PilotBound estimate · Caldwell, ID
What flight training at Silverhawk Aviation Academy costs
Their published rates: $180/hr aircraft (wet) + $30/hr instructor·verified July 22, 2026 Source
Instruction is $30/hr standard, up to $50/hr for advanced or type-specific instruction (for example a Cirrus CSIP, multi-engine dual, or initial CFI training). The estimate below prices the right instructor rate for each leg.
Silverhawk publishes solo and dual rates; this estimate uses the published solo aircraft rate plus the instructor portion implied by its dual rate. Complex (172RG) and multi-engine training are quoted dual-only on their site.
Estimate cost to reach
Flying
Solo rate; dual $210/hr.
PilotBound estimate · Private
Cost of your Private at Silverhawk Aviation Academy
Most likely around $17,075, about 6 months at 2x/week. A range, not a promise.
Where it goes
One-time fees ($2,375)
- Knowledge (written) test$175
- Checkride / DPE fee$800
- Medical certificate$150
- Headset$700
- Ground school / test prep$300
- Books, charts & supplies$250
Typical national figures, not the school's prices. The FAA written test and examiner (DPE) fees are set by third parties.
Examiner records (DPE dataset).
Your first certificate. Fly passengers, day or night, in good weather.
The hourly flying is priced on Silverhawk Aviation Academy's published rates. Each rating also folds in its one-time fees (written test, examiner/DPE checkride, medical, gear), about $3,550 across the path. Those are typical national estimates, not Silverhawk Aviation Academy's prices, and several (the FAA written test and examiner fees) are set by third parties.
Estimates use PilotBound's own completion-hours model, examiner-completion data where it exists and FAA minimums where it does not, applied to each school's published rates. They are PilotBound estimates, not the school's quote, and will differ from a school's own figures. Full methodology and sources →
Step 2 · Plan
Your $17,075 is the starting line. Turn it into a route to your checkride, every step in order with this cost built in.
Add to my planEstimates use Silverhawk Aviation Academy's published Cessna 172 and instructor rates (verified July 22, 2026), shown in USD for planning only. Real cost varies by student, weather, and pace. An honest range, not a quote.
PilotBound is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Silverhawk Aviation Academy. School names are used only to identify the school. Estimates use PilotBound's own completion-hours model, examiner-completion data where it exists and FAA minimums where it does not, applied to each school's published rates. They are PilotBound estimates, not the school's quote, and will differ from a school's own figures. Disclaimer & removal policy.
Common questions about Silverhawk Aviation Academy
- How much does it cost to get a private pilot license at Silverhawk Aviation Academy?
- Silverhawk Aviation Academy publishes $180 per hour for the Cessna 172 and $30 per hour for instruction on it, verified July 22, 2026. Applied to those published rates, PilotBound estimates a private pilot certificate at about $17,075, in a range of $14,700 to $19,500. That covers roughly 72 hours of flying and instruction plus the one-time fees most quotes leave out, including the written test, the examiner's checkride fee, a medical, and study materials. It is a PilotBound estimate built on the school's published rates, not a quote from Silverhawk Aviation Academy.
- How long does it take to get a private pilot license at Silverhawk Aviation Academy?
- Flying twice a week, PilotBound estimates about 6 months at Silverhawk Aviation Academy to reach the private pilot checkride, at roughly 72 hours. Pace is the single biggest variable: flying once a week typically stretches the timeline and raises the total, because time between lessons gets spent re-learning. Weather, aircraft availability, and instructor turnover all push the same direction.
- Is Silverhawk Aviation Academy a Part 61 or Part 141 flight school?
- Silverhawk Aviation Academy trains under both Part 61 and Part 141, so you can pick the structured FAA-approved course or the flexible path. Part 141 is the one that matters for VA benefits and for the lower paper minimum on the private certificate; Part 61 is the one that bends around a full-time job.
- Do Silverhawk Aviation Academy's aircraft rates include fuel?
- Silverhawk Aviation Academy publishes $180 per hour for the Cessna 172, a rate that does not say whether fuel is included. Ask before you budget: if the rate turns out to be dry, fuel adds roughly $30 to $60 per hour on top. PilotBound's estimate uses the rate exactly as published. Rates verified July 22, 2026.
- What ratings can you train for at Silverhawk Aviation Academy?
- Silverhawk Aviation Academy trains Private Pilot, Instrument Rating, Commercial Pilot, Flight Instructor and Instrument Instructor. Instruction runs $30 to $50 per hour depending on the rating and the aircraft, since advanced and type-specific instruction is priced above the standard rate. PilotBound's estimator on this page prices any of these paths on Silverhawk Aviation Academy's own published rates.
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