Source: MN DEED website as of July, 2015. Figures shown are median wages rounded down to the nearest whole number.
Overview
The Professional Pilot program is designed to meet the needs of students who plan a career as a pilot in commercial aviation. The program leads to F.A.A. certification as a commercial pilot with an instrument rating.
Most classes take place at the Center for Advanced Aviation (CAA). The CAA is a newly renovated, 40,000 square foot facility adjacent to the Duluth International Airport’s flight line and right next door to Cirrus Aircraft.
Students in this program begin flight training by the second week of class, and should earn their private Pilot license in their very first semester.
View Catalog or Request InfoSkills & Knowledge
FAA Certifications earned:
- Private Pilot License
- Instrument Rating
- Commercial Pilot License
- Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) Certification
- Multi-Engine Certification (airplane)
Plan Your Education
The Program Guide is a tool to help you map out how to successfully get your degree at Lake Superior College.
Program GuideAre you ready to take the next step?
$81,000
Approximate total tuition & fees with the flight fees listed below for MN residents to complete this degree.
Tuition & Fees
2 Years
The aviation degree may be completed in 2 years if prerequisites are complete.
Tuition costs shown in gainful employment information do not include flight fees. Flight fees are a significant portion of the overall cost of this degree.
Potential Career Opportunities
- Regional air carrier pilot
- Freight pilot
- Charter pilot
- Helicopter pilot
- Pipeline Patrol
- Airplane flight instructor
- Aviation safety inspector
Duluth Hourly Wage
$28
Minnesota Hourly Wage
$28
US Hourly Wage
$28
READY TO GET STARTED?
Flight fee per course 2017 - 2018 Academic Year
ALL FLIGHT ASSOCIATED FEES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. All students are responsible for the balances in their flight accounts. Do not assume your financial aid or VA dollars will cover the expenses of your flight lab fees in full. Veteran students please go to Resources to find more information about Veteran Educational Benefits.
We will do all we can to help you through the details, but ultimately it is a student’s responsibility to know their status.
Helicopter flight fees per course
| Course | Description | Flight Hrs | Ground Hrs | Flight Time Cost |
| AVIA 1255 | Private Pilot Helicopter | 60 | 100 | $39,085.00 |
| AVIA 1555 | Instrument Pilot Helicopter | 50 | 100 | $31,360.00 |
| AVIA 2155 | Commercial Pilot Helicopter | 30 | 75 | $19,785.00 |
| AVIA 2255 | Certified Flight Instructor Helicopter | 35 | 60 | $22,690.00 |
| AVIA 2335 | External Load/Turbine Transition | 30 | 46 | $21,530.00 |
Cost per credit is $145.78 for MN Residents, go to Tuition & Fees for more details.
Airplane flight fees per course
| Course | Description | Flight Hrs | Ground Hrs | Flight Time Cost |
| AVIA 1250 | Private Pilot Airplane | 50 | 50 | $12,880.00 |
| AVIA 1550 | Instrument Pilot Airplane | 56 | 50 | $13,330.00 |
| AVIA 2150 | Commercial Pilot Airplane | 55 | 50 | $12,515.00 |
| AVIA 2175 | Commercial Pilot Airplane MEL/SEL | 50 | 50 | $14,594.00 |
| AVIA 2250 | Certified Flight Instructor Airplane | 25 | 50 | $7,085.00 |
| AVIA 2275* | CFI Instrument Airplane | 15 | 50 | $5,775.00 |
| AVIA 2285* | CRI Multi-Engine Airplane | 15 | 50 | $6,645.00 |
| AVIA 2324* | Seaplane Add On Rating SEL | 10 | 20 | $4,220.00 |
| AVIA 2326* | Multi-Engine Airplane | 15 | 50 | $7,082.75 |
*AVIA 2275, AVIA 2285, AVIA 2324, and AVIA 2326 are not required courses
Flight fee detail per course 2017 - 2018 Academic Year
AVIA 1255 - Private Pilot Helicopter
| Item | # of Hours | Cost Per Hour | Total Cost |
| Robinson R44 | 60 | $530.00 | $31,800.00 |
| Flight Instructor | 60 | $39.00 | $2,340.00 |
| Ground | 100 | $39.00 | $3,900.00 |
| Check Ride | -- | -- | $900.00 |
| POH & VFR Flight Kit | -- | -- | $145.00 |
| Total Cost = | $39,085.00 |
AVIA 1555 - Instrument Pilot Helicopter
| Item | # of Hours | Cost Per Hour | Total Cost |
| Robinson R44 | 50 | $530.00 | $26,500.00 | Ground | 100 | $39.00 | $3,900.00 |
| Check Ride | -- | -- | $900.00 |
| Instrument Kit | -- | -- | $60.00 |
| Total Cost = | $31,360.00 |
AVIA 2155 - Commercial Pilot Helicopter
| Item | # of Hours | Cost Per Hour | Total Cost |
| Robinson R44 | 30 | $530.00 | $15,900.00 | Ground | 75 | $39.00 | $2,925.00 |
| Check Ride | -- | -- | $900.00 |
| Commercial Kit | -- | -- | $60.00 |
| Total Cost = | $19,785.00 |
AVIA 2220 - Certified Flight Instructor Helicopter
| Item | # of Hours | Cost Per Hour | Total Cost |
| Robinson R44 | 35 | $530.00 | $18,550.00 |
| Ground | 60 | $39.00 | $2,340.00 |
| Check Ride | -- | -- | $1,800.00 |
| Total Cost = | $22,690.00 |
AVIA 2335 - Turbine Transition/External Load
| Item | # of Hours | Cost Per Hour | Total Cost |
| Bell 206 | 5 | $1,200.00 | $6,000.00 |
| Robinson R44 | 25 | $530.00 | $13,250.00 | Ground | 45 | $39.00 | $1,755.00 |
| Check Ride | -- | -- | $400.00 |
| Turbine Trans Kit Kit | -- | -- | $125.00 |
| Total Cost = | $21,530.00 |
AVIA 1250 - Private Pilot Airplane
| Item | # of Hours | Cost Per Hour | Total Cost |
| Cirrus SR20 | 45 | $176.00 | $7,920.00 |
| Simulator | 5 | $92.00 | $460.00 |
| Instructor | 100 | $39.00 | $1,617.50 | Check Ride | -- | -- | $600.00 | Other | -- | -- | -- |
| Total Cost = | $12,880.00 |
AVIA 1550 - Instrument Pilot Airplane
| Item | # of Hours | Cost Per Hour | Total Cost |
| Cirrus SR20 | 41 | $176.00 | $7,216.00 |
| Simulator | 15 | $92.00 | $1,380.00 |
| Instructor | 106 | $39.00 | $4,134.00 |
| Check Ride | -- | -- | $600.00 |
| Other | -- | -- | -- |
| Total Cost = | $13,330.00 |
AVIA 2150 - Commercial Pilot Airplane
| Item | # of Hours | Cost Per Hour | Total Cost |
| Cirrus SR20 | 20 | $176.00 | $3,520.00 |
| C172/182RG | 10 | $176.00 | $1760.00 |
| Citabria | 10 | $176.00 | $1,760.00 |
| Simulator | 15 | $92.00 | $1,380.00 |
| Instructor | 105 | $39.00 | $4,095.00 |
| Total Cost = | $12,515.00 |
AVIA 2175 - Commercial Pilot Airplane MEL/SEL
| Item | # of Hours | Cost Per Hour | Total Cost |
| Cirrus SR20 | -- | $176.00 | -- |
| C172/182RG | 16 | $176.00 | $2,816.00 |
| PA 44t | 25 | $234.00 | $5,850.00 |
| Simulator | 9 | $92.00 | $828.00 |
| Instructor | 100 | $39.00 | $3,900.00 |
| Check Ride(2) | -- | -- | $1,200.00 |
| Total Cost = | $14,594.00 |
AVIA 2250 - Certified Flight Instructor Airplane
| Item | # of Hours | Cost Per Hour | Total Cost |
| C172/182RG | 15 | $176.00 | $2,640.00 |
| Citabria | -- | -- | -- |
| Simulator | 10 | $92.00 | $920.00 |
| Instructor | 75 | $39.00 | $2,925.00 |
| Check Ride | -- | -- | $600.00 |
| Total Cost = | $7,085.00 |
AVIA 2275 - CFI Instrument Airplane
| Item | # of Hours | Cost Per Hour | Total Cost |
| Cirrus SR20 | 15 | $176.00 | $2,640.00 |
| Simulator | -- | -- | -- |
| Instructor | 65 | $39.00 | $2,535.00 |
| Check Ride | -- | -- | $600.00 |
| Other | -- | -- | -- |
| Total Cost = | $5,775.00 |
AVIA 2285 - CFI Multi Engine Airplane
| Item | # of Hours | Cost Per Hour | Total Cost |
| PA44T | 15 | $234.00 | $3,510.00 |
| Simulator | -- | -- | -- |
| Instructor | 65 | $39.00 | $2,535.00 |
| Check Ride | -- | -- | $600.00 |
| Other | -- | -- | -- |
| Total Cost = | $6,645.00 |
AVIA 2324 - Seaplane Add On Rating SEL
| Item | # of Hours | Cost Per Hour | Total Cost |
| Citabria SE | 10 | $245.00 | $2,450.00 |
| Instructor | 30 | $39.00 | $1,170.00 |
| Check Ride | -- | -- | $600.00 |
| Total Cost = | $4,220.00 |
AVIA 2326 - Multi-Engine Airplane
| Item | # of Hours | Cost Per Hour | Total Cost |
| Cirrus SR20 | -- | $176.00 | -- |
| C172/182RG | -- | $176.00 | -- |
| PA 44T | 15 | $234.00 | $3,510.00 |
| Simulator | -- | $92.00 | -- |
| Instructor | 65 | $39.00 | $2,535.00 |
| Check Ride | -- | -- | $600.00 |
| Total Cost = | $6,645.00 |
Flight fee detail per aircraft 2017 - 2018 Academic Year
Hourly rates for helicopters
*Robinson R-22 is restricted to students under 180 lbs
| Aircraft Type | Horsepower | Hourly Rate |
| Robinson R-44 | 205 | $530.00 |
| Robinson R-22* | 124 | $295.00 |
| Bell 206 | 420 | $1,200.00 |
| Flight Instructor | - | $39.00 |
| Check Ride | - | $900.00 |
Hourly rates for airplanes
| Aircraft Type | Horsepower | Hourly Rate |
| American Champion Citabria | 150 | $176.00 |
| Cessna 182RG or 172RG | 230 | $176.00 |
| Cirrus SR20 | 200 | $176.00 |
| Piper PA44T | 180 | $234.00 |
| Flight Instructor | - | $39.00 |
| Check Ride | - | $600.00 |
***Flight Fees are subject to change. Lake Superior College does it’s best to accurately publish fees, but sometimes things outside of our control may cause changes in flight fees.
Program participation requirements
All LSC Flight Students must meet Transportation Security Administration (TSA) requirements.
U.S. citizens must provide the following to the flight school:
- A valid unexpired U.S. passport, or
- Original birth certificate and a government issued picture ID, or
- Original certificate of birth abroad with raised seal and government issued ID, or
- Original certificate of US citizenship with raised seal and government issued ID, or
- Original US naturalization certificate with raised seal and government issued ID.
Non-U.S. citizens: Please call Joshua Debevec for more information at (218) 733-7700
Students in this program must pass a Class II FAA Medical certification in order to fly at LSC.
If you are not from the Duluth/Superior area, you can look on the FAA website for an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) near you.
Local Flight Physical AME’s:
David Arvold
St. Luke’s Internal Med. Assoc
1001 E. Superior Street
218-249-7960
David Arvold
St. Luke’s Internal Med. Assoc
1001 E. Superior Street
218-249-7960
Paul A. Jones
Essentia Health Lakewalk
1502 London Road Suite 102
(218) 727-8228
Steven Long
Mount Royal Medical Center
1400 Woodland Ave
218-249-8800
Janus Butcher
Physicians Specialty Clinic SMMC
3500 Tower Ave.
Superior WI
715-392-1251
Resources
Contacts:
General advisor: Emily Chapinski 218-733-5983
Program Director: Dan Traska 218-733-7737
Program faculty: Joshua Debevec 219-733-7700
Helicopter information: Eric Monson 218-213-7095
Veteran Students:
We are proud of the fact that our flight program is approved for Veteran Educational Benefits. We will accept VA award letters or deposits of VA funds, personal funds, bank loan funds or financial aid award letters. Since many times VA checks come to you directly, we will not under any circumstance, grant fly time based on non-official documentation.
Students who are using Veteran Funding should work closely with an advisor and the VA Certifying Official at Lake Superior College to be sure they understand how their benefits work at LSC, for the flight school it can be complicated at first and there are some differences in registration for VA students. When you are registering for classes be sure the advisor helping you understands that you are VA funded so that issues can be avoided. Your funding is your responsibility so be sure that you understand your benefits.
Career resources:
