ZeroToSolo
ZeroToSolo Your path to a pilot license

By a student pilot, for everyone learning to fly

From zero to flying solo
with a plan built for you

Get your personalized roadmap with real costs, FAA exam prep, hand-picked ground school videos, a flight hour logbook, currency tracking, and scholarship matches. Free for every future pilot.

Build my free plan →

Takes 3 minutes · No account needed

100% free · Always

Everything you need to get to your first solo.

Most flight training resources cost hundreds. We pull together the best free ones — curated to where you are in your journey.

🗺️

Personalized plan

An 8-phase roadmap built around your budget, schedule, and goals. Real cost ranges, real timelines, real next steps.

🕓

Currency tracker

Medical, BFR, recency, and solo endorsement — all tracked, with alerts before things expire. Never lose currency again.

📚

Study + ground school

Hand-picked free FAA prep (Sporty's, King, Gleim, the official handbooks) plus the best ground school videos — sorted by where you are.

🏆

Scholarship matching

AOPA, WAI, OBAP, EAA, and more — matched to your demographics. We show you what to apply for and when.

No subscriptions. No "premium" tier locked behind a paywall. No upsells. Just honest, useful info for anyone working toward their pilot license.

Your personalized plan

Answer a few questions.
Get your roadmap.

Unlike other tools — we don't give you a generic plan. Every answer shapes a roadmap specific to your life.

What's your goal right now?

This helps us figure out which license path is right for you.

✈️
Fly for fun (Private Pilot License)
The most common path — fly yourself and passengers anywhere
🛩️
Start simple (Sport Pilot License)
Faster and cheaper, but limited to light aircraft
🎖️
Fly professionally (Commercial path)
Start with PPL, work toward CPL and beyond
🤔
I'm not sure yet
We'll help you figure it out

Question 1 of 7

How much flying experience do you have?

Be honest — this affects your cost and time estimate.

🌱
Complete beginner
Never been in a small plane as a pilot
🛫
A few discovery flights
Tried it but haven't started formal training
📋
Under 20 hours logged
Started training but paused
📈
20+ hours — working toward solo
Actively training and making progress

Question 2 of 7

What's your monthly budget for training?

Most PPL students spend $800–$2,000/month. We'll show you financing options too.

💰
Under $800 / month
Will take longer — we'll find the most efficient path
💵
$800 – $2,000 / month
The most common range — solid progress pace
🚀
$2,000+ / month
Accelerated track — solo in as few as 4–5 months
🏦
I need financing help
We'll match you with aviation-specific loan options

Question 3 of 7

How much time can you train each week?

Consistency matters more than intensity — we'll design around your life.

🌙
1–2 hours/week (casual)
Weekends only or very limited availability
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3–6 hours/week (regular)
A few sessions per week — the most common pace
7+ hours/week (intensive)
Full acceleration — treating it like a part-time job

Question 4 of 7

Where are you located?

We'll match you with rated flight schools and CFIs nearby.

🏙️
Major city / metro area
Many school options, some airspace complexity
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Suburban area
Usually 1–3 nearby airports within 30 min
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Rural / small town
May require a bit more travel — we'll find your options

Question 5 of 7

What's your biggest concern about getting started?

This helps us focus the most useful parts of your plan.

💸
The total cost
Will I be able to afford this?
⏱️
How long it will take
I don't want to be stuck training for years
🏫
Finding the right school
How do I know which one is actually good?
📝
The FAA exams
Written test and checkride feel overwhelming

Question 6 of 7

Almost there — a few quick details

These help us personalize your plan further and find relevant scholarships.

Background info helps us surface scholarships for underrepresented groups in aviation. Always optional. We never sell your data.

Final step — 7 of 7

Your training roadmap

A week-by-week plan built around your life

No generic checklists. Your plan accounts for your schedule, budget, location, and current skill level — and adjusts as you progress.

Weekly flight lesson schedule with specific maneuvers
Ground study plan for FAA knowledge test
Hour-by-hour progress milestones toward solo
Checkride prep timeline and tips

Your Training Timeline

Weeks 1–2
Discovery & enrollment
Medical certificate, first lesson booked
Weeks 3–12
Dual flight training
Basic maneuvers, pattern work, navigation
3
Week 13
First solo flight 🎉
3 touch-and-goes, solo certificate
4
Weeks 14–36
Cross-country & checkride
Build hours, pass written, earn your PPL

Estimated Cost Breakdown

Flight instruction (40 hrs) $6,400
Aircraft rental (55 hrs) $4,125
Books & headset $420
Medical + FAA fees $310
Total estimated $11,255

Financial planning

Know exactly what you'll spend before you spend it

Most people are shocked by unexpected costs mid-training. ZeroToSolo shows you a detailed, honest breakdown upfront — and finds you loans and scholarships you didn't know existed.

Line-item cost projection for your specific path
Aviation-specific loan matching (AOPA, Pilots for Kids, and more)
Monthly payment plans from local flight schools
GI Bill & VA benefit calculation if applicable

How ZeroToSolo works

Four questions to your first flight plan

We do the hard work of turning your answers into an actionable plan.

1

Answer your questions

3 minutes. Goals, experience, budget, schedule, location — we learn what matters to you.

2

Get your plan

A custom week-by-week roadmap with milestones, cost projections, and matched schools.

3

Connect with your CFI

We match you with a certified instructor near you. Your first call is on us.

4

Fly solo 🎉

Track progress, log hours, prep for exams, and celebrate every milestone.

Ready to start?

Your pilot license is closer than you think

Build a plan that actually fits your life, your budget, and your timeline.

Build my free plan →

Free · No credit card · Ready in 3 minutes