Want to Go to Flight School? Two Different Ways You Can Earn Your Wings
If you have decided to go to flight school, you already know that it takes hard work. Knowing you will end up with your wings in the end is a good motivator, however. Before you start school, you should learn the different ways you can earn your wings, two of which are listed below. This will help you determine which would be best for you.
Accelerated Training Program
If you want to get your certification quickly, you should consider an accelerated training program. You will have to work much harder if you choose this, but your efforts will be well worth it. When you go to flight school, it will take intensive studying, as well as hundreds of hours flying in the air. With an accelerated training program, however, you will be able to get your wings and start flying solo much sooner than you would with a traditional course.
With this type of program, you can finish your training in a few weeks or months instead of it taking you a few years. Instead of taking one flying lesson per week, you will take multiple flying lessons. A program like this is much like a job where you will likely be attending school full-time. For this reason, you should be 100% certain that you want to gain your certificate to become a pilot.
Part 61 Instruction
If you work full time and need to have more flexibility when it comes to your training, Part 61 instruction would work well for you. Part 61 does not have special inspection requirements when it comes to the instructors, curriculum, facilities, or aircraft. Even though this is the case, you will still obtain high quality training to obtain your certificate.
The courses are not consolidated, but this gives you much more time to learn the material. The flying lessons are also much slower, and you may fly only one or two times per week.
If you choose Part 61 instruction, you need to be careful in choosing the flight instructor. Check their credentials, as well as how much experience they have. If possible, talk with other students that have been at the flight school for some time to get their opinion. Talk with a few instructors before you make your choice.
You can find more information from the Federal Aviation Administration and schools like the Institute of Aviation at Parkland College on different ways to obtain your wings.