You’ve heard me say this many times before, but there has never been a better time to start your flight training! If you’ve been thinking about starting, don’t procrastinate. Here is a short list of why you should start right now:
Airlines are hiring. Beginning in 2020, with the onset of COVID, most airlines and corporate companies stopped hiring due to the drop-off in travel. On top of the hiring freeze, they also provided early retirement benefits to thousands of pilots. Now that people are traveling again, most airlines have begun hiring again. In all likelihood, the pilot shortage we will experience over the next five to ten years will be much worse than anything experienced before. This will ensure jobs for interested career-orientated pilots for years to come.
Financing options for our students have never been better. The financial crisis of 2008 led most lenders to believe there was too much risk in financing flight training. After all, where were students going to get jobs? Today, banks look at flight training in a different light. They see the potential for jobs that offer high earnings. As long as you, or a cosigner, have decent credit, you can take advantage of many different loan options.
We are updating our fleet. Starting five years ago, we decided to purchase six Frasca G-1000 simulators. The purchase was such a success that we decided to purchase more Frascas for each of our schools. These simulators are capable of teaching students in both the G-1000 and the traditional six pack. They’re not only dependable, but they also provide the most up-to-date avionics platform in any simulator utilized by flight schools.
We are also updating our aircraft. Over 70 percent of our fleet consists of the Piper Pilot 100i. Each airplane is equipped with the Garmin G3X that allows toggling between round dials and tape displays in a touch screen format. We will complete our fleet conversion from Cessnas to Pipers over the next two years.
All of this new technology will ensure that a student learns the “how and why” when using the traditional six pack. Once these skills are mastered, they will have the opportunity to fly the most advanced technology the industry has to offer.
Flying is fun and easy! People ask me all the time, is it hard to fly an airplane? The answer is “no, it’s a ton of fun!” Please don’t let fear of the unknown keep you from your dreams. If you’re not sure about flying, start with an introductory flight. We offer one hour of flight, thirty minutes of ground instruction, and thirty minutes in a state-of-the-art simulator for $199. It is, without a doubt, the best bang for your buck.
I hope I have inspired you to take your first step towards flight training. Whether you’re looking for a non-career course or you’re working towards a job in the industry, we have a program that is just for you. Call us and let us know how we can help you achieve your aviation goals.
American Flyers Spotlight: Featured Instructors May 2024
April 24, 2024
Luke Byerly – CFI at Scottsdale, AZ (SDL) My favorite part of American Flyers is