PilotBound estimate · Carroll, OH
What flight training at Sundowner Aviation costs
Their published rates: $160/hr aircraft (wet) + $65/hr instructor·verified July 22, 2026 Source
Sundowner Aviation does not say whether its published rates include fuel. This estimate uses the rate exactly as published, so ask before you budget: a dry rate adds roughly $30 to $60 per hour once fuel is on top.
Estimate cost to reach
Flying
Eight 172s priced $160 to $165 per tail; two are $160.
PilotBound estimate · Private
Cost of your Private at Sundowner Aviation
Most likely around $17,625, 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 Sundowner 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 Sundowner 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 $17,625 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 Sundowner Aviation'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 Sundowner 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 Sundowner Aviation
- How much does it cost to get a private pilot license at Sundowner Aviation?
- Sundowner Aviation publishes $160 per hour for the Cessna 172 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 $17,625, in a range of $15,200 to $20,100. 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 Sundowner Aviation.
- How long does it take to get a private pilot license at Sundowner Aviation?
- Flying twice a week, PilotBound estimates about 6 months at Sundowner 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 Sundowner Aviation a Part 61 or Part 141 flight school?
- Sundowner 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 Sundowner Aviation's aircraft rates include fuel?
- Sundowner Aviation publishes $160 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 Sundowner Aviation?
- Sundowner Aviation trains Private Pilot, Instrument Rating, Commercial Pilot, Multi-Engine (AMEL), Flight Instructor and Instrument Instructor. Instruction is $65 per hour across the ratings it teaches. PilotBound's estimator on this page prices any of these paths on Sundowner Aviation's own published rates.
Plan the money before you commit
A program price only makes sense next to what each rating costs on its own, what free money exists, and what borrowing actually looks like.
What each rating costs
Honest per-rating ranges, with the fees most quotes leave out.
Free money first
Verified flight training scholarships. Every scholarship dollar is a dollar you never finance.
If you borrow
Compare lenders and see the real monthly payment before you sign.