Our Team Is Here To Help
Have questions about flight school pricing, monthly payments, or financing options at HCFT?
We help prospective pilots understand the full cost of flight training, the financing programs available, and how to plan a program around your goals, schedule, and budget.
Whether you are starting with a Private Pilot certificate or building toward a professional aviation career, we will walk you through every option so you can commit with a clear number in front of you. That goes for students training with us in Bozeman and at our Greeley, Colorado location.
Preferred Financing Providers
AOPA
AOPA describes its flight training product as a line of credit that can be used for any flight school or program and for any certificate or type rating. AOPA membership is required to apply.
Review current qualifications, rates, terms, and required documentation directly with AOPA.
Flight Training Finance
Flight Training Finance offers financing programs for private pilot, instrument, commercial, multi-engine, CFI, CFII, MEI, and career pilot training.
Contact the provider to confirm your proposed training is eligible and to review current qualifications, rates, terms, and documentation.
Stratus Financial
Stratus Financial provides aviation-focused student financing. Stratus has advised us it cannot currently lend to students who live in Montana. Colorado is on Stratus's published list of eligible lending states.
Verify your state's eligibility, plus school and program eligibility, rates, terms, and documentation with Stratus before applying.
How Much Does Flight Training Cost?
The honest answer is that it depends on you. Total hours, how often you fly, which aircraft you train in, and what you are working toward all move the number. Published price lists tend to quote FAA minimums that almost nobody finishes in.
That is why we give every prospective student a written estimate built around their actual plan instead of a chart. It is the number lenders want to see and the number you should be making decisions with.
OTHER WAYS TO PAY
A loan is not the only option, and for many students it is not the best one.
Pay as You Fly
No loan, no interest, no commitment beyond your next lesson. Pay for training as you go and fly on your schedule. This is how most HCFT students complete their Private Pilot certificate. Ask for a written estimate and we will show you what pacing looks like at your budget.
Scholarships
Aviation scholarships are more plentiful than most people expect, and many go unclaimed every year because nobody applied. If you are applying for a scholarship, ask us for a letter of support and a written estimate. Most applications require both.
How Flight School Financing Works
Understand the Full Cost
Compare the interest rate, fees, repayment term, estimated monthly payment, total repayment cost, and any variable-rate provisions.
Confirm Coverage
Aircraft rental, flight instruction, ground instruction, written tests, checkrides, training materials, and required equipment are not always all included.
Know How Funds Move
How are funds disbursed, what happens to unused funds, and what happens if training is paused, transferred, or discontinued?
Budget for Reality
Total cost and timeline vary with proficiency, how often you fly, weather, aircraft and instructor availability, maintenance, and testing schedules.
Get Fully Qualified
An application, a prequalification, or a school appearing on a lender's list does not guarantee loan approval or program eligibility.
Get an Accurate Estimate
Request our written estimate first and bring it to the lender. It keeps the loan sized to the training.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does HCFT offer financing directly?
No. We partner with lenders who specialize in flight training and we build the written estimate they will ask you for. You apply with the lender, and we coordinate the rest.
Can I finance a discovery flight?
No, and you should not need to. A discovery flight is a few hundred dollars and the best money you will spend deciding whether flight training is for you. Book one before you apply for anything.
What credit score do I need?
Each lender sets its own requirements and they change. Ask the lender directly before you apply. Some programs allow a co-signer, which can make a meaningful difference in approval and rate.
Can I start training before my loan is approved?
Yes. Many students begin on a pay-as-you-fly basis while their application is in process, then switch to loan funding once approved. Nothing you fly before approval is wasted.
What happens to loan funds if I pause or stop training?
It depends on the lender and how funds are disbursed. Ask that question before you sign. Our written estimate and progress records are available to you at any point if the lender needs them.
I live in Colorado. Which lender should I look at?
All three lenders on this page serve Colorado residents. Stratus Financial is a particularly good fit for students at our Greeley location. Montana residents should start with AOPA Finance or Flight Training Finance.
Do you train students from out of state?
Yes. Students relocate to Bozeman and Greeley for accelerated programs and we can help with housing recommendations and a training schedule that fits a compressed timeline.