Cobalt Aviation

This section discusses two different scenarios: renewing an invalid licence/permit, and completing an annual flight review. If you have a licence or permit, but have not acted as the Pilot in Command of an aircraft within the last five years, your licence or permit is no longer valid. In order to revalidate your licence/permit, you must complete a flight review with a certified flight instructor and write the PSTAR (Pre Solo Test of Aviation Regulations) examination.

The flight review, which takes place over several flights, will include all the exercises included in the flight test. Once the instructor is satisfied that the pilot is up to the flight test standards in each exercise, they will certify the pilot’s logbook.

The cost to revalidate your licence is dependent on many different factors, such as how long it has been since you have last flown, your current flight proficiency, etc.; because of this we cannot give you a realistic estimate of the costs until you have come in and talked with us and gone up on a flight with one of our instructors. Typically it takes about 10 dual flights to complete a flight review—at a cost of $175/hr, plus all of the required briefing time at $45/hr .

Although it is not required, it makes good sense to fly with a certified flight instructor at least once a year. An annual flight review is a flight that lasts about 1.5 hours (it could occur over the course of two flights) and includes a review of all the air exercises required on the flight test. In addition, there is approximately one hour of ground briefing involved that focuses on reviewing airport operations (both controlled and uncontrolled), aircraft systems, factors affecting performance, and performance/weight and balance calculations.

At $175/hr for dual flights, and $45/hr for ground briefing, it is approximately $307.50 before taxes for a 2.5 hour annual flight review (1.5 hours in the air and 1 hour on the ground). Considering the costs of your investment to date, and that of flying safely, it is a relatively cheap way of insuring your flight proficiency and the safety of yourself and your passengers.