Wow $40 IS CHEAP! Where are you? Here in Florida intro flights are about $70-$110. The cost for a regular lesson would be between $75 - $125/hour for the plane, PLUS $30 - $55 for the instructor. PLUS ground shcool which is usually the same as the instructor's fee. Based on what I have researched IN MY OWN AREA (Tampa, FL) the more expensive schools have newer, more modern aircraft. The cheaper schools usually have older planes. That doesn't necessarily mean the cheaper schools are not as good. The schools that are "Authorized Cessa Pilot Centers" are rquired to have newer planes and therefore cost more. You can go to the cessna.com site and follow links to search for a Cessna school in your area. Also the AOPA site, aopa.org, under Training & Testing, has linbks where you can search for shcools in your area. I highly recommend joining AOPA and participating in the free Project Pilot Mentor Program.

My own experience was, I went to a cheaper school and they had old planes. The instructor wasn't that good. I tried a different instructor but he told me he had been fired from one of the other (more expensive)schools. Hmmm...I ened up at one of the more expensive schools, with a GREAT instructor and a modern plane. With this instructor, I never feel "forced" yet he keeps things progressive. We add a new skill each lesson, and review the other skills.

As for the cost of flight training, you can take out a student loan thru Sallie Mae or thru Pilot Finance.  Your school most likely has applications/brochures on hand. Some schools work with only one of these companies but not the other, so check with your school. Let's say it'll cost you $7,000 to get your PPL. ($100 plane rental, $50 intrsutor, for 40 hours, plus books etc.) Well you can get a $7,000 loan, fly three times a week and pay the loan off over 5 years. Your payments could be about $149/month. If you plan to go on for an Instrument rating right after you get the PPL, the school can prepare the necessary paperwork to come up with an estimated/projected cost and timeframe, and you can take out the loan for that entire amount (both the PPL and the Instrument) all at once, so that you won't have to apply for a second loan later on for the second certificate. That's what I just did with Sallie Mae. They approved me for the total of both certificates. But they sent me the money only for the PPL. Once I earn the PPL Sallie Mae will send me the money for the Instrument rating. It is very convenient.