FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
We know that you may have questions about how training with True Course Flight School works. This section is designed to provide basic information to answer some of these inquiries, however please feel free to contact us with further questions at 315-598-4482. You may also e-mail us at info@truecourseflighttraining.com.
To obtain your private pilot certificate you must meet the following requirements:
- Be at least 17 years of age.
- Be able to read, write, and converse fluently in English.
- Obtain at least a third-class FAA medical certificate.
- Receive and log ground training from an authorized instructor or complete a home-study course (such as studying the Gleim Private Pilot FAA Knowledge Test, Gleim Private Pilot Flight Maneuvers and Practical Test Prep, and Gleim Pilot Handbook).
- Pass a knowledge test with a score of 70% or better. The private pilot knowledge test consists of 60 multiple-choice questions selected from all of the airplane-related questions in the FAA’s private pilot knowledge test bank.
- Accumulate appropriate flight experience (see FAR 61.109). Receive a total of 40 hr. of flight instruction and solo flight time.
- Receive flight instruction and demonstrate skill (see FAR 61.107).
- Successfully complete a practical (flight) test, which will be given as a final exam by an FAA inspector or designated pilot examiner; it will be conducted as specified in the FAA’s Private Pilot Practical Test Standards.
Read more about the requirements for becoming a pilot under our Helpful Downloads tab.
We typically tell potential pilots that the total investment to go from zero time to private pilot will be in the neighborhood of $12,000.00. The instructor rate for private pilot training in our aircraft is $55 per hour. Any other advanced training (instrumental, commercial, flight reviews, etc.) or any training in the owner’s aircraft is $65.00 per hour. The typical lesson ranges from 1.3 to 1.6 hours in the plane, with two hours of instructor time, so the average lesson cost is usually somewhere between $270.00 to $300.00. However keep in mind that this can vary. There is no sales tax on flight training, but there is tax on training materials such as textbooks, flight planning tools, etc. There is a required minimum of 40 hours of flight time, but the national average before taking the practical test is closer to 70 hours. The “Helpful Downloads” tab provides more insight into cost. You can also click the “Financing Information” tab for more details on financing your flight training.
True Course Flight School works on a “pay as you go” system. This means that you pay for each lesson at its conclusion. We accept cash, check, MasterCard, Visa, and Discover. We also work with a company that specializes in financing flight training. Click on the “Financing Information” tab for more details.
Our lessons are designed to work with your schedule and are offered by appointment only. We have three flight instructors on staff and are able to accommodate your schedule any day of the week, year-round.
Typically we invite potential students to come in and tour the school and ask any other questions they might have. From there, we invite you to take a discovery flight, which is when you sit in the left seat with an instructor in the right. You get to control the plane through turns, climbs, and descents. If you’ve never been in a small airplane before, it gives you a real sense of what it’s like to be a pilot. Give us a call at (315) 598-4482 or e-mail us at info@truecourseflighttraining.com to schedule your appointment.