Solo Flight Costs

NC Powered Parachutes

Costs

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Due to the nature of this sport, everyone is required to sign a Student Pilot Application, which includes a waiver of liability.

Under special circumstances, training costs can be negotiated.

Pricing structure will be changed after I am teaching under the FAA CFI certificate, instead of my current ASC Flight Instructor rating. The FAA CFI rating will be required for all Flight Instructors in the near future.

For Sport Pilot rides, "for entertainment/not instruction", call or email me.

You can learn how to fly, at a fraction of what it costs, to learn to fly a conventional airplane (ex: Cessna), and ours are much more fun.

The Introductory flight used to be free, but because of the cost of fuel, anyone taking an introductory flight will have to pay for the fuel used. Unless that person buys a plane from me, then the cost of that fuel will be covered.

The first cost involved $450.00, is for the hours it takes to achieve a radio assisted solo flight. Please take a look at the Solo Flight Page to see all the added benefits. If a student buys a new Buckeye Powered Parachute from me, the $450.00 solo fee, is deducted from the cost of the new plane, unless it is a Legal Eagle. One half of the solo fee will be deducted for Legal Eagles.

Solo Status Two to three hours of flight training is what the average student needs, prior to their first solo flight, (solo flight cost). These hours can be used as part of the hours needed for higher ratings, (such as Pilot or BFI). If it takes the student more than 4 hours of instruction needed to solo, any additional hours will cost the student, the standard rental rate/hour. Very few students have needed more than 4 hours of flight instruction, before being ready to solo, and in reality most them were ready at 3 hours. Most students feel that they are ready to solo, before I feel that they are ready; and before I let them solo.

After you have performed your solo flight there are several options. Usually a person who is taking lessons, plans to purchase a Powered Parachute, so the hours after the solo flight is done on their plane. I will rent a single seat Buckeye Falcon at the cost of $85.00/hour, and $1.50/minute for any additional minutes, to students who have purchased a plane from a source other than my company, for the additional hours needed to achieve 10hrs for Certified Pilot (solo hours plus rental hours). The hours acquired during solo training count towards these 10 hours. If students are waiting for a plane that was purchased from me, and has not received it within the agreed shipping time, they can use a rental for the cost of gas plus $10 per hour.

"I do not rent" my planes for any hours of flight, after pilot status. The hours it takes for pilots going for a BFI rating, must be done on a plane that they have purchased. Used planes are available on the market, should you decide to go that route. But in my opinion, I advise, purchasing a new plane unless you personally know the person selling a used plane.

It takes a total of 10 hours flight time and a written test to achieve Pilot status. If a student has 3 hours of flight time, up to and including his/hers solo flight, then they would require 7 more hours of solo flight time to have the required hours for the Pilot rating. Students can rent a plane from me to get these additional 6-7 hours or use a plane that they purchase, but any hours beyond Pilot requirements, must be on their own personal plane.

Please visit the Pilot and BFI page for information on the requirements on these. The few hours of instruction needed for BFI, after the 25 required flight hours, I charge $35 per hour, and the student covers the cost of gas. See Pilot and BFI page.

For an additional $50.00, we can send you home with a video tape or CD of your flight, with a new high tech helmet camera.

$25.00 fee for Pilot registration.

$40.00 one year ASC membership fee.

$100.00 BFI registration fee, should you decide to become a Basic Flight Instructor.

Costs for a new plane are: $10,000.00 up to $20,000.00. Browse the internet, you may find lower costs, but in my opinion, anything less would be from a "no name type company". Buckeye Has been leading the Industry since powered parachutes were introduced! Good Prices, Best Quality and a Good Warranty that Buckeye stands behind.