What Type of Flight School Should I Choose?

info
35 minutes ago
7 min read

A question that nearly every aspiring pilot asks themselves before they begin flight training is which flight school they should attend. Throughout the United States, there are thousands of flight schools ranging from small fleets of rental planes to massive university programs. But which type of school is right for you? In this article, we will break down the pros and cons of every type of civilian flight school that offers initial flight training.

Part 61 Flight Schools

One of the most common types of flight schools are Part 61 flight schools. These schools give flight and ground instruction per the Code of Federal Regulations 14 Part 61. These regulations dictate the topics and subject matter that must be taught as well as the requirements that must be met before a student is legally qualified to obtain a certain pilot certificate or rating. After meeting said requirements, a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) may endorse a student to take a checkride with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) appointed Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE).

Once they have successfully completed their checkride, the student may begin operating under certain privileges granted to them by whatever certificates and ratings they have obtained. At a Part 61 school such as Axiom Aviation, CFIs follow a syllabus set forth by the school. While the details of said syllabus are not under direct scrutiny from the FAA, they must still comply with requirements set forth by the FAA under Part 61.

Pros:

Part 61 schools, like Axiom Aviation, offer flexible flight training schedules that can better adapt to a student's busy schedule.
Part 61 schools typically execute a tried-and-true curriculum with a proven track record.
Part 61 schools frequently offer airline partnerships, such as Axiom Aviation's partnership with SkyWest Airlines.
Part 61 schools often offer a variety of financing options that provide student loans.
Part 61 schools frequently offer accelerated programs to help students begin their careers as pilots as quickly as possible. Such as Axiom Aviation’s Zero to Hero Program, which is designed to help students complete their ratings in 8 to 10 months.
Select Part 61 schools are partnered with universities, like Axiom Aviation’s partnership with Purdue Global, giving students a more affordable and accessible way to earn a college degree while in flight school.
Part 61 schools will typically hire their graduates as CFIs. Having a guaranteed CFI position can be critical in times of hiring slowdowns, as flight instructing is one of the best ways for low-time pilots to build the 1500 hours required to fly for an airline.
Small-to-moderate-sized Part 61 flight schools, like Axiom Aviation, can offer a more personalized flight training experience that can better adapt to meet a student's needs.
With the exception of very small Part 61 schools, most flight schools have a substantial fleet. This allows for more flexibility in flight training as students not only get to fly a variety of aircraft, but their training is less frequently hampered by maintenance delays.

Cons:

Not all Part 61 schools are created equal, and it can take a substantial amount of research to know the quality of a particular training program.
Some of the smaller Part 61 schools do not offer financing options to students.
Many Part 61 schools have limited connections to the broader industry. Making it even more important to find a school with airline partnerships.
Some of the largest Part 61 schools in the country are corporations that lack many of the benefits small-to-medium-sized flight schools offer, as every student is viewed as a statistic on a spreadsheet.

Part 61 schools are very common and are the best choice for many prospective pilots as they offer a flexible way to earn ratings at your desired pace. However, it should be noted that before selecting a flight school, you should do extensive research to find which school will be the best fit for you.

Part 141 Flight Schools

Another common type of flight school is that of the Part 141 Flight School. Similar to Part 61 schools, these schools must follow a set of guidelines put forth by the FAA. Students who attend a Part 141 school will obtain the same ratings as those who attend a Part 61 school; however, the training must follow a strict syllabus that has been reviewed and approved by the FAA. These programs are typically found in conjunction with Universities, and it is typically required that students be enrolled in an Associate's or Bachelor's program concurrently while in flight training.

Pros:

Part 141 schools generally follow a tried-and-true training syllabus.
Part 141 schools typically have multiple airline partnerships along with various financing options.
Students who graduate from an accredited Part 141 program with a Bachelor’s degree are eligible to obtain their Restricted Airline Transport Pilot Certificate (R-ATP) at 1000 flight hours.
Students can obtain their initial ratings in fewer flight hours.
Similar to medium and large Part 61 flight schools, Part 141 schools operate large fleets of aircraft with reputable maintenance departments. This not only enhances fleet commonality, but reduces the number of flight training delays a student will experience.

Cons:

Part 141 programs tend to take far longer to complete than Part 61 programs, with most taking 2 to 4 years to complete, as they are typically done in conjunction with a college degree.
Part 141 programs at universities often operate in a bureaucratic manner, similar to many of the largest Part 61 schools, where each student is treated as a number.
Administrators at Part 141 schools frequently have no direct connection to aviation, leading to discrepancies between flight operations and company policies.
Due to the high number of students trained at these schools, it can be far more challenging to be hired on as a CFI after graduation.
Part 141 programs typically cost far more than Part 61 schools. Even with obtaining a degree concurrently, Part 61 programs are generally far cheaper and faster.

Part 141 schools can be a great option for anyone looking to obtain their pilot certificates and ratings at a university, as they can open many doors for future employment. However, it should be noted that these programs require greater financial and time commitments than Part 61 schools.

Independent Flight Instruction

Another way that many students choose to obtain their ratings is by working with an independent CFI. Independent CFIs, like flight schools, must follow regulations set forth by the FAA. These instructors train their students to meet Part 61 requirements, but do not need to follow a syllabus. However, these instructors typically do follow a syllabus to help optimize their students' flight training experience.

Bear Lake From the Sky: Utah/Idaho Border

Pros:

Training with an independent CFI can offer a very flexible training program.
Using an independent CFI is frequently cheaper than training at a flight school.
The student has greater control of their training schedule.
Students who train with an independent CFI are not committed to a flight school and may have an easier time switching programs if desired.

Cons:

Instruction received from an independent CFI is generally less consistent than training obtained at a flight school. Where these CFIs do not have a syllabus that they are required to follow, the results can be hit or miss and will largely depend on the quality of the instructor.
Many students who choose to train with an independent CFI purchase their own airplanes. On the surface, this can appear to be a more cost-efficient strategy. However, in reality, this is rarely the case. When the plane requires maintenance, whether that be routine or non-routine, the airplane owner, in this case the student, is the one who will need to find an airplane mechanic and pay for the repairs. Whereas many flight schools, like Axiom Aviation, have a full-time in-house maintenance team. Training in a personal airplane also leads to additional delays as the student is limited to using one airplane. Meaning that whenever it goes down for maintenance, the student is grounded.
Most students who receive their training from an independent CFI will typically rent airplanes. This can come with many of the same problems as training in a personally owned aircraft. While the student is not responsible for maintaining the aircraft, most rental fleets are very small, with many consisting of only one aircraft. While flight school planes also go down for maintenance, schools like Axiom Aviation, that have a substantial fleet, are less impeded by maintenance delays, as having additional aircraft offers students far more flexibility.
Independent CFIs generally lack the necessary connections with DPEs that flight schools offer. Flight schools like Axiom Aviation have built rapport with DPEs for years and typically have a much easier time scheduling checkrides than independent CFIs who do not have the same levels of rapport.
Working with an independent CFI limits you to working with just one CFI. At a flight school such as Axiom Aviation, students are assigned to fly with one instructor but will frequently have the opportunity to fly with a variety of CFIs, giving them a more diverse flight training experience.
Independent CFIs typically lack the resources and connections required to help students find employment after they complete their training. Select flight schools are able to guarantee their students a job as a flight instructor after graduation.
Flight schools usually have airline partnerships, like Axiom Aviation’s partnership with SkyWest Airlines. Independent CFIs do not have these direct connections with airlines. During times of slow hiring, these partnerships are critical in helping someone land a job at an airline.

Working with an independent CFI can be a more cost-effective flight training option, but more often than not, it takes far longer and is more expensive than a student anticipates. Students who train with an independent CFI finish their training with the same FAA certificates as anyone else, but they lack the connections that flight schools offer.

Conclusion

There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to flight training. Every student has a different learning style, just as every instructor has a different teaching style. Aspiring pilots should thoroughly research all potential avenues for flight training before committing to a program, as these programs will lay the foundation for their careers. This can be done in a variety of ways, but one of the best ways is to schedule a tour of the flight school and consider doing a discovery flight. This will give students first-hand experience with a school and more information about said school than any internet search.

Regardless of what type of flight school a student chooses to attend, the best course of action that any aspiring pilot should take is to start flying as soon as possible. The barrier to entry for becoming a pilot is only growing as flight training is becoming more expensive year after year. The sooner a pilot begins training, the sooner they obtain their ratings and begin their career in the skies.

Interested in becoming a pilot? Give us a call at (262)297-2568. Or email us at info@flyaxiom.com