Flight School

Part 61: What’s the Catch?

Part 61 schools are not without their faults. The smaller nature of Part 61 schools means their budgets are tighter, and that usually affects their fleet. Many Part 61 schools will utilize older aircraft to reduce costs. For some this could be considered a negative, and it is when certain schools attempt to slash costs further by cutting corners on maintenance.

What’s a Flight Club?

There is a another, less obvious option for the savvy student pilot. Flying Clubs are businesses that require monthly or annual membership fees, which help keep the club operating effectively. As a member, pilots have access to a wider variety of aircraft than what is available at most flight schools.

What Will My Training Look Like?

2-5 Flights per Week Training Time The more often you fly, the less time your training will take. If you can only commit one day a week to train, each week you will have forgotten some of what you learned prior, and your training will be a game of two steps forward, one step back. The minimum amount of flights per week we recommend is two, which ensures that you are progressing with each flight.

What are the Biggest Challenges?

For most PPL students, the most challenging aspects of their training are, by far, radio communications and landings. Let’s briefly explore these topics at a fundamental level.

What Will I Need to Start Flying?

Over the course of your training, some gear will be required. The list below includes those items as well as a few recommendations based on what we’ve encountered. This list is assuming you are just starting out flight training, with no prior experience, and that your training will be in the most popular training aircraft: Cessna Skyhawk 172.