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Flying may be a natural talent for birds, but it’s something you have to learn and work hard for as an earth-bound human. But the good news is that now it is easier than ever to fly. And you can your ratings in no time at all.

Consider the following factors when choosing a flight school:

1. PART 61 or PART 141

These are the two primary types of flight schools you are going to find.

Part 141 are schools approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to teach a curriculum based courses and allow you to earn your certificates in fewer hours.

Part 61 schools on the other hand aren’t FAA-approved and must therefore subject you to a minimum of 40 flying hours before awarding you a certificate.

Can you get your Private Pilot Certificate in that amount of time? Usually the answer is “no.” It depends a lot on how fast you learn and how often you fly. The more you fly, the more quickly you will learn the maneuvers and the more you will retain the skills you are developing. But don’t be discouraged if you don’t get you rating in 40 hours. I think it took me 75 hours but that was because there were many breaks in my training. When you are ready, you will know.

2. LOCATION OF YOUR FLIGHT SCHOOL

Naturally, it’s best to choose a flight school that’s conveniently located near your home, but if there’s none in the area that you like, choose one that won’t force you to adjust to a higher cost-of-living.

When I did my Private Pilot I was in the military and did all my training at the local municipal airport. When I did my advanced flight training, I went to FlightSafety Academy and moved to Vero Beach, Florida, rented an apartment and threw myself into my flight training.

In four months, I finished my Commercial and Instrument ground schools, finished my Private Multi-Engine Rating,my Instrument Rating in a Multi-Engine airplane (which allows me to fly instruments in a single-engine airplane), my Commercial Multi-Engine Rating, and my Commercial Single-Engine Rating. I was flying every day, weather permitting, and sometimes twice a day.

You have to decide which works best for you!

3. EXPERIENCE AT THE FLIGHT SCHOOL

How long has the flight school been in business? Is its faculty made up of veteran pilots? What have you heard about the quality of their education?

Go out to AirlinePilotForums.com or WillFlyForFood.com or MyTransponder.com and do a little research on that flight school. I know of several schools that were in business one day and had just disappeared the next day…and took all the pilot’s money with them. Illegal? You bet! But unfortunately it happens. Due your due diligence!

4. FACILITIES OF THE FLIGHT SCHOOL

One of the most important aspects of a good flight school is the condition of their airplanes. Ask to see some of their airplanes. Look inside. Walk around it. If your gut is telling you to run away from this flight school, then run. You have to be comfortable. If you are not comfortable with the airplanes you are going to be flying, then you will waste money because you will not enjoy flying there.

Find out how many airplanes they have? Ask how much their airplanes are used? Are they always flying? How difficult is it to schedule a lesson or rent an airplane? Do they have a maintenance facility dedicated to their airplanes or do they contract out?

What about their classrooms and training facilities? Do they have computers to study on and do flight planning and check weather? Do they have a flight training device (FTD) like a Frasca simulator (www.frasca.com) that you can do a bit of your training on and sharpen you skills on instead of always spending your money on an airplane rental?

FlightSafety Academy had computers that I could study for my written exams on and a Microsoft Flight Simulator X Deluxe Edition that I could practice basic flight maneuvers on like navigation. They had about five Frasca simulators that we used to practice approaches, holds, and to learn about the multi-engines before we even flew one. They also had an reference library of aviation documents and magazines that I could read and study.

5. WHAT IS YOUR TIME WORTH?

How much time do you have? Do you wish to study part-time or full-time? Not all schools may allow you to study part-time. At some schools you live and breath flying. It is total immersion.

If you have a full-time job, work obligations, and a family, going full-time flight training isn’t going to work. It might just put too much strain on you!

If you are doing it in your part-time, then sit down with a CFI and work out a plan to accomplish your goals. Ask your CFI to keep you accountable for your progress. You are more likely to finish if you have someone mentoring you and making you accountable along the way.

6. YOUR OBJECTIVES: FOR FUN OR PROFESSIONAL?

Defining your goals and objectives is probably the most important thing you can do for yourself when deciding to fly. Knowing where you want to go with your flying will help you plan your finances and time so that you don’t waste money. So, ask yourself why do you wish to learn to fly an airplane? Is it for recreational or career purposes? Naturally, hoping for a professional flying career will require you to put in more hours during training and more money.

Also, what kind of flying do you want to do? – Local or international? What kind of aircraft do you wish to fly: Helicopter, charter or corporate, regional, or mainline?

Having an idea where you want to go with your flying will help you decide on what path to take. You can always change your objective and goals later, but starting out with one really helps!

Answering these questions will help you know not only which is the best flight school to choose but the best flight course to follow for you as well.

7. FLIGHT SCHOOL RATES

Tuition fees differ for flight schools as well so look for one that will offer you great education for an affordable value. If you are a military veteran, your pension will let you enjoy lower rates only with Part 141 flight schools. Consider using your GI Bill if you have it.

If you want more ideas on how to finance your flying, pick up this book: “Fund Your Flying!” It is available now for immediate download and is ridiculously inexpensive. You will save yourself thousands of dollars using his techniques.

8. AVIATION ALLIANCES

If you’re interested in getting additional flight courses and aviation degrees in universities and other educational institutions, look for an aviation school that has tie-ups with other establishments so that transfer of school will be made easier. Aviation schools though tend to be VERY expensive, so choose wisely. They market very well and can really draw you into their program. BEWARE: If you go through their program you are going to be in debt for a very long time. All I ask is that you know what you are getting in to.

If I had to recommend a course of action, I would recommend that you get your bachelor’s degree first then go onto flight training because one of the biggest mistakes you can make is to NOT get your degree. I see it all the time in the pilot’s I fly with. They were so set on getting into flying that all they got was their associates degree and never finished their bachelor’s and spent a lot of money in flight training along the way. I would recommend that you start out at your local community college and get your basic courses out of the way FIRST, then transfer to another university to finish you upper level course.

You can do SOME flight training along the way, like getting your Private Pilot certificate and maybe your Instrument Rating but focus on your degree first. After you finish school, then hit your other ratings hard and get your hours.

One friend of mine, is doing just that.

One more thought! Don’t take the easy way out and get some silly degree like Aviation Management. Get a degree that means something and can be used if for some reason your aviation career falls through. If you read my About page, you will see that I have a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and a master’s degree in Management Information Systems (MIS).

Finally, When you find a flight school that meets all your requirements based on the above factors and you feel good about what they can offer you, then that’s the best place for you to learn how to fly!

So, I hope this was helpful. Please leave a comment about how you funded your flying so that others can learn from your experiences as well. It is always fascinating to hear how other got through it.

Till next time…

To Your Flying Success…

Jeffrey

P.S. When it comes to flying for a living, you don’t have to re-create the wheel. Many pilots have gone before you and the best way to learn is from their experiences. Check out these two books for some ideas and inspiration:

• Professional Pilot Career Guide- A goldmine of practical tips on career opportunities, training, building flight time, and hiring practices.
• Fliers in Their Own Words – The diverse accomplishments and careers of 14 pilots are explored in this inspiring collection of interviews.
• Aviation Scholarship Directory – There are hundreds of scholarships available to finance your flight training, advanced rating, aviation-college degree, or airplane mechanic training.