WHAT IS AEROLINK
The honest guide to learning to fly in Colorado.
Most aviation resources are vague, outdated, or written for people who already know the answers. Aerolink publishes the real numbers, the real timelines, and the real trade-offs. The parts the industry usually leaves out.
Built by a student pilot at CU Boulder. Grounded in Colorado aviation.
$15,200
AVERAGE PPL COST
vs. $8,400 advertised
76 hrs
AVERAGE FLIGHT HOURS
vs. 40 hrs FAA minimum
5,430 ft
DENVER ELEVATION
Affects training costs
What aviation keeps to itself.
Flight schools, textbooks, and YouTube channels all skip the parts that matter most to a student starting from zero.
The 40-hour minimum is a legal floor, not a realistic expectation. Plan for 60–70.
Quoted hourly rates exclude aircraft wet rate, instructor fee, and exam costs. Always ask for total cost.
Part 61 and Part 141 schools are not interchangeable. The difference matters for your path.
Colorado's high-altitude airports change aircraft performance. Your training should account for this.
TELL US WHAT'S BROKEN
What's actually hard about learning to fly?
Three quick questions. We read every one.
START HERE
Everything you need to understand before you start.
MOST READ
$15,200 average.$8,400 advertised.
The gap between the number flight schools advertise and what students actually spend is the story.
COLORADO-SPECIFIC
Built for the Front Range.
Colorado's high-altitude airports, mountain terrain, and rapidly changing weather create training conditions you won't find in a standard textbook. Aerolink is built around this reality. It uses data from Colorado schools, Colorado airports, and pilots who trained here.
KAPA
Centennial Airport
KBDU
Boulder Municipal
KFNL
Northern Colorado Regional
WHAT'S NEXT
A few things we're building.
AME Finder.
Find an aviation medical examiner near you, without the phone tree.
Flight School Collaboration.
Direct tools for schools to manage their own listing.
California Expansion Pack.
Colorado first. California's next.
FIND YOUR SCHOOL
Ready to find a flight school in Colorado?
Search 25+ Colorado flight schools with real data on pricing, fleet, and location.