3. SELECT A FLIGHT SCHOOL AND INSTRUCTOR

The flight school

What, did you think that you were gonna flap your arms real hard? Here's how to get started on a search for a good flight school:

  • Start by asking around. If you know someone who flies, ask for his or her opinion about flight schools.

  • Check the Yellow Pages under "Aircraft Schools" and call for information.

  • Visit your local general aviation airport. Talk to pilots and personnel of the fixed-base operators there. Don't be shy. People who fly usually LOVE to talk about it.

  • Utilize online resources. Many aviation-related organizations like the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) have searchable databases that can help you seek out qualified flight schools and instructors in your area. Several flight training web sites also exist, like the student pilot network at UFly.com.

  • Pick of a copy of an aviation publication and page through the ads. AOPA offers six free issues of its Flight Training magazine. (Call 1-800-USA-AOPA and request a free subscription.)

There are tons of schools and organizations that offer pilot training, ranging from "dealer" schools run by general aviation manufacturers, to independent schools offering accelerated courses, to nationally accredited colleges and universities providing four-year degree programs. Each type of program differs widely in nature. Compare facilities, airplane "trainers" used for flight lessons, availability and coverage of insurance, safety standards, and cost and chose the school that best meets your needs and your budget.

As a general rule, instructors charge $15 to $25 an hour for ground instruction and $20 to $30 per hour for dual instruction in the aircraft. You are also responsible for paying to rent the airplane in which you train. Rental rates for airplanes vary depending on the model, age, and size of the plane you are using, but typically cost between $40 and $75 an hour. One way to reduce the cost of your lessons is to join a local flying club, a group that together owns or leases one airplane, keeping rates lower by renting it to members at cost.

As you start gathering information on flight school options, you'll notice that two basic categories of schools keep coming up: Part 61 and Part 141. These names refer to the parts of the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) under which the schools operate. While both types of school cover essentially the same material in their training programs, the manner in which they are structured differs.

  • Schools certified under Part 141 must adhere to an FAA-approved syllabus that specifies the order in which specific skills must be taught.

  • Part 61 schools ultimately cover the same FAA-approved curriculum, but are more free to adjust the order of topics according to specific factors like the student's schedule or weather conditions.

One other difference is that Part 141 schools have a lower minimum flight time required to earn a private certificate (35 hours instead of the otherwise standard 40). But since the national average for students earning a private license is around 60 to 75 hours, this difference is generally not a significant one. For an interesting discussion about getting into a quality flight school, check out this forum at Airliners.net.

The instructor

More important than the category of school you chose is the instructor you decide to work with, so be sure to speak to the instructor(s) at any school you are considering. Don't be shy… you want to know that your teacher has had more than one previous student before you take off. Here are some potential questions:

  • Start by asking about his or her aviation background, qualifications, and experience. Your primary instructor should be at least a certified flight instructor (CFI), which means he or she has been through extensive training and must renew the certificate to teach every two years.

  • Check references and talk to former students.

  • Request a copy of the course syllabus and discuss how you would schedule lessons.

  • Ask to have something explained to you, like a technical point of flying, to see if you follow the instructor's teaching style. This should be a personal connection, so no one can tell you absolutely what to look for, but keep in mind that a key element should be trust.

  • One of the best ways to evaluate an instructor is to take what is known as an introductory flight, offered by most flight schools and many flying clubs. Lasting anywhere from 35 minutes to two hours, this is a relatively inexpensive way to confirm your desire to learn to fly while observing a potential CFI in action and actually beginning your training. After a pre-flight briefing and inspection, don't be surprised at being asked to take the left seat (that's the seat the pilot sits in). More than simply a scenic flight, this is usually an actual lesson, during which you will get to take off and handle the controls of the aircraft yourself - under the watchful eye of the instructor, of course. An intro flight can be logged as part of your training, so be sure to take a logbook along for the instructor to sign.

It's important that you feel comfortable with the instructor you select. Remember, you are going to be spending many hours crammed together in the cockpit of a plane, so be confident that you are going to learn a lot, feel safe, and not be driven nuts by his/her annoying habit of constantly falling asleep while at the wheel…