[hobo]

dca is expensive and if you really want to go there you should know exactly what it will cost. here are the advertised costs and number of hours in primary training 0 time to cfi

Academics:
235 hours @ $31/hour $7285
Flight instruction:
(instructor fees)
cessna 152 56.5 hours @ 54/hour $3051
cessna 172 45 hours @ 54/h $2403
piper arrow 28 hours @ 54/h $1512
piper seminole 20 hours @ 54/h $1080
frasca single engine ftd 33 hours @54/h $1782
frasca multi ftd 4 hours @54/h $216
frasca jet sim 3 hours @70/h $210
pcatd 25 hours @ 54/h $1350 (this is changing for pc time requirements)

flight briefings 150 hours @ 54/h $8100
jet flight briefing 3 hours @ 70 $210


a/c fees not including fuel surcharges
cessna 152 75.5 hours @ 78/h= $5889
cessna 172 45.0 hours @ 99/h= $4455
piper arrow 28 hours @ 139/h= $3892
piper sem 20 hours @ 199/h= $3980
single ftd 33 hours @ 76/h= $2508
multi ftd 4 hours @ 113/h=$452
jet ftd 3 hours @160/h=$480
pcatd 25 hours @ 55/hour=$ 1375

5 knowledge tests at 92/each =$460
5 flight tests at $375 each= $1875 (yes you pay for a flight test even tho they are done in house not with a dpe for private and instrument)

that adds up to $52592 for ppl instr csel cmel and cfia

the cfii is
academics 20 hours at 31/h =$620
cessna 172 15 hours 54/h for instructor =$810
ftd 1 hour $54

10 hours of flight briefs $540

a/c
c172 15 hours at 99/hour =$1485
ftd 1 hour $76

knowledge test $92
flight test $375

total $4052


MEI
20 hours academics $620
piper seminole 54/hour instructor 13 hours $702
ftd 4 hours inst at 54 =$216

7 hours flight brief $378

a/c
pa 44 13 hours at 199 $2587
ftd 4 hours at 113 $ 452

flight test $375


now we are at 196.5 hours of flying and $61,974.00 now keep that in mind while reading the article from this months flying magazine

page 55 in the oct 2005 issue
the article deals with the new 10 plus four way to the airlines where you get an interview with 700 hours total time

"the program gives graduates of the program the opportunity to interview with an airline after only 700 hours total flight time(250 to 300 hours of primary training and 400 hours as flight instructors). The name derives from the 10 months of training and then 400 hours of flight instruction."

so by their own article your primary training should take 250 to 300 hours of flying time which i might add is consistent with what ive heard as a student. so the advertised price is based on 196.5 hours yet they expect you to take 250 to 300 hours

this is about 27% to 50% more flight time than what they based "the cost" on

a little bit more math for you

53.5 hours to get to 250 103.5 to get to 300 what is the cost of getting those hours at dca?

53.5 hours in a 152 will cost you the $78/hour for the plane and $54 for the instructor and for each flight you take there is a one half hour flight brief added on for $27 dollars and figuring that you will average 1.5 hours on each flight you are looking at 35 to 36 flights which will cost $8547

for the 103 hours you can basically double that to about $17000

now thats a minimum cost based on you only flying the 152 for the extra hours they know you will fly

so lets add it up now

$61,974.00
$8547 that they didnt tell you about
and if you are doing the 10 plus 4 then you pay for the jet transition course at a cost of $11263
these prices dont include any books or flight gear like knee boards and plates
so add another $2500 and you are looking at a price of
$84,284.00

thats in line with what i was on track to spend as a student and what most of my friends were too. if the advertisers were willing to give that as the cost analysis then there would be far fewer angry students posting on here and guys like Don wouldnt have to warn people.


do your homework and know what things cost before you jump in b/c of a fancy ad