PilotBound estimate · Green Bay, WI
What flight training at Pilotsmith costs
Their published rates: $160/hr aircraft (dry) + $79/hr instructor·verified July 27, 2026 SourceSource 2
Instruction is $79/hr standard, up to $100/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.
Pilotsmith publishes dry rates; a per-location fuel surcharge ($4-24/hr) is billed on top. This estimate uses the base (non-club) dry rates and does not add the surcharge or apply club discounts.
Conveniently located near
- Appleton
- Milwaukee
Estimate cost to reach
Flying
Base rate. Lowest-cost IFR-capable trainer.
Shown at Pilotsmith's published dry rate. Fuel is billed separately and is not included in this estimate.
PilotBound estimate · Private
Cost of your Private at Pilotsmith
Most likely around $18,425, 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 Pilotsmith's published rates (dry; fuel billed separately). 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 Pilotsmith'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 $18,425 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 Pilotsmith's published Cessna 172L/M/N/P and instructor rates (verified July 27, 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 Pilotsmith. 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 Pilotsmith
- How much does it cost to get a private pilot license at Pilotsmith?
- Pilotsmith publishes $160 per hour for the Cessna 172L/M/N/P and $79 per hour for instruction on it, verified July 27, 2026. Applied to those published rates, PilotBound estimates a private pilot certificate at about $18,425, in a range of $15,800 to $21,000. 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 Pilotsmith.
- How long does it take to get a private pilot license at Pilotsmith?
- Flying twice a week, PilotBound estimates about 6 months at Pilotsmith 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 Pilotsmith a Part 61 or Part 141 flight school?
- Pilotsmith trains under both Part 61 and Part 141, so you can pick the structured FAA-approved course or the flexible path. Part 141 is the one that matters for VA benefits and for the lower paper minimum on the private certificate; Part 61 is the one that bends around a full-time job.
- Do Pilotsmith's aircraft rates include fuel?
- Pilotsmith publishes $160 per hour for the Cessna 172L/M/N/P, a dry rate, so fuel is billed separately on top. Fuel typically adds roughly $30 to $60 per hour, so compare a dry rate against a wet one carefully. PilotBound's estimate uses the published dry rate exactly as listed and does not add a guessed fuel figure. Rates verified July 27, 2026.
- What ratings can you train for at Pilotsmith?
- Pilotsmith trains Private Pilot, Instrument Rating, Commercial Pilot, Multi-Engine (AMEL), Flight Instructor, Instrument Instructor and Multi-Engine Instructor. Instruction runs $79 to $100 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 Pilotsmith'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.