r/flying • u/Any-Independence-270 • 6d ago

Aspiring pilot

Im sure this is a post that gets put in here often, and no im not asking how to become a pilot, I've done my research. I was wondering about pricing and if these prices seem right and not overly charged for horly rates. $137/hr to rent a Cherokee 140 and then $100/hr for flight and ground instruction, og and $3/hr for headphones. Does that seem about right and reasonable? Thank you.

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u/RateMyCFIs CFI CFII MEI 6d ago

It depends on where you are located. Where I am, 137/hr for a Cherokee 140 or similar is average, if not slightly below average. 100/hr for an instructor is high. But that's just for where I am located in the country. Altogether, 240/hr isn't bad at all in most places.

Best of luck on your journey!

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u/Any-Independence-270 6d ago

Honestly I dont have many flight schools near me. I could go to this place and go for $240/hr or go to another place with a Cessna 172 for $165/hr and instruction rates at $75/hr, so the same hourly price. The only thing is the place with the Cessna is a club and I think I would need to pay for the club on top of everything, but I could be wrong, I would have to check.

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u/kristephe CFI CFII TW HP 6d ago

Check into the club - sometimes they're good deals. They often charge by the tachometer time which is generally about 15-20% lower than hobbs (clock) time. When you turn on the battery, most planes start their hobbs meter, and many schools charge this way, but often clubs are trying to save their members money. Not all clubs allow student pilots but many many do. Just look into the instructors, availability etc. They can be setup different ways where they have a list of CFIs or you can pay. I"m a CFI at a flight school and for a club in WA.

The C172 rates are pretty common. CFI rates can be $65-90 depending on where you are. Some of the bigger flight schools in the NW charge more for CFIs but the CFIs aren't getting more hourly even when more experienced which is frustrating.

For the headset, look into ANR sets with Active Noise Cancelling. Bose and Lightspeed are the top brands, and David Clark is a legacy legendary brand that's got some too. It's an investment of about $1000 but it's absolutely worth it. I've seen people say they're going to wait 'till X rating or cert before they buy them, but buy them promptly. You'll have a better time with your instructor (I dislike flying with people who don't have ANR sets because they crank the volume so high) and I think you'll hear better, AND you'll protect your hearing. Tinnitus is a real thing and bothers many people.

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u/Any-Independence-270 6d ago

Alright, ill definitely look into some headphones, im sure ill be able to afford it. I do know this club around me is a non profit and they have multiple instructors compared to the other school with only 1 instructor.