What You Need to Know About Flight Training
Whether you are just researching information to become a pilot or looking to advance your pilot skills, there are many things to consider before you begin Flight Training. If you are considering getting a pilot certificate or rating there are a few very important things to know. Such as the difference between flight schools.
Part 61 or Part 141
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) provides regulations that dictate what aeronautical knowledge, flight training, and flight experience a pilot applicant must have to acquire a given pilot certificate or additional aircraft rating. These requirements are spelled out in either Part 61 or Part 141 of the Federal Aviation Regulations, and “Parts” are basically “chapters” in the FAA’s Regulation book.
Part 61
This Part addresses the certification of pilots, flight instructors, and ground instructors and provides the requirements to achieve various pilot and instructor certificates and ratings (additional permissions for flying). If you are considering Part 61 training, you will want to be sure that a training syllabus is being used to ensure that your training meets all the FAA requirements for topics, experience, and performance standards, and you will need to be keenly involved in your flight training to make sure that your money and time is being spent wisely.
Part 141
This Part addresses the certification of flight schools. A “Part 141 Flight School” simply means that a flight school has applied to the FAA to become a certificated flight school. Once approved, the school must ensure the quality of instruction. An approved training syllabus must be used and followed along with proper recordkeeping documentation. The training aircraft will receive “conformity checks” from the FAA maintenance inspectors to ensure they are airworthy and well-maintained, and the FAA will approve a Chief Flight Instructor (CFI) to oversee the training programs, flight instructors, support staff, and aircraft maintenance. The school needs to have FAA approval prior to changing the training curriculum or adding airplanes.
Safety in Motion Flight Center can provide training in accordance with both regulations. We evaluate each student individually to determine which regulation’s training program would be to their financial benefit. This is especially important for students who transfer to us from other schools, where enrollment into a Part 141 program to complete training for a specific certificate or rating may prove to be more expensive. Again, our focus is on your success in attaining your training goals and doing so in the most cost-effective way possible!
(Check out our Cost Calculator to estimate your Flight Training costs.)
False statements/information regarding training under Part 141:
Training under Part 141 takes longer and is more expensive.
False! Training under Part 141 can be achieved in fewer flight hours (and since you are paying per hour, that means less cost). As an example, the Private Pilot minimum hours under Part 141 are 35 hours, while under Part 61 they are 40 hours. An instrument rating under Part 141 is 35 hours and under Part 61 approximately 90 hours!
Training under Part 141 is for people looking to go to the airlines.
False! Part 141 provides a safeguard to students ensuring quality standards are in place, that the training meets all of the FAA requirements (the same list as provided under Part 61), and that students are prepared for the practical exam. It is true that airlines and other aviation industry flight departments like to see graduates from a structured and standardized course of training, but it is typically not a requirement. Just think of Part 141 as an insurance policy to ensure you are receiving everything the FAA requires you to have and the quality standards necessary to pass the practical exam (a.k.a. “checkride”).
Part 141 requires that a training syllabus be followed.
True! YOU WANT TO USE A SYLLABUS! Regardless of whether you are looking at a Part 61 school or a Part 141 school if they are not using a training syllabus—go find another school. The syllabus will ensure that you know where you are in your training, that all the knowledge and flight proficiency tasks have been taught, and that standards of performance to prepare you for the final practical exam have been met. Additionally, a syllabus organizes your lessons into a ‘building block’ configuration so that you learn new skills after acquiring foundational knowledge/skills (e.g., You need to know how to steer and operate the car before being taught to parallel park). You will most assuredly become frustrated spending excess time and money training with a program that is neither structured nor standardized.
Should I train at a Flight School, Flight Academy, or College?
This depends on your goals, timeline, and financial situation. Here are some quick points for each option:
Flight School
Flight schools specialize in one thing, Flight Training. The level and complexity of that training vary between schools, with smaller schools offering specialized training such as tailwheel airplanes or a Sport Pilot certificate, up to larger schools like Safety in Motion Flight Center that offer programs ranging from Sport Pilot up to Airline Transport Pilot, and much more. Some schools like ours allow you to pay as you go, while others require money up-front (be very careful of schools requiring up-front payments and read the fine print). With advance notice and if you commit the time to learn, flight schools can typically keep up with your pace of training, even if you want to fly every day. Because most flight schools are not configured like colleges, financial aid options can be limited. Some schools like Safety in Motion Flight Center, affiliate with local colleges and universities, the Veteran’s Administration, and other entities that can assist if additional financial assistance is needed/desired. We realize that each student has different needs and goals, so your training program is individualized and tailored accordingly.
Flight Academies
Academies are focused on getting pilots directly to the airlines in the most time-efficient way possible. These programs typically require paying for the full program in advance and training to a testing standard that will allow for rapid flight-time building for an airline-focused career. This type of training will typically not allow you to have a job, as your time will be spent either in training or flight time building. The programs are fast-paced and usually have an expectation that you have studied all the required knowledge topics prior to starting the program. Again, read the enrollment paperwork! Some of these programs will indicate they have fully earned the money after 50% of your training is completed and if you are not making satisfactory progress, they can terminate your training and keep the remaining money. These programs can run from $60,000 to over $100,000, so be sure you are fully informed and understand the expectations and requirements before signing any agreements.
Colleges & Universities
Some colleges and universities offer flight degree programs that include flight training. Although these programs can take much longer to complete than the flight schools and academies, they typically provide more financial assistance options through Federal Grant and Loan programs, Bank Student Loans, etc. Another big advantage if your goal is to fly for the airlines, is that they typically have FAA approval allowing you to meet the airline hiring minimums with less flight time experience (in some cases reduced by 500 flight hours). As mentioned, some flight schools such as Safety in Motion Flight Center, are affiliated with local colleges and provide flight training for their programs. Learn more.
To find out more about how we can assist you with your specific flight training needs, simply CONTACT US. We strongly recommend scheduling either an in-person, Zoom, or telephone meeting to discuss your specific flight training requirements.
