The Atmosphere of Axiom Aviation

When a prospective pilot shops for a flight school they assess several things. Criteria such as cost and timeframe are likely the most common items these future pilots are concerned about. These are valid points to criticize with any flight school, but there is another item many people forget to assess which is the culture and atmosphere of the flight schools they are considering. While company culture is in a continuous state of flux, a prospective student must do their best to get a good feel for the culture of the flight school they choose to attend as they will likely spend a few years at that school if they decide to instruct there afterward. 

Every flight school has a different culture ranging from extremely rigid and hostile to overly relaxed and unproductive. Thankfully, most flight schools fall somewhere in between as they strive to find a healthy balance. While we will not be able to explain the culture of every flight school in this article, we can take a look at the culture of Axiom Aviation. To do so we will need to take a look back through the school's history. 

A Cultural History of Axiom Aviation

In 2015 Axiom Aviation was founded at the Ogden-Hinckley Airport (OGD) by two founders, Jason Child and Nate Hodell. The founders had attended the same accelerated program and had gone on to other companies to continue their flying careers. Jason became the Chief Flight Instructor of another school and Nate went to fly for an airline. While in their respective careers, they decided that they could offer a program better than any they knew of at the time. Leaning on expertise gained throughout their years of flying and flight instructing they started Axiom Aviation. 

This new school featured an accelerated program designed to help students obtain their ratings and move on to fly for an airline as quickly as possible. While this was certainly not the first accelerated program, it was designed with proficiency and integrity in mind. The founders did their best to include the positive things they had learned from other schools while leaving out the negative aspects. While Axiom Aviation is far from perfect, it was truly designed to be the best career program offered in the region. The structure and purpose of Axiom Aviation created a culture of integrity and professionalism. 

Axiom Aviation Today

As previously mentioned, company culture is in a continuous state of flux. So how has Axiom’s culture developed over the past decade? Today Axiom Aviation's program is still centered around its career program (individuals looking to do only a portion of this program, such as PPL or CFI training are more than welcome to do so), meaning that most students are studying to fly for a career. This has created an atmosphere of persistence and determination. However, it should be noted that Axiom is far from rigid and offers a very relaxed but self-motivated environment. 

With flexible scheduling, students can progress as fast as they want through the program. Those looking to complete the program in eight months will have the ability and resources to do so. Others who may be looking to move at a slower pace may do so as the schedule is tailored to the student's availability and desired rate of progression. 

Axiom harbors a warm and inviting environment where no one has a number and everyone is welcome to study at the school whenever they choose. There are typically instructors and students around all of the time who are more than willing to help answer questions and explain concepts to anyone who asks. This has created a friendly and motivated atmosphere that helps students excel in their training. There is no competition between instructors or students as everyone is at Axiom for the same reason. To help themselves and others become the best pilots they can be. 

Working at Axiom Aviation 

At Axiom, all graduates who complete the full career course are guaranteed a job upon completing their certificates. This has created a culture where everyone feels valued and we can be more relaxed as no one is competing for a job or struggling to hold onto the one they already have. Instructors make their own schedules and are only required to ensure their students receive the necessary flight and ground training to become proficient pilots. 

Axiom Instructors are treated as professionals in their field, meaning that their time and talents are highly valued and appropriately compensated. Our instructors are given the flexibility to work largely independently as a great deal of trust is put into them. However, while daily tasks are largely accomplished independently, Axiom is a team where we are all willing and able to assist one another wherever necessary. Whether asking other instructors for help with teaching a particular student or dealing with administrative difficulties, we are all here to help one another as we strive to help students become the best pilots they can be. 

Unlike at many other large flight schools, our instructors are not subject to remedial tasks designed to keep them preoccupied. As previously mentioned, Axiom instructors are professional aviators and are treated as such. The high levels of professionalism, trust, transparency, and integrity found at Axiom Aviation combine to create an incredible atmosphere where everyone belongs and students and instructors alike can thrive in their respective roles. 

Is Axiom Right for You?

We here at Axiom firmly believe that Axiom Aviation is the best flight school in the region for various reasons. Despite this, it is not a perfect school and is not necessarily well-suited for everyone. While Axiom will give all students more than enough resources to excel in flight training, it is a largely self-motivated program. Our instructors do everything in their power to help their students thrive, but at the end of the day, it is up to the student to study. It is up to the students to apply themselves if they want to succeed in flight training. This applies to all aspects of the program. If you are someone who plans to go through the motions and expect someone to hold your hand through the program, then Axiom may not be the best choice for you. 

However, if you are self-motivated and have a strong desire to pursue flight training, whether it be for a career or just for fun, then Axiom Aviation is the ideal choice, as you will be given the training, tools, and skills to excel in this field. 

How to Better Understand a Flight School's Atmosphere and Culture

Until one has spent multiple years at a flight school and has been both a student and instructor, one will never fully understand its culture. However, if one is looking to start flight training and wants to get a feel for a school's culture and atmosphere there are a few things they should do. 

1. Take a tour of the school. Most flight schools will offer a tour where prospective students can come and check out the school. This is also one of the best ways for a prospective student to have their questions answered. 

2. Talk with a flight instructor. Try and talk to one of the instructors. Some schools will have instructors give the tours whereas others will have a secretary do it. Regardless of how the tour is done, try and talk to an instructor about the program. While they may not know as many fine details as an administrator would, they can help give you a good feel for the school's culture and they tend to be a bit more forthcoming as they will not likely be directly impacted by your decision to sign up.

3. Talk to students. While it can be challenging to arrange, talking with students can help give you a good idea of the reality and atmosphere of a training program.

Ultimately the best course of action is to do as much research as possible before choosing a program. This includes both online and in-person research. No flight school is perfect, they will all have pros and cons, and getting a feel for a school's culture can be quite challenging especially since it is always changing. So the best way to get a feel for the school is to do your research and take in all available information before making your final decision. 

Interested in taking a tour of Axiom Aviation? Or have any questions regarding flight training? Give us a call at (262)297-4568. Or email us at info@flyaxiom.com