Q. How much does it cost to get a pilot’s license?

A. Realistically, you are looking at between $5000 and $10000 in an airplane and $12000 to $16000 in a helicopter.

Q. How long will it take me to get my private pilot’s license?

A. It usually takes about 50 to 60 lessons, so if a student does one lesson a week, they can expect to be completed in about a year. Two lessons a week will get your license in a half a year (6 months). Three lessons a week, one third of a year (4 months) and so on.

Q. How many lessons a week should I take?

A. You should take at least 2 lessons a week, three would be preferred if your schedule and budget allows. If you only fly once a week or once every 2 weeks, you forget quite a bit from one lesson to the next, ultimately resulting in added expense.

Q. How long does each lesson take?

A. Typically, between ground and flight instruction, you should make yourself available to us at the flight school for 2 ½ to 3 hours for each lesson. Later in your training there will be 2 or 3 cross-country flight lessons that will require a little more time, maybe 4 to 5 hours.

Q. Will I be required to fly by myself before getting my license?

A. Yes, it’s called solo flight and during your training, when your instructor feels you’re ready, you will solo.

Q. What are your normal office hours?

A. Our offices are open 9 am till 5 pm seven days a week. During these hours please feel free to call or stop by for information. Flight lessons however are not limited to those hours and can be scheduled any time.

Q. During what days and what hours can I schedule my lessons?

A. Because many of our students like to fly early in the morning before work and in the evening after work, lessons can be scheduled as early as 6 am or as late as 10 pm seven days a week. Even though flight training can be done during the evening hours, about 90 percent of the training must be done during daylight hours.

Q. Does it make a difference to me if the flight school owns its aircraft or leases them from other individuals that own them?

A. Absolutely! If the aircraft that you are using for your training are not owned by the flight school, there are no guarantees that the aircraft will be there from one day to the next since this is the aircraft owner’s decision not that of the flight school. Schools that own their own aircraft offer the highest level of stability and security for your training. The financial stability of a company can also be judged by the assets of the company.

Q. Some flight schools carry “Hull” insurance and claim I won’t need to carry insurance to protect myself in the event of an accident. Is this true?

A. No! Hull insurance is the equivalent of Collision insurance in the auto insurance industry. It is coverage to repair the aircraft you are piloting in the event of an accident. Schools that carry Hull insurance may imply that you are protected in the event of an accident, but actually, you are not! In the event of an accident, the school will be paid by their insurance carrier, less the deductible, to repair the aircraft. The flight school will then hold you responsible for the deductible which is typically $2,500 or more. The bad news is that the insurance company has the right to subrogate against you. This means that they could take legal action against you to recover all fees they paid out to repair the damage as well as any other liability associated with the incident. 

The answer is simple; purchase a “Renter’s” policy to cover you in the event of an accident. The premium for such a policy is about $350 a year and completely covers the student or renter against such an occurrence with no deductible. 

Why risk having to pay the school’s deductible of $2,500 at best, or the entire cost of the accident should the insurance company decide to subrogate against you. For $350 a year, it just makes sense to play it safe and have your own Renter’s policy. 

The best advice we can give you, regardless of whether the school has hull insurance coverage or not, is to have your own Renter’s insurance policy!

Q. How do I pay for my flight training, do I need to pay for the entire course up front?

A. We accept Master Card, Visa, Amex and Discover as well as personal checks and cash. Financing is also available for those who qualify. You don’t need to pay for the entire course up front; you may pay as you go on a per lesson basis.

Q. What is the advantage of training at an international airport like LVI airport?

A. At Ace Pilot Training, not only are you learning the skills required at the nations largest airports, but your safety is greatly enhanced. No aircraft can take off, land or even taxi on the ground without permission from ATC (Air Traffic Control). Aircraft are watched on radar and can get assistance at any time by asking for it. A disoriented pilot can get help on finding his or her destination. Pilots can be directed to the nearest airport in the event of an emergency. Traffic is pointed out to pilots while in flight and pilots are directed to change course if they are converging with aircraft. Smaller, non-towered airports do not provide this type of environment and as a result produce pilots who are not comfortable in the ATC system and consequently avoid such areas and miss out on the added safety level these areas provide.

Q. Is there any type of financing available for my training?

A. Ace Pilot Training offers financing programs through Pilot Finance.

Q. Are there many traffic delays associated with learning to fly at the Lehigh Valley International Airport as opposed to smaller non-towered airports?

A. Since the Lehigh Valley International Airport is a regional type of airport and not as large as JFK or PHL, traffic delays are very minimal. This may result in one or two hundred dollars of additional expense, a small price to pay for the higher level of training you will receive while increasing your personal safety.

Q. Will I be training with multiple instructors?

A. Possibly, usually you are assigned to one instructor and you receive one-on-one instruction both in the classroom as well as in the aircraft. Individuals who stretch out their training over one or two years may be assigned a new instructor since most flight instructors teach for one to 2 years before being hired by the airlines or charter operators and advance in their careers.