Choosing a Flying School
Learning to fly can be one of life's most rewarding adventures. The freedom of moving in three dimensions is not only fun but can lead to interesting career and travel opportunities. To take advantage of aviation's rewards, you must make sure you get the good, solid information that you'll need to be a safe, confident pilot in the air. One of the most important steps in that process is finding the right flight school.
Without any aviation experience on which to base your decision, selecting a good school can be a formidable task. Aviation is procedural and not well suited to impatience. Whether you're flying or picking a school, making rash, hurried decisions can cause dire consequences.
Checklists are an aviation main stay that ensure all procedures are accomplished and, therefore, make for safe flights. This same procedure can be applied to selecting a good flight school, or any other product accomplishment in life
Pursuit strategy of your aviation goals
At the beginning of your flight school search, it helps if you have a general idea of what you want from aviation. Why do you want to learn to fly? What is your ultimate, long-term aviation goal? Do you want to fly for fun, or are you seeking a flying career? Will your flying be local, or do you want to use general aviation aircraft to travel? Do you want to own an airplane or will you rent? These are questions you should answer before you start considering flight schools. And you should consider whether you'll train full time or part time; that can make a big difference in your school selection criteria.
Checking out the Schools
Once you've given some thought to what you want, start putting together a list of possible flight schools. Then request all available literature from each. Ask them to send an outline or curriculum for each program in which you're interested, and a copy of the school's regulations and flight operations procedures.
Don't base your decision on the literature alone! You're looking for informative substance, and this can be found as well in photocopied sheets as it can in full-color catalogs. While scrutinizing the material, take notes for use during the school visit, when you'll check the veracity of its claims. Some things to look for:
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The school's philosophy, goals, and objectives, and how they match your needs. |
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Are there such benefits as housing, financial aid, and additional training, such as fixed wing, that will broaden your experience? |
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How important is flight training to the organization? |
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How long has the flight school been in business? |
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What about the school's instructional staff, its enrollment numbers, and credentials? |
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How many and what types of aircraft are used in the school's flight instruction program? |
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What are the school's classrooms like? |
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What services are available at its airport (instrument approaches and control towers)? |
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What is the school's reputation on regulations and safety policies? |
Check out where your cash is going
First step - visit the school!
Make an appointment with the chief flight instructor. Listen closely and ask questions about everything. Don't be shy. If you don't understand something, ask! During your tour, ensure that no area is left unvisited, from administrative offices to the maintenance area.
Find out:
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Are progressive flight-checks given? (These checks evaluate your progress during the training program.) |
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What's the instructor-to-student ratio? (Generally speaking, an instructor can adequately educate four of five full-time students, or 10 or more part-timers, depending on their schedules.) |
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Who schedules lessons, and how is it done? |
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What are the insurance requirements of the school, and how do its liability and collision policies work? Will you be responsible for a deductible, and how much is that deductible in the event of a loss? What is going to cost you if you stack their new R22 as a student?/dry hire as a pilot? |
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Who keeps your records? (This is important because poor documentation can cause you to repeat training.) |
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What happens when weather or maintenance problems cancel a lesson? Who's responsible for rescheduling lessons and reporting maintenance problems? |
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After the official tour, get away by yourself and talk to other students in training. Ask them to rate the training's quality and explain what problems they've had, if any, and how they were dealt with. Find out if instructors tend to put up with or accept non ideal mechanicals. |
Other important information resources can be the local FAA Flight Standards District Office, the Better Business Bureau, and the Chamber of Commerce. They may offer important insights on such topics as a school's safety record and business practices. Don't forget such applicable sources as the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, National Air Transportation Association, Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology, if so accredited, and the Immigration and Naturalization Service, if you are an international student.
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