budget
$1,119.82
Passive headset, existing tablet and backpack, free FAA books, Gold Seal ground school, liability-only insurance, free AOPA trial.
Student pilot starter kit
Getting started checklist
Thirty-nine steps from a budget to the private checkride. The overview is free. Checking items off is a Base feature.
Safety first, badges second
Never rush a maneuver, flight, or milestone to earn a badge. Only attempt a maneuver or task when you are trained and ready, and talk it over closely with your flight instructor first. Your CFI decides when you're ready, not this app. A badge can always wait; safety can't. If something doesn't feel right, the right call is to wait, turn back, or stay on the ground, and that earns a Good Call badge, not a lost one.
Open the interactive checklist · Base and Premium · prices checked 2026-10-17
Starter kit totals
Paperwork, medical exam, memberships, ground school, books, gear, first-year app subscriptions, first-year renter's insurance, and the knowledge test fee, using the FIRST option listed in each tier.
mid
$2,626.00
Faro G2 ANR, iPad (A16), ForeFlight Starter, Pilot Institute, Flight Outfitters bag, AOPA member, $10k aircraft-damage insurance.
premium
$5,257.12
Bose A30, iPad mini, ForeFlight Essential, King Schools Deluxe Kit, BrightLine bag, Randolph sunglasses, $1M/$25k insurance.
You already own a tablet/phone and a backpack, and use the school's fuel tester. Add $449 if you need to buy an iPad. Excluded: Flight lessons/aircraft time, discovery flight, checkride (DPE) fee, passport, TSA fee (non-US citizens), Special Issuance costs, in-person ground school (alternative), and sales tax. A 2026 AvWeb survey put the private pilot license above $16,000. The starter kit is a small slice of that.
Money and admin
8 items
1. Build a training budget (private pilot through first 90 days)
Before you spend money · $0 (use the Grease the Journey budget tool or a spreadsheet)
Money is the #1 reason students quit. A 2026 AvWeb survey put the private pilot license above $16,000. Knowing your number up front lets you fly 2-3 times a week instead of stopping and starting, which wastes hours.
Budget pick: Grease the Journey budget worksheet / cadet tracker · Free
2. Take a discovery (intro) flight
Before you spend money · $150-$300 (typical, verify)
Confirms you like it, lets you meet a CFI and see the airplane before committing thousands. Many schools log it as your first lesson.
Budget pick: Local flight school intro flight · $150 (typical, verify)
View all 8 items
- 8. AOPA membership · $0 (free 3-month trial, or free ages 13-20) to $89/yr; $149/yr with legal plan
- 9. Line up financing (if you need it) · $0 to apply; APRs vary (AOPA Flexible Aviation Loan 11.99%-13.99% APR, max $20k)
- 10. Choose your school and CFI (Part 61 vs. Part 141 vs. college) · $0 to compare
- 31. Renter's (non-owned aircraft) insurance · $81-$530 per year
- 38. FAASafety.gov account + WINGS program · $0
- 39. Budget for the checkride (DPE fee) · $800-$1,000 typical; some DPEs charge $700-$1,200 (typical, verify)
Paperwork and medical
6 items
3. Pre-check your medical history (educational only)
Before you spend money · $0 to read; deferral or Special Issuance testing can run hundreds to several thousand dollars (typical, verify) · Only costs money if you have a condition that needs extra review
Some conditions and medications (ADHD history or meds, anxiety/depression, SSRIs, sleep apnea, certain heart issues) mean an FAA deferral or Special Issuance that can take months. Find out BEFORE paying for lessons.
Budget pick: FAA Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners (free) · Free
4. Fill out FAA MedXPress (Form 8500-8)
Before the medical exam (before the first lesson) · $0
Every FAA medical starts online. You get a confirmation number to bring to the AME. It expires 60 days after you submit it.
Budget pick: FAA MedXPress · Free
View all 6 items
- 5. Find an AME and get a FIRST-CLASS medical · $100-$250 for the exam; EKG adds cost at age 35+ (typical, verify. AMEs set their own fees)
- 6. Passport or government photo ID + proof of US citizenship · $0 if you already have one; first-time adult passport book $165 ($130 State Dept + $35 acceptance fee)
- 7. TSA Flight Training Security Program (non-US citizens only) · $140 ($125 if you hold Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, TWIC, or similar)
- 25. Student pilot certificate via IACRA · $0 from the FAA (some instructors charge a small processing fee)
Ground school
2 items
11. Online ground school (private pilot)
First 30 days (start before or alongside the first lesson) · $229-$599 one-time
Studying at home means you show up to each lesson knowing the 'why'. Lessons cost $200+/hr, so ground school saves money. Most online courses also give you the knowledge test endorsement.
Budget pick: Gold Seal Online Ground School (1 yr; $299 lifetime)Sponsored · $229 (1 yr) / $299 lifetime
12. In-person or college ground school (alternative to online)
First 30 days (instead of online) · $300-$1,500 (typical, verify); included in Part 141/college tuition · Alternative to online ground school
Some students learn better in a classroom with deadlines and classmates. Part 141 and college programs include it in tuition.
Budget pick: Community college / adult-ed private pilot ground course · $300 (typical, verify)
Books and references
2 items
13. Free FAA handbooks: PHAK, Airplane Flying Handbook, ACS
First 30 days · $0 as free FAA PDFs; printed copies $25-$45 each (typical, verify)
The Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (PHAK) is the core text. The Airplane Flying Handbook explains maneuvers. The Private Pilot ACS is the exact checklist the examiner grades you on.
Budget pick: FAA PHAK (free PDF) · Free
14. FAR/AIM (regulations + Aeronautical Information Manual)
First 30 days · $0 online; $23.95-$29.95 printed
The rulebook. Your CFI and examiner will ask regulation questions (Part 61, Part 91), and you'll look things up constantly.
Budget pick: eCFR Title 14 + FAA AIM online (free) · Free
Headsets
1 items
15. Aviation headset (ANR vs. passive)
Before the first lesson (many schools loan or rent headsets for the first few lessons) · $190-$1,299
Cockpits are loud (often 90-100+ dB). Hearing protection and clear radio audio are non-negotiable. Passive headsets block noise with clamping and foam. ANR (active noise reduction) cancels low-frequency engine drone electronically, so it's less fatiguing on long flights but needs batteries and costs more.
Budget pick: Faro G2 PNR (passive) · $189.99-$219.99
Flight gear
17 items
16. Pilot logbook (paper + digital backup)
Before the first lesson · $0-$45
Every flight hour you log is your career currency. Airlines review logbooks in interviews, so it must be neat and complete from hour 1. Your CFI signs endorsements in it.
Budget pick: ASA SP-30 Standard Pilot Logbook + MyFlightbook (free digital) · $12.95 list ($8.95-$9.95 at retailers)
17. Flight bag or backpack
Before the first lesson · $0-$305
Keeps headset, logbook, kneeboard, and charts organized so you're not late to preflight or leaving things in the airplane.
Budget pick: Backpack you already own · $0
View all 17 items
- 18. Kneeboard · $20-$75
- 19. Pens, mechanical pencils, highlighters, notepad · $10-$25 (typical, verify)
- 20. Sunglasses (non-polarized recommended) · $30-$325
- 21. Preflight gloves for walkarounds · $10-$30 (typical, verify)
- 22. Flashlight with red light · $15-$30
- 23. Fuel tester (sampler) · $0-$25
- 24. Spare AA batteries + foam earplugs · $10-$20 (typical, verify)
- 26. Tablet · $0 (use an existing device) to $599
- 27. EFB app (ForeFlight or Garmin Pilot) · $110-$260 per year
- 28. Tablet mount · $0-$95
- 29. Radio practice (ATC communication) · $0-$96
- 30. Trainer POH and checklist · $0 (school copy/PDF) to $40 (typical, verify)
- 34. Plotter · $11-$13
- 35. E6B or electronic flight computer · $25-$130
- 37. Foggles or view-limiting device · $13-$23
Knowledge test prep
3 items
32. Written test prep app / question bank
Before the knowledge test (aim to pass it before or soon after solo) · $0-$70
Most ground schools include test prep, but practicing timed 60-question exams until you score well above 70% is what passes the test.
Budget pick: FAA PAR sample questions (free) · Free
33. Knowledge test endorsement
Before the knowledge test · $0 (included with online ground school) or a short CFI ground session (typical, verify)
You can't sit for the Private Pilot Airplane (PAR) test without a written endorsement from a CFI/ground instructor or a home-study course completion certificate.
Budget pick: Online ground school completion endorsement · Included
View all 3 items
- 36. Book and take the FAA Private Pilot knowledge test at PSI · $175 + tax per attempt
CFI tips for the first 90 days
- Get the first-class medical before you pay for a block of lessons. It is the cheapest way to find out whether the airline path is open to you.
- Fly 2–3 times a week. Gaps of a week or more mean re-learning, which is the most expensive habit in flight training.
- Finish ground school before or alongside your first lessons, and read the Private Pilot ACS early.
View all tips
- Chair fly every lesson at home: checklists, radio calls, and flows out loud.
- Apply for your student pilot certificate in IACRA in week 1 or 2 so it is ready by solo.
- Keep your logbook spotless from hour 1. Airlines will read it.
- Do not buy a $1,000+ headset before solo. Borrow, rent, or buy a solid passive headset first.
- Ask your CFI for a written training plan with milestones (pre-solo written test, solo, first cross-country, written test, checkride prep).
Disclaimer
Educational only. Grease the Journey is not a flight school, aviation medical examiner, lender, insurer, or legal advisor. Medical information summarizes public FAA guidance and is not medical advice. Confirm your situation with an FAA Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) before applying. Requirements come from FAA regulations (14 CFR Parts 61, 67, 91) and TSA rules (49 CFR 1552), which change. Your CFI, school, and the FAA have the final word. Prices were checked on 2026-10-17 from the linked sources and change often. Items marked 'typical, verify' are estimates. Some links are affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you, and this never changes our recommendations.
Questions
Where is the safety pledge?
Never rush a maneuver, flight, or milestone to earn a badge. Only attempt a maneuver or task when you are trained and ready, and talk it over closely with your flight instructor first. Your CFI decides when you're ready, not this app. A badge can always wait; safety can't. If something doesn't feel right, the right call is to wait, turn back, or stay on the ground, and that earns a Good Call badge, not a lost one. Read it on /safety. It stays visible on Free, Base, and Premium, including this checklist.