You Can Get Your Private Pilot License – Overcoming the Common Excuses
So you want to learn to fly. You’ve pictured yourself soaring over Mountains, taking off from Bend Municipal Airport, and feeling that incredible freedom from the left seat. Then the doubts start: “It’s too expensive,” “I don’t have time,” “I’m not smart enough,” or “I’ll probably never finish.”
ived heard these thoughts from almost every student at some point in flight training. The good news? They are just excuses — and the students who push past them do succeed. Here’s the honest, no-nonsense breakdown of what it actually takes to earn your Private Pilot License (PPL), and why it’s one of the most rewarding things you’ll ever do.
The Real Timeline & Cost
The FAA requires a minimum of 40 hours of flight time (Part 61), but the honest average for most students is 60–75 hours to reach checkride-ready proficiency. That usually translates to 6–8 months flying 1–2 times per week, with dedicated or accelerated students finishing in 3–6 months. Consistency compounds the more you fly per week—let's say 3-5 times a week you can take a 6-8 month timeline and crush it down to 2-3 months and save thousands on flight training.
Total cost typically ranges from $8,000–150,000 (aircraft rental, instructor fees, exams, headset, charts, medical, etc.). In Central Oregon, our consistent weather and beautiful training environment help students progress efficiently, often landing on the lower-to-middle end of that range.
The Biggest Hurdle Isn’t Money or Time — It’s Consistency
Life gets busy. Weather happens. Motivation dips. Suddenly months pass without a lesson. The single biggest reason people don’t finish is inconsistency.
The fix?
Set a regular schedule (even one flight a week makes progress).
Treat flying like a priority, not a hobby you’ll “get to someday.”
Celebrate milestones — your first solo, your first cross-country — to stay motivated.
At Cascade Flight Training, we make consistency easier with flexible scheduling, personalized one-on-one instruction, and year-round great flying conditions at Bend Municipal Airport (KBDN).
You Don’t Need to Be Perfect — You Just Need to Start
You don’t need to be a genius, fearless, or rich. You need:
At least 17 years old (16 to start training)
A third-class FAA medical certificate (or BasicMed for certain operations)
Willingness to learn
Everything else — stalls, navigation, crosswind landings, aeronautical decision-making etc — is taught step by step. We’ve seen students in their 20s, 40s, 50s, and beyond succeed. Truck Drivers, engineers, retirees, career-changers — all of them now hold a Private Pilot License or greater because they decided to start and had a drive to better there life.
Ready to Take the First Step?
The truth is simple: most people never get their license. But you’re not most people.
Book a discovery flight with Cascade Flight Training today. It’s the fastest way to see if flying is your “one thing” — and the views over Central Oregon might just convince you to never look back.
Quintin Reid CFII, AGI, IGI
Cascade Flight Training
Bend Municipal Airport (KBDN)
