Enter your numbers. See financing vs. saving side by side. Know exactly where you stand.
Your Financial Picture
Build Your Training Path
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Your Training Total$0
⚠ Realistic Completion Costs
These figures reflect what training actually costs to complete — not FAA minimums. A 20% buffer is built in above base rates to cover weather delays, checkride fees, written test fees, books, and miscellaneous expenses. Flight school quotes will often look lower — budget for reality, not the brochure.
9%
5 yrs
YOUR RESULTS
Option A — Finance It
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estimated monthly loan payment
Loan amount—
Interest rate—
Loan term—
Total interest paid—
Cash left after payment—
Training startsImmediately
Option B — Save Up First
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months until fully funded
Still need to save—
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Total cost (no interest)—
Interest you avoid—
Training could start—
Return on Investment
How to read this: These figures show how long it takes gross earnings to cover the cost of training — not how long until you're debt-free. Loan payments continue on their own schedule. National regional figure (~$95K) is an approximate year-1 average and varies by carrier. Major airline figure based on $130/hr × 1,000 hr credit year. Most pilots spend 3–6 years at a regional building hours before reaching a major — that's the real timeline to plan around.
// See the Return on Investment
What Will You Actually Earn?
Now that you know what training costs, see exactly what a major airline pilot makes — year by year, all the way to retirement.