List of Time Building Programs for pilots
- Brian Childs
- Apr 5
- 6 min read
Updated: Apr 7
What is the cost of time building programs? (table of prices)
What is time building for pilots?
"Time Building" is a way to quickly accumulate flight hours. Pilots often enroll in time building programs after they obtain a commercial certificate and before they have 1500 flight hours, the required minimums to obtain an Air Transport Pilot license (ATP). Time Building is considered an alternative to flight instructing and allows pilots to accumulate hours more quickly. Time Building programs offer a discount when pilots purchases blocks of hours.
What are flight time building programs?
Time building programs are discounted packages of flight hours that can be bought from flight schools or Flying Clubs. A pilot purchases a bundle of hours they must consume in a defined amount of time. The flight hours are often less expensive compared to the normal hourly rate for the aircraft. These bundles often come in 50 or 100 hour increments. The aircraft owner benefits because the hours are pre-paid and ensures their asset will be used. The pilot benefits because the more hours they purchase, often the price per flight hour goes down.
List of Time Building Programs
The following list of companies offer Time Building programs for pilots.
(859) 816-1045
Base at Lunken Field in Cincinnati, Ohio this is a new Flying Club offering Multi-engine time building in a Piper Aztec for 10 hours at $3,999. They also have a single-engine program. They say to contact the club to learn more.
(623) 877-9334
Arizona Flight Training Center is located in Glendale, Arizona and offers Multi-Engine flight time in a Piper Seneca. They do block rates with a minimum block hour rate starting at 10 hours for $4,499.
(702) 990-7656
Desert Flying Club is located in Boulder City, Nevada, a short drive south of Las Vegas. They have multiple aircraft including Cessan 172s, Piper Archers, and a Diamond DA-40. Discounted rates are not listed online and it appears pilots must become a member of the Flying Club to participate in the Time Building program.
(888) 368-9759
Envy Sky is operates out of Pembroke Pines, Florida. They have both Shard and Solo rates listed for their fleet of Cessna 172s. There is a 50-hour minimum to utilize their Time Building program with blocks between 50-1000 hours. Shared rates range from $85 per hour to $65 per hour. Solo rates range from $170 per hour to $130 per hour.
(386) 235-6226
Located in Edgewater, Florida this program is highly organized and has a transparent pricing table for their aircraft based on number of block hours purchased. They have both shared and solo times listed, with rates as low as $48 / hour Solo and $23 / hour Shared. Aircraft available in their program include: Cessna 150, Cessna 152, Piper Warrior, and Piper Cherokee.
(305) 255-8753
Flying Academy USA has multiple locations including Miami, Florida; Corona, California; and Van Nuys, California. Rates vary based on the location. They offer Cessna 172s, Cessna 152s, and Piper Cherokees. Rates depend on the package, but the list their Cessna 152 as low as $135/ hour for a 100-hour block.
(629) 255-4424
Frequency Change Aviation is based in Nashville, Tennessee. They offer both single or paired flight time packages in their Diamond DA-20 fleet. The list price per hour using their time building program is $140 wet.
(724) 349-1709
Innovative Aviation is based in Indiana, Pennsylvania and offers Block Hour discounts in their Cessna 150. Pilots can purchase 5, 10, 15, and 20 hour blocks. The rates range from $70 per hour to $55 per hour based on the number of hours purchased.
(817) 717-5466
International Flight Academy is located in Forth Worth, Texas. They have a single-engine time building program using a Piper Cherokee and a multie-engine program using a Piper Seneca. They list 100-hour block rates of $130 per hour for the Cherokee and $200 per hour for the Seneca.
(312)-219-4801
Lumina Aviation is in Waukegan, Illinois (near Chicago) and has a program fully designed for Time Building. They have a full service program that includes accommodation to help save money on the total cost. The rate in a Bristell single engine aircraft is listed at $135 / hour. That includes some nice amenities like: Accommodation, transport to the airport, and breakfast.
(602) 369-3445
Based in Glendale, Arizona this program offers a Multi-Engine block rate in their Piper Twin Comanche for $409/ hour. They advertise this time building program alongside their accelerated multi-engine rating and appear to have blocks of 15-hours in their aircraft.
(720) 630-0313
Located in Erie, Colorado. Odyssey uses a shared flying model with a PIC and a safety pilot. They fly a VL3, a light sport aircraft, and offer an hourly rental rate of $125 / hour.
(303) 465-4600
Rocky Mountain is located in Broomfield, Colorado (just north of Denver) and boasts some of the lowest aircraft rental rates in the United States. Cessna 152s for $73/ hour, Cessna 172s and Piper Warriors for as low as $113 / hour, and a Seminole for $203 / hour. They don't list bulk rates online however at their standard rates, it seems like a great deal to begin with.
(858) 245-7420
Based at Montgomery Field in San Diego, this school provides a full-service time building program that includes accommodation options and refresher courses. They fly Cessna 172s and have rates as low as $138 / hour. Note that Time Building program fees do not include membership fees and checkout costs.
(954) 807-4299
Sky Eagle is based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and has a description of their block hour rates here. Blocks range from 20 hours to 1200 hours, with rates as low as $64 / hour. They operate Cessna 172s and Tecnam P92.
(615) 366-9192
Based in Nashville, Tennessee this flight school is said to offer time building however block rates aren't published online. They provide both single and multi engine options in a fleet of Cessnas and a Piper Seneca.
(719) 359-5644
Based in Peyton, Colorado. The flight school offers a comprehensive package that includes accommodation. They advertise a 20% discount on bulk hour purchases. Their lowest rate listed is $2,950 for 50 hours in a shared Cessna 150.
(951) 335-5590
Top Flight is located in Corona, California and focuses on International Flight Students wanting to build time quickly. There is an application process to utilize this program and not flight hour rates are listed on the website. They have both shared and solo programs.
(321) 269-6910
Volare has a "Time Building Mafia" program located in Titusville, Florida. They offer a Multi-Engine time building program in a Piper Apache for $175 per hour. Their program appears structured around two-pilots sharing time in the aircraft, so it is possible the flight time may not be entirely PIC.
305-303-8127
ATA Flight School is based in Pembroke Pines, Florida. They have both single and multi engine programs operating Cessna 172s, Piper Archers, Piper Warriors, and a Piper Seneca. Their single engine program ranges from 50 to 500 hours with rates between $75/ hour to $65 / hour. They list their multi-engine rate at $190/ hour for a 50 hour block.
What is the cost of time building programs?
Time building programs provide single and multi engine aircraft, often with discounts when pilots purchase blocks of hours. Many programs rely on shared time using "safety pilots". This table shows the hourly rates listed on the company websites above, and whether the time is shared. Some companies provide accommodation as part of their time building program.
Time Building Programs Near Me
Use this map of Flight Time Building Programs to find cheap single engine and multi engine flight time in your area!
Link to Map: Time Building Program Map
