For many prospective student pilots, one of the earliest hurdles to begin the process is determining how to go about financing the endeavor. Below we'll explore some concepts which will hopefully ease your workload and facilitate moving forward into the fun stuff. When action becomes measurable and momentous you can more easily work toward and see the results you wish, so set yourself up for success by getting the financial chores out of the way as much as possible before diving in.
Remember the Roman philosophy: luck is what happens when opportunity meets preparation. Create (or at least facilitate) your own luck by getting all your ducks in a row - more opportunities will arise the further you progress in your training... do not rush but don't drag your feet either! Prioritize your success by being proactive, which can take form in many ways, one of which is mastering your finances. Getting ahead on this front is a lot like staying "ahead of the plane" - do more work now so you can do less work later. Continue on for a bit of guidance on tackling one area of preparing for taking flight, you can do this!
Using resources like our Flight Services page, build a loose budget so you can mentally prepare to allocate an approximate amount of funding for flight training. Keep it flexible if you can so you don't place unrealistic or overly-ambitious constraints on yourself; include a buffer for unforseen circumstances, twists and turns in the process, and any other monkey-wrenches. Putting it in writing will help with keeping yourself accountable, in addition to promoting your organization.
A vast number of organizations such as Women in Aviation, NGPA, AOPA, OBAP and many others, offer scholarships for various portions of flight training throughout the year. While it can feel tedious to sort through and fill out applications, these are opportunities to gain funds that will be awarded to someone, somewhere, so why not you? While we include upcoming scholarship deadlines in our biweekly newsletter, ensure you don't miss any by following comprehensive social media pages centered around aviation funding opportunities.
Consider borrowing a loan from our lender, Stratus Financial LLC, if necessary. While it can feel risky or unwise to accrue debt for flight training, everyone deserves to invest in themselves, so think of it as betting on yourself. A loan from Stratus can enable a domino-effect of achievement that will empower you and help you reach your goals. Visit our Financing page for more information and to begin your application.
Throughout your training, it is a good idea to revisit your finances and check-in from time to time to gage where you are, just like how you should track your flight and ground lessons. Are you on track? Do you need to or should you make any adjustments? Do you foresee any major hinderances, are you happy with your progress? These are questions you'll want to ask yourself to encourage your flight training experience to keep the turbulence strictly in the air.
Sorting out how to proceed with financing your flight training shouldn't put a damper on your enthusiasm to start or hinder your progression. Our partnered lender, Stratus, has a number of helpful articles we recommend you take a look at during your next study break! They are:
If you're still needing more financial assistance, we will help however we can - send us any and all of your questions and we will do our best to answer them completely.