"it can cost $200,000 to get a new pilot to solo. "
That’s wildly absurd. I hold my PPL and Instrument rating but not current in 20 years. I soloed after about 7 hours. I spent maybe $700 in the early 90s. My oldest got his PPL three years ago at a cost of around 11K with the local flying club and about 70 hours of flight time. He is now a Naval Aviator…just completed his carrier qualifications with 14 landings and 8 touch and go. Should have his wings In August and then off to an F18 training squadron.
Either this article is horribly inaccurate or the Air Force needs to cut costs.