Is it possible to study engineering while training to be an airline pilot?

Cheapest Worldwide Pilot Training

• I am a U.S. citizen currently working in the computer industry, and I'm looking for a temporary change of career: I'm interested in working as a flight instructor (CFI) as a fun job for a few years before I get back into computers. Becoming a CFI is an expensive process in the U.S. I'd have to first obtain a Private Pilot's license, then an instrument rating, then a commercial license, and then finally the CFI rating. The total number of hours required for these ratings is about 300, and the low-end of the price scale in my area is about $120 per hour (including the instructor's fees and airplane rental). That comes out to well over $30,000, and I don't have that much money burning a hole in my pocket. (Note: I'm not interested in an airline career, which would require an additional license, the ATP.) I've discovered that getting my training abroad is a much cheaper alternative, depending on the country. Factors include the local economy (i.e., general cost of anything), local demand for pilots (e.g., Australia is only developed on its coast, so people prefer to fly across the outback rather than drive through it), and the exchange rate against the U.S. dollar (USD). I've done some searching and found options for pilot training in New Zealand, Australia and Canada which are in the ballpark of USD 15,000-20,000. To my knowledge, converting a foreign pilot's license to a U.S. one is not a difficult process, so having a foreign license is not a problem. I speak English fluently, as well as some Italian, German and Serbo-Croatian. I'm able to pick languages up reasonably quickly, so training in a non-English-speaking country is likely not a problem either. In other words, I don't think I have any real restrictions in terms of where I can study. My only restriction is that I'd like to complete my training within a one-year timeframe, so that I can return to the U.S. and work as a CFI; this rules out "aviation colleges" with two- to four-year degree programs, such as Embry-Riddle, etc. So my question is: Given that I'm willing to travel almost anywhere in the world, what are my cheapest options for getting Commercial, Instrument, and CFI licenses? Researcher beware, the answer to this question will require a few hours of research incorporating a variety of sources. I hope the background information and example countries I've provided serve as a sufficient basis to start from. Thanks in advance for your time and effort! deltaromeo5

• Answer:

  Hello deltaromeo5, Good question and neat handle! As the wife of a private pilot I find your question an interesting one. First I would like to address your reservation with training in the U.S. While you may be able to save a few thousand dollars by training in another country, you do need to take into account the cost of relocating to that country for a year's time, the hassle of getting a visa or other permission, the hassle and expense of converting your license, the cost of living in the location which you select, etc. You might also be surprised to learn that people from all across Europe and Japan actually come to train in the U.S. because they find it cheaper here and value the level of instruction, the good weather for flying (at least in locations like California and Florida), etc. It may also make it easier to find work as a CFI in the U.S. if you train here and make the necessary connections ;-) As spitfire-ga mentioned in his/her comment, flight time in the U.S. does not need to cost you $120 per hour. There are many airports which charge from $50-$70 per hour for the plane and $25 per hour for the instructor (which you do not need for many of those 300 hours), which comes out to much less than the $120 you mentioned. A few examples include: http://www.albatrossair.com/ ($95US per hour) http://www.harvsair.com/may_2002_%20infopackage/index.htm (app. $75US per hour - located in Canada) Since air time is the biggest price eater, I'd like to mention a few alternatives for reducing the costs of logging air time: 1) Logging Time in Motus Flight Simulator (just approved by FAA in January 2002). Can be used for up to 20 Hours toward instrument certificate, 2.5 Hours toward private rating, and 50 Hours toward commercial certificate. It is currently available at several locations in the U.S. and sure to be available more widely in the near future. http://www.flightmotion.com/docs/windsong_faa_cert_press.htm http://www.windsongaviation.com/sim.htm 2) Split time with another pilot in training can greatly reduce costs. Check with the flight school which you select for training, as well as Internet bulletin boards and classified ads for people looking to split time. You can also cut costs by joining a flying club. This can be especially cost-effective for the flight time you need to accumulate for your commercial license. 3) Fly with a safety pilot. This is accepted practice in the U.S. but isn't acceptable for commercial certification in all countries. 4) Train for your lessons at home with a self-paced book, video, or computer course. Almost 1/3rd of your training cost (esp. for private pilot) is eaten up in ground school. If you prepare for your lessons at home you should be able to eliminate a lot of ground instruction time and cost. Here are some more suggestions for building flight time from FlightInfo.com (not all will be useful to you, but some might work): http://www.flightinfo.com/buildtime.htm The Costs/Time of converting your foreign license to a U.S. license: You may convert an unrestricted license from any International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) member country to FAA after successfully completing a sufficient amount of training to demonstrate proficiency (may take from 3-12 hours per certification due to variations in U.S. regulations and procedures), the FAA written exams, and an FAA Practical Test. You can find additional information at http://www.faa.gov and a list of ICAO member countries at http://www.icao.int/icao/en/members.htm. There are also quite a few U.S. pilot training programs which come in under $30,000 (depending upon the air time you need to complete your training, which can vary from person to person). One such program is administered by American Flying Adventures based in Clearwater, Fl: Here is their estimate of cost for training from zero flight time/training to a commercial license: "Overall costs for above program are about $ 22,000.-- including all aircraft rental, fuel, instructions and books. There is a possibility for a more economical solution when you are studying with a fellow student during the whole program. In this case costs can be reduced to about $ 18,000.--. Exam fee, accommodations and other expenses are not included." http://www.amfly.com/cplpric.html The above fee includes training for both single and multi-engine commercial. CFI will cost you about an additional $2600. http://www.amfly.com/atppric.html Another program is offered by Shenandoah Flight Services in Virginia which claims to offer a complete professional pilot course (which includes even more certifications than you need) for $25,495. The Web site isn't overly informative and doesn't make it clear if this includes the necessary flight time required to move from private pilots license to commercial. http://hometown.aol.com/pmaboy/sfs.htm OK - Now that I have presented some economical U.S. options, here are some inexpensive flight training options in other countries. SOUTH AFRICA Several sources claim that South Africa is one of the most inexpensive countries in which to receive pilot training, primarily due to the low exchange rate between the South African Rand and the Dollar. According to Flight Schools South Africa, the typical cost (may be higher or lower depending upon flight school) is $17580US for Private&Commercial License. This price includes six weeks of accommodation which is something to factor in assuming that you are currently paying for your accommodations. http://www.flight-schools.net/cost.html PAKISTAN Schon Air Limited offers training rates as low as approximately $51US per hour including plane, fuel and instructor. http://business.fortunecity.com/pritzker/56/index.htm CYPRUS Great flying weather year-round and Griffon Aviation Cypress Ltd claims that "training for your PPL can be as much as 40% cheaper than the equivalent course in Europe." They do offer hour-building discounts which aren't posted, but considering the exchange rate between Cyprus pounds and U.S. dollars (in the neighborhood of 1 - 1.7) they don't look like the best training deal going. http://www.griffonaviation.com/ TURKEY Air Consult in Turkey offers PPL/CPL/Instrument for about $23,000US in a program that takes between 9-30 months to compete. It sounds as if you motivated enough you could do it in less than a year. http://www.airconsult.com/new_page_2.htm I've omitted programs in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand as you indicated that you had already found alternatives in those countries. On a final note, as you compare programs and finalize your selection, it is important to keep in mind that most pricing is based on best case scenarios, peak student performance, inexpensive aircraft, and FAA minimum requirements. Many people require more than this minimum to complete their training. I understand that saving money is a priority, but please be sure that you are fully comfortable with the program and the level of training you have received. Search terms used: "inexpensive flight training" "inexpensive pilot training" africa flight training worldwide flight training commercial pilot training aviation training I hope this helps to answer your question. If there is something I haven't answered fully, please don't hesitate to ask for further clarification. Best of luck with your flying! inquisitive-ga