PilotBound estimate · Huntington, IN
What flight training at Patriot Aviation costs
Their published rates: $179/hr aircraft (wet) + $55/hr instructor·verified July 27, 2026 Source
Rates are wet. Patriot offers block discounts (10hr $172/hr, 20hr $166/hr, 40hr $159/hr); this estimate uses the standard $179/hr. Instruction is $55/hr primary, $65/hr advanced, $75/hr multi-engine.
Estimate cost to reach
Flying
The trainer; wet.
PilotBound estimate · Private
Cost of your Private at Patriot Aviation
Most likely around $18,425, 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 Patriot Aviation'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 Patriot Aviation'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 $18,425 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 Patriot Aviation's published Piper Archer II and instructor rates (verified July 27, 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 Patriot Aviation. 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 Patriot Aviation
- How much does it cost to get a private pilot license at Patriot Aviation?
- Patriot Aviation publishes $179 per hour for the Piper Archer II and $55 per hour for instruction on it, verified July 27, 2026. Applied to those published rates, PilotBound estimates a private pilot certificate at about $18,425, in a range of $15,800 to $21,000. 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 Patriot Aviation.
- How long does it take to get a private pilot license at Patriot Aviation?
- Flying twice a week, PilotBound estimates about 6 months at Patriot Aviation 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 Patriot Aviation a Part 61 or Part 141 flight school?
- Patriot Aviation does not state on its own website whether it trains under Part 61 or Part 141, so we do not list one. It is worth asking directly before you enroll: Part 141 follows an FAA-approved syllabus and is generally what VA benefits require, while Part 61 is more flexible on scheduling.
- Do Patriot Aviation's aircraft rates include fuel?
- Patriot Aviation publishes $179 per hour for the Piper Archer II, a wet rate, so fuel is included in the hourly figure. A wet rate is the easier one to compare, because the number you see is the number you fly on. Rates verified July 27, 2026.
- What ratings can you train for at Patriot Aviation?
- Patriot Aviation trains Private Pilot. Instruction is $55 per hour across the ratings it teaches. PilotBound's estimator on this page prices any of these paths on Patriot Aviation's own published rates.
Plan the money before you commit
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What each rating costs
Honest per-rating ranges, with the fees most quotes leave out.
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