PilotBound estimate · Fitchburg, MA
What flight training at FCA Flight Center costs
Their published rates: $130/hr aircraft (wet) + $69/hr instructor·verified July 22, 2026 Source
Instruction is $69/hr standard, up to $79/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.
Estimate cost to reach
Flying
Two-seat trainer.
PilotBound estimate · Private
Cost of your Private at FCA Flight Center
Most likely around $15,675, 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 FCA Flight Center'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 FCA Flight Center'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 $15,675 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 FCA Flight Center's published Cessna 150 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 FCA Flight Center. 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 FCA Flight Center
- How much does it cost to get a private pilot license at FCA Flight Center?
- FCA Flight Center publishes $130 per hour for the Cessna 150 and $69 per hour for instruction on it, verified July 22, 2026. Applied to those published rates, PilotBound estimates a private pilot certificate at about $15,675, in a range of $13,500 to $17,900. 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 FCA Flight Center.
- How long does it take to get a private pilot license at FCA Flight Center?
- Flying twice a week, PilotBound estimates about 6 months at FCA Flight Center 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 FCA Flight Center a Part 61 or Part 141 flight school?
- FCA Flight Center 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 FCA Flight Center's aircraft rates include fuel?
- FCA Flight Center publishes $130 per hour for the Cessna 150, 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 FCA Flight Center?
- FCA Flight Center trains Private Pilot, Instrument Rating, Commercial Pilot and Flight Instructor. Instruction runs $69 to $79 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 FCA Flight Center's own published rates.
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