What will it cost to learn to obtain a Sport Pilot license and fly a light sport airplane? Several variables affect the cost of learning to fly a light-sport aircraft (LSA), including frequency of flight lessons, weather conditions, the type of sport aircraft in which you are training and its availability for scheduling, and individual aptitude.
Another comparison is that the sport pilot airplane is half the cost of the private pilot airplane license.
Using an example, some schools offer the minimum training hours (20 total) and $2500 to get your sport pilot license. However, this is only the minimum flight hours, which is usually more, plus there is typically no ground school included. Therefore, the applicant may not be adequately flight trained or must provide more money to get the proper flight skills. Additionally, this may not include the checkride, training materials, knowledge test endorsement/cost or ground school.
The cheapest airplane/instructor may not be the best program. Airplane prices with fuel for modern LSA range from $120 to $180 per hour. Typically it should cost between $4500 to $6500 to get properly trained and all the other required items by a qualified school.
Once you have decided to get your sport pilot license, you may want to purchase your own light sport aircraft.