Private Pilot Program

The adventure of flying begins with your private pilot’s certificate. With this license you can venture out into the world of aviation. Whether you plan to fly for fun, give rides to friends and family, provide yourself with transportation, or simply build time and experience for future ratings, it all begins with the private certificate.

While achieving the private certificate, you will receive instruction in the basic operations of an airplane. Although some people try to finish much of the ground training before they start flying, we feel that the best approach is to integrate the ground training with the flight training. You will be in the cockpit from day one getting hands-on practical experience. Ground training will cover diverse topics such as airport operations, radio procedures, weather, navigation, and more.

The first major goal for you is to fly the airplane solo. During your solo flight training you will learn manueuvres such as emergency procedures and takeoffs and landings, as well as how to operate safely at a tower-controlled air port. The first solo flight is an experience that is never forgotten.  After solo, you will move onto more advanced lessons covering areas such as night and cross-country flying.

Commercial Pilot Program

Whether your professional goal is to fly a Boeing 747, a crop-duster, or a Cessna 172 for hire, you must obtain a commercial pilot’s certificate. The commercial training focuses on advanced aerodynamics, professionalism, passenger considerations, and the rules and regulations that govern commercial operations. Additionally, the commercial training program will teach you to fly an airplane to higher and more precise standards than were required in the private training program. As a commercial student you will also learn to master the operation of a complex-aircraft.

 

Instrument Rating

Instrument rating refers to the qualifications that a pilot must have in order to fly under IFR (Instrument Flight Rules). It requires additional training and instruction beyond what is required for a Private Pilot certificate or Commercial Pilot certificate, including rules and procedures specific to instrument flying, additional instruction in meteorology, and more intensive training in flight solely by reference to instruments. 

Testing consists of a written exam and a practical test (known more commonly as the check ride). The check ride is divided into an oral component to verify that the applicant understands the theory of instrument flying and an actual flight to ensure the pilot possesses the practical skills required for safe IFR flight.

Instrument flying is a serious business. It is demanding. It takes active thinking. When a pilot gets the instrument rating he is authorized to evaluate weather, dispatch the flight, and is then challenged to fly the airplane in the same air traffic control system and weather systems that the two-crew turbine airplanes are using. The day after the rating is earned, a pilot is free to fly IFR to Atlanta Hartsfield on a dark and stormy night with passengers.

Multi Engine Rating

If you want to fly higher, farther and faster, you’ll need an airplane multi-engine rating in addition to a private pilot certificate or commercial pilot certificate. The multi-engine rating is also a necessary step for any professional pilot, and is known to be one of the more enjoyable (albeit expensive!) training programs during professional pilot training.

An applicant for a multi-engine rating is usually already a private pilot or commercial pilot. Rarely, a student pilot will choose to obtain a private pilot certificate in a multi-engine aircraft.

Beyond systems, controllability and performance, a multi-engine rating is pretty simple. While it is more costly to train in a twin-engine aircraft, the training is necessary for a professional pilot.

Flight Instructor Course