huge debt and they still have yet to get a job and many are still faced with the need to get more flight hours under their belt.
With the economy looming over our shoulders everywhere we turn, it would be so easy to give up on your flying dreams before you even try. Don’t let this be you. If you are truly set on becoming a pilot – get creative. Develop some bargainaing power and do what it takes.
Try to trade your employment at a local flight school for training hours. They need office work and maintence done as well and they have to pay someone for it. This is not a fast route but it’s what Tim did. He worked for a small business owner who flew banners and did some aerial photography. After a year he was able to pass his FAA exams and fly for the owner to get more flight hours under his belt.
Or take, Bryan for instance. He was able to attend a top flight school and graduated with a Commercial License and all the rating he needed but he also had a huge amount of debt to repay and not enough flight hours to get the job he was targeting- a regional airline. He took as job as an Instructor Pilot at a local airlfield to gain flight hours and also had to work part time at a hotel to make ends meet.
What are they doing now? Bryan is a Captain at a regional airline. He moved his way up the ranks and his goal is to eventually Captain at a major airline. Tim loves being an Instructor Pilot for the U.S. Army.
Want to find out more about How to Become a Pilot? Visit How to Become a Pilot Headquarters.. Also published at When You Can’t afford to Get Your Pilot’s License.