This section describes the costs of the education, other related costs of becoming a pilot, and your income situation as a student pilot. The total price of the education should not be paid upfront; it is paid in modules as you progress.
Read more about the education and get an overview of prices below.
We have developed our own digital platform for administering the education. The system is called SmartBird and will be your helping hand throughout the training to keep track of how close you are to your dream of becoming a commercial pilot.
In SmartBird you have the full overview of the finances in relation to the education and how far you are in your lessons.
If you are dreaming of becoming a pilot, you have probably asked yourself: What does it cost to become a pilot?
At GreyBird, you pay for the education in modules as you progress, which means that you will never pay for any part of the education that you have not yet started. The modules have been designed so that they are limited to a certain period, and the module parts are logically connected.
If, for some reason, you have to discontinue your education – due to health issues, for instance – you will of course get a refund covering the part of the module you have paid for, but not yet completed. Our module-based payment setup is easy and clear, and you will never pay for more than you get, and even if you have to discontinue your education, you will get a refund covering the training you have not received. In addition, there are only few payments during your education, so it is easy for you to manage your finances.
We are committed to ensuring that our students get the best possible education and the best conditions. The pilot education requires a considerable financial investment, and we strive to provide the students with clarity and overview of the required financial investment.
At GreyBird Pilot Academy, students are invoiced in arrears (when you follow the education plan that has been set up for you, you will be invoiced approx. every ten days for the training you have received). That is, our students pay for a service after they have received it. You pay on a regular basis after each flying lesson or at the time when the theoretical training begins. The only exception from this rule is the entrance fee that covers the costs for the iPad, a uniform, various system licenses, etc. This entrance fee is included in the above-mentioned price for the education.
Your invoices from GreyBird are always itemized, and SmartBird lets you keep track of your finances. SmartBird is our own digital platform for administration of the education. Here, you can always see how close you are to realizing your dream of becoming a commercial pilot. SmartBird also lets you see details of individual lessons, and you can see to which module a lesson belongs. In the same way, you can find your instructor’s feedback and advice to you for all the lessons you have completed.
It is very likely that you will complete part of your education, at other GreyBird bases than your home base. That is, you might, for instance, go to Spain during the winter months to fly in the lovely weather in Southern Europe. All travel expenses and accommodation costs in connection with such stays are covered by your module payments.
You will also get a chance to fly SPIC trips which take several days. SPIC is short for Student Pilot in Command. Typically, two students and an instructor take off for a destination either in the far north or in the Mediterranean. A trip like this takes three to five days, and both students get to fly a lot. If you choose to face the challenge of using Europe as your training area, you only have to pay for accommodation and meals. We think that going on SPIC trips is a really good idea, which is why we cover the instructor’s expenses. As a student, you only have to pay for your own accommodation and meals.
The amount is not included in GreyBird’s price for the pilot training
Before you start your training as a commercial pilot, you must have a Class 1 Medical for approx. DKK 10,500.
A Class 1 Medical is the medical certificate required for you to become a commercial pilot. Class 1 Medical must be renewed every year. The price for renewal is approx. DKK 1,700, and it can be done by one of the country’s many aviation doctors, who are found both in Jutland, on Funen and on Zealand.
Once you start working after graduation, it is often the employer who covers this cost.
The Danish Transport Agency has a list of approved Aviation Doctors, which can be found here.
During the pilot training, several tests must be passed. The tests are authorized by the authorities (the Danish Civil Aviation and Railway Authority). In total, the following must be passed:
The cost of the exams is not to be paid to the school. The prices for the exams vary from year to year, but we recommend that our students set aside a total of approx. DKK 55,000 for exam and test fees during the education. The amounts are paid directly to the Danish Civil Aviation and Railway Authority and the examiner. Thus, the amounts are not included in GreyBird’s price for the pilot education.
Even the best student can fail a test or an exam on a bad day or due to bad luck. Should you fail a theoretical or practical exam, you will, of course, get another try. If you fail an exam, extra training may be required. This depends on how you failed and your history. There is a limit to how many exams you are allowed to fail, but it is extremely uncommon that students get close to this limit. GreyBird Pilot Academy will guide you carefully in how to navigate the deadlines and exam limits.
If you need to go to the bank and get a loan to cover the costs of your pilot training, there is help to be found at GreyBird. We offer help and guidance if you need to take a loan from the bank. In addition, we have payment plans and budgets which are a good place to start when you need to negotiate with the bank.
We always recommend that you sign a training agreement before the education begins.
Since you are paying for your pilot education out of your own pocket, it is very important that no unexpected costs occur. We always recommend that you sign an education contract before you start your education, as this puts certain demands on the pilot academy.
The education contract is your insurance, as it ensures that the school does not change the prices or alter the costs for becoming a pilot. When you have passed the entrance exam at GreyBird Pilot Academy and our expectations have been aligned, we will draw up an education contract. As soon as it has been signed, you are ready to start your education.
