PilotBound estimate · Grand Forks, ND
What flight training at GFK Wings costs
Their published rates: $184.99/hr aircraft (wet) + $74.99/hr instructor·verified July 22, 2026 Source
This estimate uses GFK Wings' standard wet rates. Prepaid blocks reduce aircraft rates by $5 per hour and instruction by $10 per hour per their published rate sheet.
Estimate cost to reach
Flying
GI 275 avionics. The lowest-cost trainer.
PilotBound estimate · Private
Cost of your Private at GFK Wings
Most likely around $19,975, 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 GFK Wings'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 GFK Wings'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 $19,975 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 GFK Wings's published Piper Archer II 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 GFK Wings. 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 GFK Wings
- How much does it cost to get a private pilot license at GFK Wings?
- GFK Wings publishes $185 per hour for the Piper Archer II and $75 per hour for instruction on it, verified July 22, 2026. Applied to those published rates, PilotBound estimates a private pilot certificate at about $19,975, in a range of $17,200 to $22,800. 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 GFK Wings.
- How long does it take to get a private pilot license at GFK Wings?
- Flying twice a week, PilotBound estimates about 6 months at GFK Wings 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 GFK Wings a Part 61 or Part 141 flight school?
- GFK Wings 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 GFK Wings's aircraft rates include fuel?
- GFK Wings publishes $185 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 22, 2026.
- What ratings can you train for at GFK Wings?
- GFK Wings trains Private Pilot, Instrument Rating, Commercial Pilot, Flight Instructor and Instrument Instructor. Instruction is $75 per hour across the ratings it teaches. PilotBound's estimator on this page prices any of these paths on GFK Wings'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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