Tell us a little about yourself?
My name is Chris Colon and I am a newly licensed private pilot with American Flyers! I served four years in the United States Marine Corps and have had jobs from field artillery to motorcycle sales.
How did you get into flying?
After making a friend who flies for American Airlines and hearing about his experiences, my girlfriend actually became much more interested in piloting and eventually helped me decide to shift my focus to piloting.
Tell us how you went about choosing a flight school?
Fortunately, it didn’t take much looking for me to find American Flyers. They were incredibly helpful and courteous and were part 141 certified and had everything that I was looking for. Throughout my training at American Flyers, my instructors have made themselves available constantly to answer any questions I could possibly think of and push me throughout my program and hold the standards high to promote confidence in my own abilities. This is true not only of just my own instructors, but of all of them.
What made you choose American Flyers?
After touring the facility and meeting several friendly faces, I knew I found my school. Having the availability to schedule and use simulators for free is also invaluable. Since being a student here, I’ve used them on my own time to learn, reinforce, and improve everything I’ve learned.
How much outside studying did you have to put in during your time with AF?
The journey hasn’t been the easiest, but dedicating 2-3 hours of studying per day really solidified my foundation in aviation knowledge.
What is your most memorable moment at American Flyers?
The most memorable moment and by far the biggest payoff for me was my first solo flight. My instructor Matt and my girlfriend were both there to witness a huge accomplishment for me and it was incredible.
Looking back, what advice would you give someone interested in starting pilot training?
If I could give anyone advice for getting into aviation, it would be to take a discovery flight. Go see how incredible flying can be and then decide how far you want to take it!
What’s next for you?
With my private pilot license completed, my instrument and commercial ratings are now a work in progress, with CFI soon after. Down the line, my goal would be to be hired on as a first officer with Horizon Air and ultimately Alaskan Airlines.
If you could fly anywhere, go to any flying destination, where would it be?
If I could travel to any destination, Lukla Airport takes that distinction, simply so I could see the Himalayas in person and from the sky.
He also added: These factors combined make American Flyers the go-to for learning to fly, no matter what your goal in aviation is.