What are the costs of UL training?

The costs of UL training are made up of various components. These include:

  • the costs of training documents and materials
  • the cost of renting the aircraft during the training
  • the costs for the flight instructor
  • Possible costs for administration and audits

It is important to note that the cost of a UL education can vary depending on the school and region. In order to obtain a more precise cost breakdown, it is advisable to contact several schools and compare price offers.

What should you look for when choosing a flight school?

There are some important factors to consider when choosing a good flight school, apart from the pure cost of UL training:

  1. Safety: A good flight school should have high safety standards and a good safety record.
  2. Instructor experience and qualifications: It is important that the instructors are experienced and qualified to ensure that you receive thorough and safe training.
  3. Equipment: A good flight school should have modern and well-maintained aircraft, as well as an adequate number of aircraft to ensure that you can spend enough time in the airplane.
  4. Learning environment: A good flight school should offer a pleasant and professional learning environment, including classrooms, briefing rooms and a lounge.
  5. Reputation: A good flight school should have a good reputation and be rated positively by graduates and the industry.
  6. Flexibility: A good flight school should offer flexible learning times and schedules to accommodate students’ needs.
  7. Price-performance ratio: A good flight school should offer a good price-performance ratio and charge a reasonable price for the training and the associated costs.

What costs can you expect for your training?

The cost of UL training can vary depending on the school and region. There are no exact average costs that apply to the whole of Germany, but it can be said that the prices for ultralight flight training can generally range between 4,000 euros to 5,000 euros in a club and 8,000 euros to 9,000 euros in a commercial flight school.

The number of flying hours required for ultralight flight training can vary depending on the UL license you are aiming for, your personal suitability and your age. In general, however, you need between 25 and 40 flying hours for ultralight flight training.

As a rule of thumb, you can say that from the age of 30, you should add one hour to the minimum hours required for the respective UL license for each additional year of age.

The costs for flying lessons including flight instructor also vary depending on the school and region. The cost of a flying lesson including instructor in an ultralight aircraft is generally between 120 and 150 euros in a club and 180 to 240 euros in a commercial flying school.

Examples of hourly rates for various microlight aircraft including flight instructor:

  • An aircraft such as a C42 costs an average of 140 to 160 euros per flight hour
  • An aircraft such as a Tecnam P92 costs an average of 160 to 200 euros per flight hour
  • Modern aircraft such as a Flight Design CT or a Pipistrel Virus cost an average of 180 to 240 euros per flight hour

It is important to note that these are only average prices and that there may be differences depending on the year of manufacture, equipment and type of aircraft. The general rise in energy prices since 2022 has also led to an increase in hourly rates, as the higher fuel prices have to be passed on.

Advantages and disadvantages of training in a club

Advantages:

  1. Lower costs: One of the biggest advantages of flight training in a club is that the costs of UL training are generally lower than at a commercial flight school. Clubs will be run by volunteers and will therefore not have the same costs for staff and equipment.
  2. Closer community: Another advantage of flight training in a club is the closer community that can develop here. As a student in a club, you quickly become part of a group of like-minded people who pursue the same goal and support each other.
  3. Flexibility in training times: Clubs often have more flexibility when it comes to training times.
  4. Access to local airfields: Clubs often have better access to local airfields and flying sites than commercial flying schools. This can allow students to gain more experience in different flying conditions and improve their skills.
  5. Supporting the local community: Associations are often closely connected to the local population and other organizations and therefore offer the opportunity to get involved in the local community and become socially engaged.

Disadvantages:

  1. Potential cost trap in the club: The lower flight price per hour is often bought with club fees and compulsory working hours. If you apply these costs of UL training to the actual hours flown per year, the prices are then comparable to those of commercial flight schools.
  2. Possibly less experienced instructors: Clubs tend to have less experienced instructors than commercial flight schools because they are run by volunteers and are subject to less regulation and supervision compared to commercial flight schools.
  3. Limited choice of aircraft and equipment: Clubs usually have a limited choice of aircraft and equipment compared to commercial flight schools, which usually have a larger fleet and more modern equipment.
  4. Limited times and availability: Clubs typically have limited times and availability for flying lessons and training compared to commercial flight schools, which typically have greater capacity and resources to support students.
  5. Significantly more time-consuming training: Training at a club is more time-consuming than at a commercial flying school. While a commercial flight school takes time for the students individually, the availability of flight instructors in a club is not always given.

While training to become a sports pilot / air sports equipment operator can be completed in a commercial flying school within 3 – 6 months, depending on the weather, the average training time in a club is 1.5 – 2 years.

Ultimately, the choice between a commercial flying school and a club depends on a student’s personal preferences and goals. It is important to carefully weigh up the pros and cons of both options before making a decision.

Costs of UL training