Regardless of the troll, here is a breakdown of my total costs so far for those that can use it. A couple of points to note, I got the most of my PPL paid by the RAF many many years ago, but the costs of the IMC and PPL renewal are of course extra things that anybody starting out would not have to pay. (although the IMC rating was excellent practice for the MEIR)
I haven't included food in the equation, as some do, no matter what, I would have to eat
This was of course modular, it has taken me a year and seven months from initial class 1 medical to CPL/MEIR, and in total only fours months unpaid leave from my work.
The only thing missing is the MCC course, of which I am still looking at various options.
PPL
- first 30 hours free, RAF scholarship
- 15 hours plus exams £1000
Initial Class 1 Medical- Medical at Gatwick £317
- Flights to Gatwick £65 Hotel £40
ATPL Groundschool- CATS online course £999
- flights to Birmingham for 3 brush up weeks £380
- Train fares Birmingham to Cranfield £120
- Bed and Breakfast in Cranfield 3 weeks £368
- Exam fees for 14 exams (to the CAA) £868
PPL Renewal at CATS- 5 hours of flying including exam £600
- Exam fee £168
- 7 PPL exams (had to resit them all! ) £140
- CAA renewal fee £67
IMC and Night Qualification at Fly in Spain (it has to be noted that the IMC and NQ would have been much cheaper if the pound was not so weak, calculated at present exhange rate of 1£ = 1.33 EUR)
IMC- 15 hours plane rental £2239
- 15 hours instruction £699
- landing fees £174
- Instrument approach fees £42
- Exam Fee £200
- Written exam fee £50
- Plane hire for exam £217
- TOTAL £3621
Night qualification- 5 hours plane rental £745
- 5 hours instruction £245
- TOTAL £1070
- Membership of Fly in Spain £40
- Chart of Spain £10
- Accomodation £200
Hour Building with Big red Kite- 80 hours at 79.10 (this includes, oils, avgas, parking and landing fees) £6328
- Hotels £180
- Flights £90
CPL at Tayside Aviation Dundee- CPL Course £5500
- Extra Lessons and test hire £1372
- Solo hire of plane (to and from exam centre) £188
- Solo hire of plane (currency) £188
- simulator hire £90
- Exam Fees £1271
- CPL TOTAL £8609
MEIR at Aerodynamics, Malaga- MEIR course (including exam, landing and approach fees) £10165
- Accomodation £700
- Flights £340
- MEIR TOTAL £1120
TOTAL £36,932
So even with the MCC , it will be under the £40,000 mark.
regards D-G
Edit - yes, loss of earnings is an important factor, in my case £10,000 for four months. the rest of the time I studied and flew whilst working. the four months I used to complete my hour building, the CPL then my MEIR. I then returned to my full time job (as a teacher) and have got some part time, parachute club flying to keep me going until things pick up.
The end result after using my savings was a debt of £12,000 which gives me which a monthly payment of £150. I guess thats everything on the table now. I can also add that although the amount is in pounds, my savings were in Danish Krona, I made very good use of the weak pound and transfered my money to the UK at 7.5 Kr to the pound, saving myself 30% compared to a year earlier.
I guess the point of the above is that there are so many incidentals and personal circumstances that it is pretty much impossible to work out the price of an fATPL
Last edited by Dane-Ger; 14th October 2009 at 20:37.