How to Choose a Flight School and Learn to Fly

This article was developed for those looking to learn how to fly. It provides a brief description on how best to begin your pursuit of learning how to fly airplanes.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Before you start spending money on flying, you should know the FAA medical requirements for the licenses that you seek. Obviously, you don’t want to waste money on training if you don’t meet the medical requirements! See the FAA's website for current medical requirements.
2. Based on your goals, you need to do a bit of research. Have an idea of what licenses and ratings you will want to obtain. Additionally, you need to know what the difference between a license and rating is!
3. Determine if you will train at an FAA part 61 or an FAA part 141 flight school. Do you want a flight school that offers flexibility or a rigid curriculum? Part 141 schools offer a more structured environment than their part 61 counterparts.
4. Determine if you want to become an airline pilot or if you will be flying for your own personal use? You need to research your flight school options. Don’t just jump in with the first school you come across. A large part of your decision will be based on whether you will fly professionally or if you simply want to fly for your own personal business or pleasure. If your goal is to fly professionally, there are many schools that offer accelerated training programs. Upon successful completion of their curriculum, you are typically guaranteed an interview with one of their affiliated airlines.
5. Another critical issue is the flight school instructors. Your flight instructors will obviously play a vital role in the type of pilot that you become. You need to speak with the instructors at the flight schools and determine if they will meet your needs and goals.
6. Develop two checklists to bring with you on your flight school search. One list should be a flight school checklist and the other should be a flight instructor checklist. Some sample checklist items are: How long has the school been in business?, What is the school's safety record?, What is the availability of aircraft?, How long has the instructor been teaching?, How many students has the instructor taught for the license or rating you seek?
7. Speak with previous and current students of the flight schools you are researching. In my opinion, this is one of the most critical steps. With this step, you will develop a true understanding of the inner workings of the flight school.

Tips & Warnings

• With your decision to learn to fly, you will invest a great deal of time and money. Before you get started, the proper research is critical so that your time and money is not wasted!