PilotBound estimate · Georgetown, TX
What flight training at Pilots Choice Aviation costs
Their published rates: $139/hr aircraft (wet) + $55/hr instructor·verified July 29, 2026 Source
Instruction is $55/hr standard, up to $65/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.
Rates are published as wet. Pilots Choice takes $2/hr off the aircraft rate for cash or check. It also lists a $75/hr instruction tier that applies only to your own aircraft or ATP training, which this estimate does not use.
Estimate cost to reach
Flying
Six of them. The school's stated primary trainer, two seats.
PilotBound estimate · Private
Cost of your Private at Pilots Choice Aviation
Most likely around $15,525, 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 Pilots Choice 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 Pilots Choice 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 $15,525 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 Pilots Choice Aviation's published Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk and instructor rates (verified July 29, 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 Pilots Choice 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 Pilots Choice Aviation
- How much does it cost to get a private pilot license at Pilots Choice Aviation?
- Pilots Choice Aviation publishes $139 per hour for the Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk and $55 per hour for instruction on it, verified July 29, 2026. Applied to those published rates, PilotBound estimates a private pilot certificate at about $15,525, in a range of $13,400 to $17,700. 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 Pilots Choice Aviation.
- How long does it take to get a private pilot license at Pilots Choice Aviation?
- Flying twice a week, PilotBound estimates about 6 months at Pilots Choice 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 Pilots Choice Aviation a Part 61 or Part 141 flight school?
- Pilots Choice 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 Pilots Choice Aviation's aircraft rates include fuel?
- Pilots Choice Aviation publishes $139 per hour for the Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk, 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 29, 2026.
- What ratings can you train for at Pilots Choice Aviation?
- Pilots Choice Aviation trains Private Pilot, Instrument Rating, Commercial Pilot, Multi-Engine (AMEL), Flight Instructor, Instrument Instructor and Multi-Engine Instructor. Instruction runs $55 to $65 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 Pilots Choice 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.