One of the most important parts of pilot training is researching about the flight school before enrolling.
Right after graduating high school my friend Arsh and I were searching for flight schools. I shortlisted a few schools based on their fleet, reviews, and cost of training, on the other hand, Arsh impetuously enrolled in a flight school just because his friends did, assuming his friends must have done adequate research on the flight school. To his surprise, they did not do proper research. They suffered from everything from flight delays to hidden fees issues. Two months after enrolling they bought horses and ran away from that school, with their money of course.
Why did this happen? How can you avoid this? What are some very crucial questions that you must ask?
1. Student to instructor ratio and Class sizes
I would say the maximum number of students-to-Instructor ratio for flight training should not exceed 4 to ensure a high degree of personalized instruction. Ideally, It would be 3.
In my opinion, 3 students per instructor is right in the sweet spot.
Class sizes:
The more students the less attention you might be able to get from your instructor. There is no standard perfect number for what constitutes a good student-teacher ratio in ground instruction. But a good rule of thumb to follow: The smaller the student-teacher ratio, the better!
Make sure to ask them about the ground class size (Theory) and Student to instructor ratio (flight training).
2. Their Aircraft fleet
Although the fleet is mostly mentioned on flight schools’ websites it is important to ask about their fleet presently as the website may not be updated.
Flight schools boasting about their huge airplane fleet is a massive problem. For example, if a flight school has 12 airplanes mentioned in their brochure or website. The actual number of aircraft may be 6 as many of them are not flyable due to expired airworthiness certificates.
A not well-reputed flight school will always lie about aircraft availability to get more students. But it is difficult for them to accommodate all the students in the aircraft available for flight. As a result, your flight training will take longer than expected. If a school displays multiple operational aircraft, ask them how many have airworthiness.
3. Actual flight training cost
Many flight schools today try to underquote the price of the flight training course. They may give you an attractive price quotation which is not the actual flight training cost. They may have many hidden costs which they do not disclose initially. Only after enrolling you will realize that the actual flight training package is a lot more than the quotation you have received. There are many costs involved in flight training. Sometimes the flight training school will quote you only for renting the aircraft and a flight instructor.
Other costs involved such as:
- Taxes
- Airport takeoff and landing fees
- Exam fees
- Books and supplies
- Fuel
- Maintenence
- Insurance
To avoid surprise Pikachu face, when you request a flight training course quotation, clarify whether this price involves all the costs. Because you do not want to pay extra for your flight training, as flight training is already a costly course, you do not want to waste your money by being scammed.
Please verify whether you have to pay additional fees on top of the quotation you have received. A good flight school will not keep hidden costs and disclose all associated expenses in your initial pilot training course.
4. Is maintenance (AME/AMT/A&P) in-house (full-time maintenance employees)?
Full-time maintenance employees at flight school mean they have an on-site inventory of engines, propellers, avionics, and other components meaning that no airplane has to wait for basic parts or that they don’t have to wait for contracted 3rd party repairs. Which could delay maintenance which in turn would delay your training.
I would suggest you look at the actual aircraft in a school where students are flying. Spend some time in their hangar and talk to the technicians if they are present.
If the aircraft looks like it is in its death bed, it is best to buy a horse and ride away from that flight training school.
However, If there are plenty of aircraft mechanics present in the hangar and continuously doing a good job with aircraft, the school has well-maintained aircraft.
5. What if you decide to quit during your training, how much will you get back?
You should have the right to terminate your training at any time if you feel like it. Good flight schools will charge a cancellation fee and return your money back without hiccups. However, scammy flight schools make you sign a contract that will state that you cannot get your money back once you have paid them.
Read all contracts and policies properly.
You may also like: Choosing Pilot Training School in 2021 (India vs the USA)
FAQs
Should you ask about the weather to flight school?
Warmer climates offer more predictable flying conditions, which can be very useful in the elementary phases of your flight training. You’re less likely to experience a high number of weather-related delays, thus allowing you to maximize the frequency and consistency of time spent in an aircraft.
I feel like asking too many questions will piss off the flight school?
I can understand that but you should know that you’re going to invest loads of money. So make sure to spend it in the right school. As long as you’re polite with your questions you will get proper answers, even they want to make money
Flight School is not registered. They say that it is a sister company of a registered flight school.
Buy a horse and ……….. Thank you.
How to identify scammy flight schools?
They underquote their prices, compromise safety to save money, heavily emphasize on accelerated flight training etc. This deserves a separate blog.
What else can be done to know more about the flight school?
You can talk to current students or ex-student and get their honest opinion.
Thankyou so much for the knowledge but still i am confused with few thing it will be helpfull if u will look after the flying school’s brochure i am intrested in..!
Glad you found it helpful. Kindly email me the brochure at [email protected] and I’ll check it out.