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California Flight Schools
A career in aviation is lucrative and exciting, and there are many California flight schools that make certification easy. More and more people have abandoned their tedious nine to five jobs in search of something more fulfilling—only to find that piloting is what they were looking for. Plus, the demand for skilled pilots is higher than ever, and major airlines are eager to hire newly-certified students.
The California Flight Academy is located in the sunny city of San Diego, where the clear skies and temperate climate make for perfect flying conditions. The Flight Academy offers introductory students a comprehensive program in attaining their Private Pilot License (PPL). Different PPLs allow pilots to fly private planes, helicopters, gyroplanes, or balloons (usually any small aircraft without remuneration). To achieve the PPL, students must 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 between 9,000 and 10,000 dollars–a price tag that includes plane rental, books and supplies, test fees, and an FAA examiner fee.
Tradewinds Aviation is one of the premier Northern California flight schools. Located in the San Jose/San Francisco area, Tradewinds offers professional training in a friendly environment. The instructors are happy to answer any questions and give tours of the campus to prospective students just dropping by. For those who are just considering a career in aviation, Tradewinds offers an introductory flight for only $180. The intro flight is a 2-hour lesson that gives students the fundamentals; the first hour is spent on ground lessons that teach the basics of flight and the second hour involves actual air time. While in the air student take control and learn basic maneuvers like climbs, turns and descents. The whole package comes with a map of the Bay Area aeronautical chart, a log book for future flights and a subscription to a flight training magazine. It’s smart to give piloting a try before committing a lot of time and money to it.
ATP (Airline Transport Professionals) Flight School has locations in Long Beach and Riverside and Sacremento, making it one of the most popular California flight schools. ATP boasts that they have the most successful hiring ratio for students who complete their courses–giving those graduates the competitive edge. The Airline Transport Pilot license is the highest certificate a pilot can achieve.
After a pilot has earned their PPL and commercial licenses, they can receive their ATP by completing written test and air tests. Day one is dedicated to two 2-hour flights with an instructor, as well as some review of practices and airplane manuals. Day two is dedicated to a flight check, where an instructor accompanies students on a test flight after giving them an oral quiz–all of which should take about five hours. The price of classes/certification is $2,495 and can be scheduled during any day of the week.