Need help choosing school for Instrument Rating

[Dane R]

I am trying to decide between 2 schools to pursue my Instrument Rating at. I'm planning to train Part 61, and plan to fly about 3 times a week. I also plan to complete my instrument written before starting my IFR training, so that should cut down on some of the cost. Below is the price that each school said I should roughly expect.

School A:

- Quoted approx $20,000
- School just opened
- Fleet of 4 Tecnam P2010 with g1000 cockpits, air conditioned
- Simulator to match the Tecnam p2010
- Airport is 7 miles away from my house, Controlled


School B:

- Quoted approx $16,000
- 1, 1973 Piper Cherokee 180 with stacked G5, Autopilot, other glass that I don't know the name of (GPS and such)
- No simulator
- Airport is 14 miles from my house, Uncontrolled

My first thought is, it might be worth the extra $4000ish to train at School A, because if one plane goes down for any reason, I can just fly another. At School B, if the Cherokee goes down, my training is put on hold for however much time.

(Any other recommendations to lower costs?)

Edit: Gas comment removed because it is basically irrelevant, lol.

 

[PeterNSteinmetz]

Have to agree. $16k or $20k just for an instrument when you already have the private and are reasonably proficient seems outrageous.

It only requires 15 hours of dual and 40 hours total simulated or real instrument flying. The latter can be with a safety pilot and does not require an instructor.

People, especially younger folks who are good at video games and/or technically inclined can do it in close to those minima.

At $150/hour for a plane, wet, and $75 per hour for the instructor, that comes out to $7125.

$20k seems exorbitant.

 

[PeterNSteinmetz]

I recognize that it’s expensive. But everyone keeps pointing out the obvious, instead of trying to help me find a solution. Open to any advice.

Find an independent CFI and plane to do the 15 hours of required dual. Find a plane you can rent and a buddy to act as safety pilot for the other 25 hours. That will be a lot cheaper.

 

[PeterNSteinmetz]

There is a 40 hours instrument training requirement for an IR under Part 61?

(2) Forty hours of actual or simulated instrument time in the areas of operation listed in paragraph (c) of this section, of which 15 hours must have been received from an authorized instructor who holds an instrument-airplane rating, and the instrument time includes:

Isn’t that it?