1 Day / 1 - 2 Hrs

This is your first experience behind the controls of a small General Aviation aircraft. A Flight Instructor will show you around an airplane, allow you to taxi and usually take off (with assistance). While in the air you will get to fly the airplane, learn the basics of how to maneuver, and bring the plane back around for landing. The Discovery Flight is where most people who become pilots become addicted to the sky. You will forever be looking up to see which aircraft is passing over head and imagining yourself behind the controls!

1 - 3 Months / Minimum 40 hrs flight training

During your Private Pilot Training you will learn how to safely and confidently fly the aircraft. You will learn how to perform maneuvers such as steep turn and slow flight, how to take off and land the airplane in different situations, and what to do in case you ever find yourself in an emergency situation. By the end of training you will be able to successfully fly the aircraft without help from you instructor. After completing your Private Pilot Check ride you will officially be able to rent an airplane or buy one of your own and go on any adventures you desire!

1 - 3 Months / Minimum 50 hrs of flight training

Instrument Training is all about learning how to fly the aircraft without being able to see outside. This might sound scary but this time will teach you how to trust your instruments and how to fight any mixed signals your body could be giving you. While in your instrument training, you will most likely get your first opportunity to fly into clouds. This is usually a little spooky the first time you enter a cloud and can see nothing but white around you, but the feeling of popping out the top of a cloud layer and seeing that beautiful sky above makes it all worth it. While everyone on the ground is looking up and seeing a grey raining overcast day, you get to experience beautiful blue sky above all the mess.

3 - 6 Months / Minimum 250 total hrs of flight training

Now it’s time to get paid! Sort of… Getting your Commercial Pilot License is all about mastering the aircraft. The maneuvers you will be learning are more than just turns and landings. During Commercial you will learn how to manage the energy of the aircraft; how to land on a specific spot if you were to lose your engine, how to do a max performance climb, or how to do a steep descent over a specific spot in case of emergency. These might seem intense, but remember that after you have your license you will be able to take up paying customers so you must be an expert. After you have your license you have a handful of options to be a professional pilot like Becoming a Certified Flight Instructor, Crop dusting, Banner Towing, Fly Parachute Jumpers, and a few others. You’re not ready for the airlines yet, you need more experience before you can get into a 737 or A320.

1 - 2 Months / 10 - 20 Hrs of flight training

For most new Commercial Pilots the next step will be getting your Flight Instructor Certificate. This will allow you to be paid to teach others how to fly! Most pilots become a CFI to build their hours up to the minimum required to go to the airlines or to a corporate pilot position. While there are no minimum flight training hours required to take your CFI check ride, most people get between 10 - 20 hours of training to learn how to explain things in the aircraft and fly from the other seat. That’s right, as a CFI All the controls are now backwards as you have moved from the left seat to the right seat!

1 - 2 Months / 10 - 20 Hrs of flight training

Being a flight instructor is great, but you have to become a CFII to teach others how to fly in the clouds. The requirements for CFII are the same as becoming a CFI, but with some additional training on how to handle a student becoming disorientated and how to teach others to trust their instruments. You also tend to get a bit of a pay bump by getting your CFII so that’s always a nice incentive.

6 - 12 Months / Around 750 hrs

After reaching 750 hours you can start to look for other pilot jobs if Flight Instructing isn’t keeping you motivated. Most Part 135 operations require around 750 hours to be eligible to become a first officer for them. Part 135 operations can be anything from a small cargo company to a small charter company. While this may not seem very glamorous but it will get you into the seat of a more powerful airplane and instead of teaching you will be flying like a “real” pilot.

6 - 12 Months / 1500 Total flight hrs

You did it! at 1500 hours you are eligible to get an ATP/CTP Certificate and fly for a Part 121 Operation. This certificate allows you to fly airplanes with 20 or more passengers (among other thing). That means you can finally go to the airlines! While not everyone wants to go to an airline, most Corporate companies also require 1500 hours. While you are never going to be done learning, you reached the end of the hours building grind and can now begin the best career you can imagine!