SkyHoppers Flight Training Offerings

SkyHoppers offers flight instruction in single-engine airplanes for students seeking Private & Recreational pilot certification, an Instrument Rating, and Complex & High-Performance endorsements, all offered under 'Part 61' of the Federal Aviation Regulations. We also specialize in tailwheel transition training for beginners and advanced pilots alike. SkyHoppers offers block rates for flight and ground instruction at professional rates of $140 per hour for Private Pilot training, and $150 per hour for Instrument training & advanced training (see below). Block payments are purchased in advance and are more cost effective for those who commit to weekly training. Block rates are applicable to both ground & flight instruction. Rates are subject to change without notice, and separate rates apply for training in one's own airplane.

SkyHoppers offers one-on-one instruction utilizing our personalized, comprehensive syllabus for Private Pilot,
Commercial Pilot, and Instrument Rating candidates.

SkyHoppers Chief Instructor, Andrew Dilworth offers basic flight training utilizing airplanes based at the Advantage Aviation Flying Club, which is an exclusive club of Independent flight instructors and airplane owners located at Palo Alto Airport in California. Click here for more information about the Advantage Aviation fleet of aircraft, including current hourly rental rates. Click here to view the Chief Instructors biography on the Advantage Aviation website.

Private Pilot Training

Private Pilot certification is available to anyone 16 and older with no prior flying experience. The FAA requires a minimum of 40 flight hours for certification, but most students complete training with an average of 75 hours of flight training. Private Pilot training also requires an average of 35 hours of ground instruction in aeronautical knowledge for the written & oral exams. The certificate is typically achieved in 5 to 7 months if lessons are given twice per week.

The rate for Private Pilot training is $140 per hour when a block payment is purchased in advance for $3,500.

• This block payment affords approximately 25-hours of flight & ground instruction at that rate.
• Separate block payments are required for flight and ground instruction, respectively.
• The standard hourly rate for Private Pilot Training is otherwise $150 per hour.

The overall cost of the Private Pilot training investment varies depending on student dedication, lesson frequency, and the rental cost of the selected training airplane. Private pilot certification requires additional training in cross-country flying (greater than 50nm), night flight, and attitude-instrument flight training, compared to the Recreational Certification.

After you earn your Private Pilot Certificate, you will be able to fly any single-engine airplane up to 12,500 pounds, day or night, with any number of passengers, in primarily fair weather, most anywhere throughout the U.S., and the world! This certificate also allows you to fly High-Performance & Complex airplanes requiring only an instructor endorsement.

The Private Pilot Certificate is also required for those who will seek an instrument rating, and may be required for insurance purposes if you desire to own a particular airplane, and/or plan to travel to distances greater than 50nm on a regular basis.

Instrument Rating Training

Any licensed pilot wishing to fly through and within clouds (Instrument Meteorological Conditions, IMC) should invest in an Instrument Rating. The FAA requires a minimum of 40 hours for the rating, but most students complete training with an average of 65 hours of dual instruction received in a combination of airplanes and simulators. The Instrument Rating also requires an average of 35 hours of ground instruction. The Instrument Rating is typically achieved in 4 to 6 months if lessons are given twice per week.

The rate for Instrument training is $150 per hour when a block payment is purchased in advance for $3,750.

• This block payment affords approximately 25-hours of flight & ground instruction at that rate.
• Separate block payments are required for flight and ground instruction, respectively.
• The standard hourly rate for Instrument training is otherwise $160 per hour.
• This block rate also applies to all types of advanced training, including extended BFR training.

The overall cost of the Instrument rating investment varies depending on prior experience, the extent of simulator training, and the rental cost of the selected training airplane.

After you earn your Instrument Rating, you will be able to depart and approach airports through fog, marine layers, and overcasts typically encountered in the summer along the California coast and in the Central Valley during the winter. You will also be able to navigate through extensive frontal Instrument Flight Rule (IFR) conditions, or escape inadvertent entry of IMC. Whether you pursue the Instrument Rating for convenience, or if you expect to fly in areas regularly subject to IMC, the Instrument Rating is the best supplemental training investment a pilot can make.

Accelerated Flight Training

SkyHoppers offers accelerated flight training for both the Private Pilot & Instrument Ratings. The training for either can be conducted in as little as 5 weeks, depending on student aptitude, availability of rental aircraft, and weather. Accelerated training requires a reservation of at least 1-month in advance for both the Chief Pilot and the rental aircraft, and 2-months advance notice for the FAA checkride reservation.

Accelerated training will require at least 85% of the national average number of hours required to complete either course of training due to daily reinforcement, and there is no guarantee that it will be completed within an accelerated time period. The accelerated training requires that the student be available up to 5 full days per week, and require intensive self-study during the evening hours. The training during daylight hours will include a combination of flight & ground instruction lasting up to 8 hours per day, amounting to approximately 20 hours of flight time per week.

The block rate for Accelerated Private Pilot training is $27,500 per 5-week period, when purchased in advance. The accelerated instrument rating is an additional $5,000 per 5-week period. These blocks do NOT include the cost of rental aircraft.

• The discount hourly rate for accelerated private pilot training beyond the first 5-weeks is $140 per hour for both flight & ground instruction.
• The discount hourly rate for accelerated instrument rating instruction beyond the first 5-weeks is $150 per hour for both flight & ground instruction.

The overall cost of the accelerated instrument rating investment varies depending on prior experience, the extent of simulator training, and the rental cost of the selected training airplane.