| What's the best Flight School in the United States? | | | | of the time. Good weather means you get through the |
| The one that gets you to your aviation goal in the best | | | | program faster and into your new aviation career |
| way possible for you. | | | | sooner. |
| There are over 1400 flight schools in the U.S., so it's | | | | * Facilities - A clean, professional facility typically |
| really hard to pick just one, but here's a short guide to | | | | means a well run organization. |
| deciding which flight school is best for you. | | | | * Professionalism - all the people you contact should |
| First of all, do you want to fly for personal use, both | | | | be professional and courteous. The entire operation |
| business and recreation? Or, do you want to fly as a | | | | should impress you with professionalism. When you fly |
| career in the corporate, charter, cargo, airline, or other | | | | for a living, you must be a professional at all times and |
| pilot occupations? | | | | your school is where this attitude begins. |
| How to pick a flight school for personal / business | | | | * Aircraft Fleet - Some people may argue, but in my |
| flying - If you want to learn to fly for fun and/or | | | | opinion, if you're going to fly for a living, you should be |
| personal business use, you'll probably want to attend a | | | | training in mostly glass cockpit airplanes. All new |
| local flight school in your area. Here's what to look for: | | | | airplanes are glass cockpit today, and if you want to |
| * Facilities - are the facilities well-maintained? A clean | | | | eventually fly for the airlines, you'll be in glass cockpits |
| and organized flight school appearance probably | | | | there too. Look for academies/schools with all glass |
| means the rest of the operation is run well too. Watch | | | | cockpit fleets. |
| out for dirty, sloppy, unorganized offices. | | | | * Financial Assistance - Finances play a huge role in |
| * Owner/employees - Do the people at the flight | | | | learning to fly for a living. Plan on spending anywhere |
| school seem happy and energetic? Are they excited | | | | from $25,000 (commercial pilot) to $90,000 (airline |
| to meet you and take you flying? Do they want to | | | | transport pilot) depending on how far you want to go. |
| share their love of aviation with you? These would all | | | | Good professional flight schools will help you find |
| be good signs. | | | | sources of financing, but in reality, you probably need |
| * Payment options - Watch out for any flight school | | | | to come up with most of the money yourself through |
| that wants you to "pay upfront" for the entire course. | | | | private funding and loans. |
| Don't do it. If the school does not offer a "pay as you | | | | * Payment Plans - as with any flight school, don't pay |
| train" program, run away. However, most reputable | | | | (too far) in advance. |
| flight schools will offer "block payments" as a way for | | | | * Career Services - look for a school with a track |
| you to purchase flight time in advance at a discounted | | | | record of getting graduates jobs. Many of the largest |
| rate. This is okay as long as you don't pay too far | | | | flight academies offer possible job connections with |
| ahead. Stay within your comfort level when paying in | | | | commuter and regional airlines, and some graduates |
| advance. Plan to spend between $8,000 and $10,000 | | | | go directly from flight training to the co-pilot seat of |
| for a private pilot certificate, and $4,000 - $5,000 for a | | | | turboprop or regional jet. Other schools promise |
| sport pilot certificate. | | | | interviews with affiliated airlines. In any case, look for |
| * Fleet - Does the school have more than one aircraft | | | | schools that are invested in helping you get your first |
| for primary flight training? This can be important | | | | flying job. |
| because aircraft used for training have to go in for | | | | * Student Housing - Chances are, the perfect flight |
| maintenance every 100 hours of flight time, which | | | | school for you will not be in your hometown. Look for |
| means possible "down time" for your training. It's usually | | | | a school that has student housing options. Student |
| better to go to a school with multiple planes to keep | | | | housing can be great in several ways. First, it's usually |
| you flying. | | | | much cheaper than housing you could find on your |
| * Aircraft condition - Many flight schools have recently | | | | own. Second, it's usually fully-furnished, making your |
| upgraded their fleets to newer, glass panel trainers. But | | | | move easy. And third, you'll be surrounded with fellow |
| for the most part, you're probably going to be training in | | | | pilots going through the same program and that's a |
| an older plane. Here's what to look for: just like a car, if | | | | great way to learn. |
| it looks like a wreck, it probably is. Training aircraft fly a | | | | * Time-building options - After you've earned the |
| lot, so it's okay if the plane looks well-used but be | | | | appropriate certificates and ratings, you need to build |
| wary of planes that look unmaintained. | | | | flying time. How much time, and in what type of |
| How to pick a professional flight school to fly for a | | | | aircraft depends on the type of job you eventually |
| career - You can attend a local flight school or a | | | | want to get. Look for a flight school that offers ways |
| professional flight academy. There are pros and cons | | | | to build time inexpensively. For example, many of the |
| to both. Here's what to look for: | | | | larger flight academies will actually hire you to train the |
| * Location - Learning to fly as a profession means | | | | next classes of students going through the program |
| many more flight hours than learning to fly for fun. | | | | (you'll be a Certified Flight Instructor by now) and other |
| During training, you mostly fly in good weather, so | | | | schools will offer ways to build time flying twin-engine |
| location becomes important. Look for a school where | | | | aircraft with other students that allows you to build |
| the weather is good VFR (mostly sunny skies) most | | | | flight hours for less money. |