Choosing A Flight School - How To Begin Your Flight Training Research

Choosing a flight school is a very personal decision. You will be investing a great deal of time and money throughout your flight training experience. The flight school that you choose will obviously play an important role in the type of pilot that you become. It is imperative that you analyze your flight training options just as you would for any investment. Some people research the purchase of a camera more than their choice of flight schools. Improper research and guidance prior to beginning your flight training could lead to potential devastating results with a significant loss of time and money.

To begin your flight school search, you must first understand the two types of flight training and flight school options that you have available (FAA part 61 flight schools and FAA part 141 flight schools).

There are two different types of flight schools from which you can receive flight training to obtain your pilot license. There are flight schools that operate under Federal Aviation Regulations Part 61 and those that operate under Federal Aviation Regulations Part 141. Each flight school needs to provide you with specific training required by the FAA. The difference between a part 61 and a part 141 flight school is how the training is accomplished.

In the FAA's book of rules and guidelines (FARS, which stands for federal aviation regulations) they have listed requirements and completion standards for the various pilot licenses that you can acquire. You simply need to decide which type of flight school and training environment will be best for you.

FAA Part 61 Flight Schools

Flight schools that operate under rules governed by FAR 61 are granted more flexibility than part 141 schools. Under part 61, the FAA does not require the flight instructor's curriculum to follow a syllabus. While they must adhere to the educational requirements (what needs to be covered) of the FAA, instructors can choose when and where to cover required materials based on student progress.

Students of a part 61 flight school are not required to complete a formal ground school program. If they wish, students can complete home study courses, or simply review material with a qualified flight instructor. Although not required to complete any formal ground school training, part 61 students must still pass the FAA practical exam for the license they are training for.

FAA Part 141 Flight Schools

Flight schools operating under part 141 train within a more structured environment than their part 61 counterparts. Under part 141, flight schools must operate with an FAA approved syllabus. Instructors and students must adhere to the approved syllabus throughout the entire training. Periodically, a student will take stage checks administered by either the chief flight instructor or his/her designees. Students are also required to complete a certain number of hours of classroom instruction or one on one ground instruction with a flight instructor. As in a part 61 school, students must pass the FAA practical exam for the license they are training for.

Because part 141 schools operate under a more structured environment than part 61 schools, the FAA requires fewer flight training hours in a part 141 school versus a part 61 school. For example, the FAA requires a minimum of 40 flight hours to obtain a private pilot license through a part 61 school vs. the 35 minimum flight hours for part 141 schools. The hour difference may be insignificant in some cases. The national average indicates that most students require 65 to 70 hours of flight training before the instructor and student feels ready for the private pilot flight exam. Another example of the hour difference is in the commercial pilot license requirement. Part 61 requires 250 hours of flight time while part 141 has a minimum of 190 flight hours.

These are the basic differences between a part 61 flight school and a part 141 flight school. Some part 61 schools simply find it impractical to qualify for a part 141 operating certificate. The beauty here is that you have a choice regarding the structure of your flight training. Both school types have their benefits and both have their share of stellar programs and instructors.

Your aviation dreams and goals play an important factor in the type of flight school that you choose. With the proper research, your flight training experience will lead to great accomplishments and self satisfaction. Enjoy the ride. You are about to embark on a journey that only a small percentage of the world will do!

Jeff Miller has been flying professionally for 22 years. In addition to flying, Jeff has a consulting business. His services range from general aviation consulting to providing advice to those looking for direction in the pursuit of pilot certification. Additionally, Jeff has published a book entitled "The Path To Flight-An Insider's Guide To Pursuing Flight Training". His book provides over 60 pages of insider's information for those looking to learn how to fly.He is currently a captain on a Boeing 737 for a major commercial airline.

For additional information on Jeff's book, see his web site at [http://pathtoflight.com]

To contact Jeff send a message to jeffmiller@pathtoflight.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeffrey_S_Miller

Read More

Guide To Choosing The Right Flight School

Flying an aircraft is the most exhilarating activity man could ever learn, and where height is the ultimate challenge. It takes both skills and dogged determination so as to obtain a career in navigating an aircraft.

Determination is an innate quality that pilots must possess in order to endure the rigid training of flight operations.

On the other hand, skills are being learned in a flight school. That is why, it is important for a pilot wannabe to get the best flight school available so as to acquire the necessary skills needed in order to pilot an aircraft.

In this manner, it can be assumed that the skill of a pilot will be entirely dependent on the type of flight school he or she has enrolled in. It can be considered that all flight schools teach the same basic procedure in navigating an aircraft but the kind of approach they use in disseminating the information varies.

For this reason, it is a must for every aspiring pilot to deliberate upon the requisites of an efficient flight school. To determine its efficiency, here's a checklist on what to look for in a flight school:

1. Proficient instructors

What the students learn will depend on how efficient the instructor is. That's why, it is important to check on the capabilities and qualities of the instructors in a certain flight school so as to ensure efficient and effective training.

2. Flight course

A good flight school must have a comprehensive and innovative pilot course. So, when looking for one, you must check on the details of the course outline. It must have thorough specifications on the lesson plans, learning goals, and the date of every flying session.

Remember to check the course outline for the addition of pre and post-flight consultation and stage checks.

3. The training tools

The training tools are very crucial in the learning process. These will initiate the proper learning process. Hence, when looking for good flight schools, check if they have diagrams, computer, videos, and model training tools. It will keep your discussions more realistic and comprehensive.

4. Check the aircraft.

A good and efficient flight schools must have enough aircraft to convene to your flight training needs. The aircraft should also be well equipped with different gadgets that will resemble to the actual aircraft being used. There should be Mode C transponder, and intercom.

Check also if the aircraft are properly maintained and well taken care of.

5. Services

Like any typical schools, flight schools must also have comfortable, sanitary, sufficient classroom size and number. It must also have other facilities like lounge, library, and flight planning area.

6. Payments and Refunds.

Be sure that the flight school you want to enrol in should have refund policies. Otherwise, do not pay the tuition fee in full.

So, now that you know the very essential factors that you have to consider in choosing a flight school, the next thing that you have to do is to look for a good flight school and have your registration forms ready.

But before you register, here are some things that you have to do first:

1. Gather data

Now that you have a checklist, it would be easier for you to look for a good flight school. But first, you must compile all the probable flight schools in a list. In doing so, you will have a vision on how many probable flight schools are there in your area.

2. Check on the two flight schools

Personally visit the two top flight schools of your choice. Evaluate the flight school if it is good enough for your training. Use your checklist when evaluating the school.

You can further maximize your evaluation by interviewing some students in the school and the instructors. Through their answers, you can get the hint if the flight school is good or not.

3. Decisive moment

After all of these things had been done, it is now high time that you finally decide which flight school is good for you. Just keep in mind that when choosing a flight school make sure that it had met all the requirements you need in your checklist.

Also, it is important that you consider the tuition fee. Do not be too constraint with the high tuition fees of flight schools. Besides, you can always expect some quality training in expensive flight schools. There may come a time that even if you have chosen a cheaper flight school, you might only end losing more in the end.

For more great flight school info and advice check out: [http://www.top-flight-schools.com]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Morris

Read More