How students pay for it
Straight numbers, one lender we are comfortable naming, a scholarship window that closes Dec 31, 2026, and the two ways to pay us directly. No monthly-payment math, because your terms are between you and the lender.
Questions? Call (518) 634-6375 · info@flyheliadk.com
AOPA Flexible Aviation Loan
The one lender we name on this site, because it is built for flight training and the terms are public.
- Up to $20,000
- From 11.99%% APR
- AOPA membership required
- Applied for directly with AOPA Finance — not through us, and we do not see your application
Source, checked Oct 16, 2026: finance.aopa.org/flight-training-finance. Rates and limits are set by the lender and change; verify on their page before you apply. We do not publish monthly-payment examples because your rate and term are between you and the lender.
How students use it here
A $20,000 loan does not cover a private certificate by itself, and we will not pretend it does. Students use it to fund a 25-hour block up front, the add-on rating, or the R44 Job-Ready Block, and pay the rest as they fly. The PPL-H cost table shows FAA-minimum, typical and conservative hour estimates so you can size the loan against a real number.
AOPA Foundation flight training scholarships
- Fall application window closes Dec 31, 2026
- Awards from $250 to $14,000
- We help with the application: the training plan, the budget page and the essay
Source, checked Oct 16, 2026: aopa.org — flight training scholarships. Eligibility and award amounts are set by the AOPA Foundation; verify on their page.
Scholarship & Financing Night at the hangar
Two hours at Harris Airport (83K): an AOPA scholarship walkthrough, the Flexible Aviation Loan page explained, the PPL-H cost table with real hour estimates, and how the prepaid blocks and the Winter Immersion deposit work. Bring your questions and your laptop, and see the R44 while you are here.
Pay as you fly, or prepay a block
Every number below is all-in: the Robinson R44 Raven II, the fuel, and the CFII in the right seat. Blocks include housing on the field during the training stay; the hourly rate does not.
| Option | Who it is for | Price | Per hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pay-as-you-fly | Anyone — no block required. Settle after each lesson for the Hobbs time actually flown. | $750 / Hobbs hour | $750 |
| PPL-H block, 10 hours | New students | $7,000 | $700 |
| PPL-H block, 25 hours | New students | $16,875 | $675 |
| Rusty-pilot blocks | Rated pilots coming back to currency — 5 to 50 hours | from $725/hr down to $650/hr | $725 → $650 |
| R44 Job-Ready Block, 25 hours | Commercial-rated pilots short on R44 time | $16,875 | $675 |
| R44 Job-Ready Block, 50 hours | Commercial-rated pilots short on R44 time | $32,500 | $650 |
Block hours are dual with the CFII in the R44 Raven II. The Discovery Flight ($249 + $12.50 fuel surcharge through Oct 31, 2026; $375 from Nov 1) is credited toward your program if you enroll within 30 days. A Winter Immersion seat is held with a $2,500 deposit, refundable until Dec 31, 2026, then credited to the block. Details: PPL-H costs · rusty-pilot blocks · R44 Job-Ready Block · Winter Immersion. All flying is with Walter Dusseldorp, CFII (Helicopter), in the R44 Raven II. Weight: 285 lb per seat and no more than 540 lb total for everyone on board other than the pilot in command. The pilot makes the final call on every flight depending on weather, fuel and flight length.
Scholarship & Financing Night — Monday, Nov 16, 6–8 PM
At the hangar, Harris Airport (83K), 10915 St. Rt. 149, Fort Ann, NY 12827. Tell us you are coming so we have a seat and a copy of the cost sheet ready.