Your kid wants to fly. Here's how that actually works.
Whether your teen is dreaming about an airline career or just loves airplanes, flight training can start earlier than most people think, and it doesn't have to wait until after high school. Here's what to know, and how Dan can help.
When can my kid start?
Discovery flight
There's no minimum age for a discovery flight. Many students take their first flight as young teens (or even younger, with a parent's OK) just to see what it's like.
Solo flight
A student can fly solo (with an instructor's endorsement) starting at age 16. Plenty of training and ground school can happen well before that.
Private Pilot certificate
A student can earn their Private Pilot certificate at 17, meaning a motivated high schooler can be a licensed pilot before they graduate.
Training around school, sports, and life
High schoolers juggle a lot, and flight training fits around that, not the other way around. Lessons are available nights, weekends, and days, and the pace is set by a plan worked out between your student and Dan. Some students fly weekly; others fly around sports seasons, finals, and family schedules.
Ground school can come first, happen alongside flying, or follow a few hours in the airplane, whatever order helps your student learn best. There's no one-size-fits-all track here.
The career and college pathway
Flight training can lead to careers as an airline, corporate, charter, or cargo pilot, a flight instructor, and more. A Private Pilot certificate earned in high school is also a meaningful head start for aviation-focused college programs.
Dan works in the aviation software industry alongside his work as a CFI, which keeps him close to the career side of aviation. He can help your family map out a realistic college and career pathway based on your student's goals.
What does it cost?
A great way to start is the $145 discovery flight: a 45-minute flight, 30 minutes of ground instruction, and a logbook with the first entry. From there, instruction is $58/hr, covering all of your instructor's reserved time (not just flight time), in our 1961 Cessna 172B at $135/hr wet.
Most students budget around $15,000 on average for a Private Pilot certificate, though it depends on the training your student needs. See the full breakdown on the rates page.
Free resource
Get the Parent's Guide to Becoming a Pilot
Written by Dan, everything parents need to navigate flight training costs, timelines, and how to support their child's aviation journey, from first flight to career.
Get the guideHave questions about your student's training?
Tell us about your student and what you're hoping to learn, Dan will follow up to talk through next steps.