Every year thousands of pilot certificates are issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). These certificates result from hard work and dedication from flight students nationwide. While pilot ratings are the same across the country, there are many different routes prospective pilots can take to obtain them. Some routes take longer than others, some are FAA-approved, and some are unique. At Axiom Aviation, we strive to teach to a higher level of proficiency and exceed minimum standards helping students obtain their ratings while becoming great pilots.
Two Categories of Flight Schools
The FAA has established two sets of regulations that students must follow to obtain their ratings. The first is Part 61. Under Part 61 students must meet certain requirements and pass an exam with a Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE). Students may undergo flight training with a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) who is not affiliated with any school or they may train with a flight school that follows 61 regulations. These schools and instructors may teach however they please, but the student must pass their FAA exams to obtain their ratings.
The other set of regulations is Part 141. Under this part, students may attend a Part 141 flight school that follows an FAA-approved Syllabus. These schools are typically associated with universities. While there are some perks to these programs, they typically take substantially longer and are more costly than Part 61 programs. Despite following an FAA-approved syllabus, these students must still complete the same exams that part 61 students do and there is no difference in the rating they receive. We recently did a full breakdown of the differences between Part 61 and Part 141 schools which you can check out here.
Length of Flight Training
The length of flight training can vary based on several factors, but most full-time programs will have students complete their training in 1 to 2 years. Full-time students at Axiom Aviation students typically complete the course in about 1 year but this can be done faster based on the student's availability and determination. There are select Part 61 programs that allow students to complete their ratings in well under a year. However, it should be noted that many of these programs offer sub-par flight instruction. This is not because their instructors give poor instruction, but is primarily because these institutions implement curriculums that are solely focused on pushing students to meet minimum requirements and pass tests.
Students in these programs often find themselves performing maneuvers and landings to the same standards in the same places repeatedly throughout their training. While practice makes perfect, it should be noted that situations change and no two landings are ever the same. Due to the ever-changing nature of aviation, teaching students to rinse and repeat the same performance at the same spot strictly on clear weather days can help prepare them for a checkride (pilot exam) but does a poor job of preparing them to fly in a variety of conditions.
A Better Way to Train
The Airman Certification Standards (ACS) dictate what student pilots are to be tested on and set the parameters for each maneuver and landing. At Axiom Aviation we strive to train students to exceed standards as we train for proficiency. In doing so we train students on how to pass their tests but due to our proficiency-based training, our graduates go into the world with high-quality experiences that better prepare them for flying in adverse conditions in an ever-changing environment.
A great example of this is how we train students for landings. One of the landings Private Pilot Students will be tested on is known as the Short-Field landing. This landing requires a student to pick a spot on the runway and land on that spot. The purpose of the maneuver is to prepare students for landing on a short runway which could require them to utilize the entirety of the runway. Many schools that are solely focused on pushing students through their programs as fast as possible tend to have their students practice landings strictly at one or two predetermined airports while landing on the same point of the runway every time. At a proficiency-based school, we have our students fly to dozens of airports and train them to properly control their aircraft and manage their energy in such a way that they can land on any point of any runway.
Another appropriate example would be cross-country flying. Cross-country flights are defined as flying to another airport that is at least 50 miles away. Here at Axiom, we fly all over the Western US taking students to unique and challenging airports in an attempt to prepare them for a variety of flight circumstances. Many number-focused schools restrict their students to flying to a limited number of predetermined airports. These airports typically have large runways and are in open valleys. While this is a very safe approach to flight training, pilots must learn to safely navigate more difficult terrain which is why at Axiom we place a big focus on mountain flying.
Stay Safe and Fly Proficiently
At Axiom our primary focus is safety. Everything we do is to train safe and proficient pilots. This includes pushing students to deal with more challenging situations to prepare them for potential scenarios they may experience later in their flying careers.
Have any questions on proficient flight training? Give us a call at 262-297-4568. Or email us at info@flyaxiom.com
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