While it takes less time to earn a pilot certificate these days, it costs more.
That’s one of the key takeaways from the fourth annual State of Flight Training Report, released March 5, 2024, during the Redbird Migration Flight Training Conference.
The report analyzes answers to a survey of flight training providers, flight instructors, designated pilot examiners, prospective student pilots, student pilots, and pilots. In 2024, more than 1,700 people filled out the survey, a 57% increase over 2023, according to Redbird officials. A vast majority — 94% — were from the United States.
The report notes that the median time for a student to earn a certificate or rating decreased over the past four years from 30 weeks in 2020 to 24 weeks in 2023.
However, the median cost to earn that certificate increased from $9,000 in 2020 to $14,000 in 2023.
The report breaks down the median cost to earn certain ratings, such as:
- $10,500 for sport pilot
- $14,000 for private pilot
- $12,000 for an instrument rating
- $15,000 for a commercial certificate single
- $6,000 for an initial CFI.
And the report notes that those prices are probably going to increase in 2024 and beyond.
It finds that 69% of flight training organizations raised their prices in the last 12 months, while 27% raised their prices in the last 12 months and plan to raise them again in the next 12 months.
Just 14% said they haven’t raised their prices and don’t plan to in the next 12 months.
When asked “how busy was your business in 2023?” flight training organizations — defined as a flight school, aviation university program, academy, flying club, or training center that provides flight training of any kind — reported high levels of demand.
For instance, 36% reported they had a wait list, while 30% said they were “very busy” and 22% said they were “moderately busy.”
The same can’t be said for independent CFIs. Among those responding, just 4% reported they had a wait list, while 11% said they are “very busy,” 30% said “moderately busy,” 36% said “not very busy” and 19% said they were “hardly flying.”
Larger flight training providers consistently report better business results than smaller providers, according to the report. In 2023, independent CFIs rated their business outcomes as 3.2 on a scale of one to five, while large flight training organizations — those that have a fleet of 20 or more training aircraft — rated their outcomes as 4.6.
Designated pilot examiners also weighed in, with 48% reporting they had a wait list in 2023. Another 32% said they were “very busy,” while 16% said they were “moderately busy.”
Full-time DPEs had about 245 applicants in 2023, while part-time DPEs had about 130, according to the report.
How are those applicants doing?
Flight training organizations report an 85% first-time pass rate, while independent CFIs report a 77% first-time pass rate. DPEs reported a 78% first-time pass rate.
DPEs were also asked how today’s student pilots compare to those of five years ago.
The findings are not encouraging:
- 5% said better
- 32% said the same
- 45% said worse, and
- 18% said much worse.
What’s the primary reason for failing a checkride?
Piloting skill tops the list, followed by training oversight, aeronautical decision making, knowledge inflight, and knowledge ground.
On the flip side, what factors contribute to training success?
Topping the list is student preparation, followed by the instructor’s preparation. Next is the ability of the instructor, followed by the ability of the student, according to the report.
The latest report also found that students and pilots are more likely to value flight simulation in ab initio training than are flight training providers, a trend that has persisted all four years of the survey, according to Redbird officials.
Headwinds
What are the challenges facing flight training providers?
According to the report, the top five challenges for flight training providers are:
- Cost of aircraft insurance
- Aircraft maintenance
- Pilot examiner issues
- Finding and hiring CFIs
- Economic uncertainty.
For independent CFIs, the challenges are:
- Pilot examiner issues
- Cost of aircraft insurance
- Access to training aircraft
- Aircraft maintenance
- Economic uncertainty.
You can see the full report at Simulators.Redbirdflight.com/State-Of-Flight-Training.
