Quality Score
Good
Base (15) + components above = 69
About
Lakes Area Aviation offers high quality and safe aviation services and instruction, striving to remain affordable for anyone with a passion for aviation. Based at Little Falls/Morrison County Airport in Minnesota and Platte Valley Airpark in Colorado, they offer a wide variety of ratings, endorsements, and aviation experiences including accelerated training programs, helicopter training, scenic flights, and specialized training.
Estimated PPL Training Cost
| Line item | Hours | Rate (range) | Subtotal (range) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cessna 150 (cheapest in fleet) | 70h | $60 – $230/hr | $4,000 – $16,100 |
| Flight instruction (dual) | 42h | $30 – $120/hr | $1,250 – $5,050 |
| Ground instruction | 20h | $30 – $120/hr | $600 – $2,400 |
| Estimated Total Range | $5,900 – $23,500 | ||
Instruction Rates
Frequently Asked Questions
Training for a Private Pilot Certificate at Lakes Area Aviation is estimated to cost $5,900 – $23,500. to see the full breakdown with exact aircraft rental and instructor rates.
No, Lakes Area Aviation operates under Part 61. Training is self-paced: you and your instructor set the curriculum rather than following a pre-approved syllabus. The FAA minimum for a Private Pilot Certificate under Part 61 is 40 flight hours, though most students need 60 to 70.
No, Lakes Area Aviation does not have a Designated Pilot Examiner on staff. When you're ready for your checkride, you'll need to book with an independent DPE. Ask the school if they can point you to one nearby.
Lakes Area Aviation's training fleet includes the Cessna 172 (Skyhawk), Cessna 172I (Skyhawk), Cessna 172K (Skyhawk), Cessna 150, Taylorcraft BC-12D, Piper PA-23-160 (Apache), Piper PA-24-250 (Comanche), Robinson R44 (Raven II), and Champion 7ECA (Citabria). Having multiple types in the fleet keeps your training on track if one plane is down for maintenance. Ask the school about current availability and any additional charges per aircraft.
No flight simulators are listed for Lakes Area Aviation. Some schools have basic Aviation Training Devices that may not be in our database. Ask them directly.
No, Lakes Area Aviation does not charge a fuel surcharge. The published rental rates are your actual hourly cost.