PilotBound estimate · Auburn, ME
What flight training at Chickadee Aviation costs
Their published rates: $210/hr aircraft (wet) + $65/hr instructor·verified July 22, 2026 Source
Chickadee's site shows two conflicting wet rates for the 172: $210/hr in the body and $175/hr on a banner headed "New Pricing Alert". This estimate uses $210, but the "New" label suggests $175 may be the current rate. Neither is dated. Confirm before budgeting.
Estimate cost to reach
Flying
PilotBound estimate · Private
Cost of your Private at Chickadee Aviation
Most likely around $21,225, 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 Chickadee 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 Chickadee 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 $21,225 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 Chickadee Aviation's published Cessna Skyhawk 172K 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 Chickadee 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 Chickadee Aviation
- How much does it cost to get a private pilot license at Chickadee Aviation?
- Chickadee Aviation publishes $210 per hour for the Cessna Skyhawk 172K and $65 per hour for instruction on it, verified July 22, 2026. Applied to those published rates, PilotBound estimates a private pilot certificate at about $21,225, in a range of $18,300 to $24,200. 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 Chickadee Aviation.
- How long does it take to get a private pilot license at Chickadee Aviation?
- Flying twice a week, PilotBound estimates about 6 months at Chickadee 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 Chickadee Aviation a Part 61 or Part 141 flight school?
- Chickadee Aviation trains under Part 61, the flexible path. There is no FAA-approved syllabus to follow, so lessons can be scheduled around your life and adapted to your pace. The tradeoff is a slightly higher paper minimum for the private certificate (40 hours versus 35) and, for most students, no VA benefit eligibility.
- Do Chickadee Aviation's aircraft rates include fuel?
- Chickadee Aviation publishes $210 per hour for the Cessna Skyhawk 172K, 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 22, 2026.
- What ratings can you train for at Chickadee Aviation?
- Chickadee Aviation trains Private Pilot, Instrument Rating, Commercial Pilot and Flight Instructor. Instruction is $65 per hour across the ratings it teaches. PilotBound's estimator on this page prices any of these paths on Chickadee Aviation's own published rates.
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