The cost to becoming a pilot

Many veterans dream of becoming a civilian pilot when exiting the military, but frequently the upfront cost is too high. Here is what it takes for an average individual to fund their certification based on their desired level of training:

  • Priviate Pilot License: $9,250
  • Commercial License: $13,000
  • Instrument Certified, Commercial License: $21,000
  • ATP and Instrument Certified, Commercial License: $30,000+

This is purely the cost for certification and does not take into account other burdens pilots-in-training can face during the education process. We work with veterans to mentor them though this process and help cover funding gaps that other programs may miss.

Great ways to contribute:

As a 501(c)(3) public charity Stripes to Bars is committed to ensuring your funds have the largest possible impact. At least 99% of our funds go directly to the education of our scholarship winners. The remainder is used for administrative overhead and community outreach. We are an all volunteer staff; passionate about aviation, education, and improving the world around us.

To help us reach our goals, consider one of the following methods of donation. Don’t forget your contribution is 100% tax deductible. We encourage you to look into any corporate gift matching programs your employer may have.

Mail Checks (preferred):

Stripes to Bars
P.O. Box 12234
Denver, CO 80212

Online Donations:

As a convenience we offer digital donation options through PayPal. Unfortunately the lowest possible processing rate we can find on a system we trust is 2.2% + $0.30 per transaction. Consider a one time donation or setting up a recurring monthly payment.

Monthly Subscription

Consider setting up a recurring monthly payment through PayPal with one of our pre-set options. We are grateful for your continued support.

Donation Level
Donate Monthly

One Time Donation

Donate an amount of your choosing in a few simple clicks through our secure PayPal portal. If the monthly options above don’t suit your budget, you can always set this to be a recurring payment before checkout.

Donate Now

Donate a Car

We have partnered with CARS (Charitable Adult Rides & Services) to make it easy for you to donate the value of your used vehicle to Stripes to Bars. Follow this link or visit careasy.org to get started. 

CARS will handle all of the work for both you and Stripes to Bars to make sure we get as much value as possible from your vehicle.