pilot asks a question while flying in his airplane

FAQ

Below you will find questions that we frequently get asked about getting your pilots license in San Diego with us. If you have any further questions about flight lessons or aviation in general, reach out to us via email at [email protected] or on the phone at 619-356-0658.

inside view of the airplane you will be flying in flight school

1. What qualifications do I need to enroll in flight training?

To enroll in flight training, you need to be at least 16 years old to fly solo and 17 years old to obtain a private pilot license (PPL). You must also pass a medical examination conducted by an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME). Additionally, a passion for aviation and a commitment to learning are essential.

2. How do I get started with training?

The first step is scheduling an introductory flight with us at our San Diego location. We fly seven days per week. The discovery flight cost is $249. Once you schedule your training flight with us, we will fly out of San Diego’s Montgomery Airport. You will get hands-on experience taking the controls of the aircraft as we go over the basics of flying. Please note that we do not accept walk-ins and we are appointment only.

Your lesson will be approximately 2 hours in length, including 1 hour of ground training and 1 hour of flight instruction. Once we have completed the flight, your instructor will give you a certificate of completion which you can use towards your hours required for your private pilot license. Generally we require bookings to be made at least 24 hours in advance, however we are able to accommodate on a shorter notice as availability allows. All bookings are subject to weather and airplane/instructor availability.

You will meet your instructor at Montgomery Airport:
3717 John J Montgomery Dr,
San Diego, CA 92123

There are picnic tables outside of the building where you will find your instructor waiting for you. Please be on time as we schedule the airplanes and instructors for specific time slots. Arriving late may result in forfeiture of your deposit and time slot.

3. How much does it cost to get your pilot license?

At GoFly San Diego we want to be upfront about the cost to get your license. Many schools will tell you one price, and then it is a completely different price by the time you finish your pilot license. As a student there are no large upfront investments. You pay by the hour for your flight instruction and airplane. The flight instructor cost is $85 per hour. The airplane rental price depends on the airplane, but on average it is $150 per hour.

Minimum FAA requirements for your private pilot license under Part 61 are 40 hours total flight time including 10 hours of solo flight time. Using the minimum hours and having the remaining 10 hours being solo time, flight training will cost $8,550. The FAA exam fee is $1500 (set by FAA examiner). And then you need to purchase the required materials such as a headset and ipad. This adds approximately an additional $600. This puts us at a minimum price of $10650. However, the national average time it takes a student to get their private pilot license is 75 hours. We try to do above average training here and plan on getting you your license in 55-65 hours, but each student is different. We recommend a budget of at least $15,000. For a further breakdown, check out our Private Pilot page by clicking HERE

4. How long does it take to become a licensed pilot?

The time it takes to obtain your private pilot license varies depending on factors such as the frequency of your flight lessons, weather conditions, and your at home study habits. This is a go at your own pace program. This means we can take it slowly if you would like. This also means we can do accelerated pilot training as well. If you are training every day we can get it done in as little as 6 weeks. If you are consistent with flying an average of 3 times per week we can finish your license in 3-4 months. If you are flying once per week it is going to take much longer.

The timeframe to complete your instrument rating is similar. However it is possible to accelerate your instrument training in as little as 10 days if you can commit to training full time and you have some basic prerequisites completed.

5. What aircraft will I train in?

For private pilot training, instrument training, and commercial pilot training we fly Cessna 172s and/or Piper Archers. These are single engine aircraft with four seats. One major benefit is that unlike most flight schools, you will continue to have access to fly these planes with your friends and family once you complete your training.

6. Can I train part-time while working or attending school?

Yes, many of our students train part-time while balancing work or school commitments. We offer flexible scheduling options to accommodate your availability. However, consistent practice and dedication are important for progress and proficiency.

7. Is financial aid available for flight training?

We understand that flight training can be a significant investment. We currently do not offer any financial aid through our school. However it is pay as you go and we do not require any sort of large upfront payment. If you are looking to accelerate your training via loans, we recommend getting a personal or educational loan from your own bank. This WILL be much more cost effective than going through some of the large schools that spend so much on advertising that they need to charge students 100k to get to their training done. From 0 hours to Certified Flight Instructor can be completed for around 50k spent over a 12 month period.