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Alaska Flight Schools
There is no better time for those considering a career in aviation; the demand for pilots has grown significantly over the last couple of years, and many airlines are willing to hire certified students straight out of flight school. Students who attend one of the many Alaska flight schools can earn an ATP (Air Transport Pilot) in the scenic Northwest.
Above Alaska Aviation is located on the away from the “hustle” of Anchorage at Talkeenta State Airport, forty-five minutes from Mt. McKinley, making it one of the most prominent rural Alaska flight schools. Located in the bush (rural) of the state, it’s only appropriate that they offer the “Bush Course.” During ground lessons, students learn to judge landing conditions from the air–a valuable skill considering that many of the runways in rural Alaska are soft/short fields. Knowledgeable instructors will acquaint students with the learning plane–a 140hp 1960 champion 7 HC Super Champ. After learning the physics of takeoffs/landings, students hit the sky, where they put all their book work into practice by spotting safe landings and performing basic mountain-flying techniques (mountain weather hazards, density altitude effects, etc) However, Above Alaska Aviation offers a more comprehensive course that focuses specifically on mountain flying.
The cost of the bush flying course is $1199 and the mountain flying course is $1399 and can be scheduled via phone or email.
Due to its location in the large city of Anchorage, Take Flight Alaska is one of the most popular Alaska flight schools. Take Flight offers courses to accommodate every type of flight certification: private, instrument, commercial, multi-engine, and ATP (Air Transport Pilot). The private pilot license is the first accreditation that any pilot receives before moving on. To achieve the PPL, students spend at 40 hours in flight training–where they can choose between learning in a Cessna 152 or 172, pass theoretical written/oral tests and complete one check flight with a certified instructor. Earning a PPL usually costs around $8,000–a price tag that includes plane rental, books and supplies, test fees, and an FAA examiner fee. The minimum age for PPL certification is 17 years old. While a $8,000 program seems a little drastic, the price includes all 20 hours of in-flight training, Cessna rental, exam fees, and check flight fee (FAA-observed final flight). Once everything is put into perspective eight grand is far less than what anyone would spend on a four-year school.
Students seeking to earn their ATP need to have a valid Third Class medical certificate and a valid Commercial Pilot with Multiengine Land and Instrument Airplane ratings–students must also have logged at least 1500 airplane hours or 1200 helicopter hours. Those certified as with an ATP are authorized to act as pilots-in-command of an aircraft in air carrier service or any plane with a gross weight of over 12,500 pounds. An ATP is the highest certification a pilot can obtain.