AvSport of Lock Haven: Flight Instruction Fees

AvSport of Lock Haven -- 353 Proctor Street, Lock Haven PA 17745

Flight Instruction Fees

Keeping It Real

Most flight schools (including AvSport) offer package pricing for courses leading up to a pilot's license. The lump sums advertised seldom come close to estimating your true costs. Typically, they represent the aircraft rental and flight instructor fees for the bare minimum of flight hours required by the FAA to qualify for a given license (irrespective of the individual pilot's actual skills, abilities, and needs). If you already know how to fly, you may meet these figures. Even so, advertised prices often omit such essential and unavoidable costs as written testing fees, flight test costs, books and instructional materials, taxes, and fuel surcharges. As such, these estimates should be regarded only as a starting point.
In order to be on equal footing with other flight schools, when first founded, AvSport advertised pre-solo and post-solo courses leading up to the Sport Pilot license, at a total cost "starting at $3798." Given rising costs of fuel, maintenance, insurance, and overhead, this estimate was admittedly unrealistic a dozen years ago, and is even more so today. So, we no longer even attempt to cite low-ball figures; flying is admittedly an expensive pursuit.
Realistically speaking, the aspiring Sport Pilot must consider all additional charges, and should be prepared to spend on the order of $10,000 in becoming licensed. Similarly, to gain Private Pilot privileges, one should expect to invest somewhere around $15,000, start to finish. Fortunately, one can spread the investment over several months of training time, thus need not commit to such a large sum up front. But, if you don't already have such amounts already banked, you would be ill-advised to even begin serious flight training. There is nothing more frustrating than running out of funds just a few yards short of the goalpost.
These costs will be relatively independent of the flight school where one plans to train, and any school that implies otherwise is probably not telling you the whole story. All FAA authorized flight schools train to the same standards, all experience the same fixed and variable expenses, and all desire to at least break even (or maybe even generate a modest profit). A properly designed flight training curriculum will be highly individualized to the personal needs of the student. Some students can master the aircraft with less training; some require a whole lot more. Like EPA estimates, your mileage may vary. AvSport doesn't cut corners; we're interested in continuing to graduate the world's safest pilots. We'd be delighted to train you at a lower cost, if possible -- but not to a lower level of competence.

Pay As You Go

AvSport's Chief Flight Instructor chooses to charge for dual instruction by the lesson, rather than by the hour. This is because lessons are personalized to the individual needs of the student, and can vary in duration. Often, the best instruction occurs during preflight and postflight briefings, as the student asks questions or requests clarification about flight activities and experiences. If the clock is running, both the student and the instructor are likely to cut short this valuable educational opportunity. Flat-rate instruction allows lessons to proceed at their own pace, enabling the student to gain maximum benefit from the flight instructor's experience and expertise.
As detailed below, the typical primary flight lesson can be expected to run three hours, including individualized flight and ground instruction, as well as a pre-flight briefing and post-flight debriefing. Our Chief Flight Instructor's current fee is $180 US per lesson (which includes taxes and fees, but excludes aircraft rental). Your lesson may be longer, or shorter, depending upon your personal needs, but the instructional fee will always be the same.
In addition to individualized flight and ground instruction, you may choose to train in and rent our Light Sport Trainer aircraft at AvSport's reasonable hourly rates (currently $180 per flight hour). Because both insurance premiums (our dominant operating cost) and fuel prices fluctuate, the aircraft rental rate is adjusted from time to time, and includes a variable fuel surcharge, which tracks changes in energy costs. (Sadly, as of this writing, fuel costs have increased by roughly a factor of three since we started the flight school in 2009.)
The majority of our students opt to enroll for an entire academic quarter, at a flat tuition rate. Since students so enrolled receive scheduling priority, you should note that the availability of pay-as-you-go slots is extremely limited. Click here for Payment Options.

Prices Subject to Change

Although we endeavor to keep flying affordable, we traditionally adjust our prices about once a year, to reflect our actual cost of doing business. Since our operating costs are highly variable, all prices quoted on this website, in AvSport brochures, or in our various advertisements are subject to change without notice. Students enrolling in our intensive training programs can lock in the price of a structured course by prepaying the then-current course fees in advance of class, thus protecting themselves from surprise cost increases during the academic quarter.

Primary Flight Instruction

The typical primary lesson lasts three hours, structured as follows:

Preflight inspection of both aircraft and pilot (1/2 hour)
Individualized ground instruction (45 minutes)
Preflight briefing (15 minutes)
Dual flight instruction (1 hour 15 minutes)
Postflight debrief (15 minutes)
Actual flight time will vary depending upon the subject being covered, but plan to commit a full three hour block for each lesson. Flat-rate pricing means the student won't be financially pressured to rush through a lesson, nor will the instructor have a financial incentive to drag it out beyond its natural conclusion.
Of course, if the student is renting an aircraft from AvSport, the standard hourly rental rates will apply to actual hours flown, in addition to any instructor fees. In the case of transition training, advanced training, instrument proficiency checks, or flight reviews conducted in your own aircraft, you will be billed for the flight instructor's time only, at a flat rate currently set at $180 per flight lesson (including taxes and fees, and subject to change without notice).

Block Discounts

Plan ahead and save. If you prepay for one of our standard training packages, you will be protected against surprise cost increases during the academic term.

Adjunct Flight Instructors

Our Chief Flight Instructor's schedule fills up fast. To spread the instructional load, AvSport selects and trains qualified adjunct instructors, who work as independent contractors, and set their own schedules. Our adjunct flight instructors have agreed to honor the per-lesson flat rate pricing structure established by our Chief Flight Instructor. You pay AvSport directly for both flight lessons and aircraft rental time, and AvSport pays the adjunct flight instructor. Check with the adjunct instructor about his or her schedule before reserving the aircraft online.

Aircraft Rental

Once licensed, many AvSport graduates go on to purchase their own aircraft, either individually or with partners, or become members of a flying club. Others choose from time to time to rent the same plane they trained in. We encourage this, but must emphasize that scheduling priority always goes to current primary students.

Standard Training Packages:

A Taste of Freedom^tm     Discovery Flight
Gateway to the Sky^tm     Introductory Lesson
Flight FUNdamentals^tm Mini-Course
Up, Up,  and  Away^tm     Pre-Solo Module
Out  On  Your  Own^tm     Post-solo Module
The  Next  Step  Up^tm     Private Pilot Add-On Module
Pilot  Downsizer   ^tm       Sport Pilot Transition Module
Airspace    Ace   ^tm         Class D/C/B Endorsement Course

Homework assignments

Learning to fly involves neuro-muscular training (airplane driving), cognitive training (clasroom work), and judgment (which cannot be taught except by example). All three of these areas require as much out-of-class time and effort as you will spend with us in training. In all of our courses, we provide reading assignments, worksheets, and video lessons. Just as in college, if you do the homework before each class, you will benefit from the lessons (and if you choose not to prepare yourself, the lessons will make little sense to you). Similarly, if you miss a class in college, how much of your tuition do they refund? (Exactly! And that's our model as well.) The more dedicated the student, the more successful he or she will be at flight training.

Cancellation and Refund Policy

Did you ever miss a class in college? How much of your tuition did they refund? Exactly! And unfortunately, that's how AvSport operates as well.
One of the most perishable commodities in the education business is an empty seat, once the class has begun. A vacancy does not reduce fixed costs, and can never be monetized. That is why college tuitions are generally not refunded once a student has enrolled. Realistically, in order to remain fiscally viable, AvSport has to abide by a similar policy. Enrolling entails a major financial commitment on your part, so you should think carefully before providing us with the deposit required to reserve your seat in one of our classes.
Of course, we make an equivalent commitment to our students. During any of our academic terms, you will be one of only four selected students, and will receive all the assistance and individual attention you require to ensure your success. At the end of class, any funds remaining in your account will of course carry over to the next term (or, for graduates, will be available for aircraft rental credit downstream). But please do not expect refunds. In reality, those sums have already been expended by us to keep our aircraft safe, hangared, licensed, maintained, insured, and available.

Gift Certificates

Have you friends or family members who are interested in learning to fly? A Taste of Freedom^tm or Gateway to the Sky^tm gift certificates are the perfect way to get them started along the path to becoming fully qualified pilots. We'll even take a photo of the lucky recipient in the cockpit, so you can see the sparkle in his or her eyes!

If you can drive, you can fly!

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