If you considering a flight training career, there are over 1400 flight school and aviation colleges in this country so there’s big selection to choose from. How do you decide which aviation college or flight school is right for you? You need to do your homework even before you apply to an aviation college. What to consider for the right
aviation college.Facilities
Make sure the place is clean and well-maintained. Check the condition of the fleet and the surrounding environment. If the facility is cluttered, unattended to or even run down, chances are your training will be the same.
Are the planes new? If not, how old are they? How many planes are in the fleet? Are they properly maintained and do you have access to the maintenance logs? A training plane should be serviced after every 100 hours of flight time. It doesn’t have to be new to fly but it does have to well-maintained.
Professionalism and Pride
More than any other vocation, commercial piloting is a business of professionals. It is imperative that you keep a professional attitude at all times. So where does all this professionalism begin? It begins at flight college.
Tour the facility you are considering and meet the faculty. Do they treat you professionally and respectfully? Are they proud about what they are doing? If the flight college doesn’t have a professional feeling and a business-like attitude then maybe the school isn’t right for you.
Student Housing Options
You are most likely going to be living away from home when you attend an aviation college and housing can get pretty expensive. Take a look at housing facilities at the prospective flight school – if they even offer it. Check the local market for real estate listings, prices and availability.
Location
Location is just as important with an aviation college as it is with a piece of real estate property. A good location with year round temperate weather conditions is a big plus - you can log more flying hours faster, get your degree quicker and be on the way sooner to your new career.
Does the flight school or aviation college give you a choice of payment plans or do they want all their money up front? It is important to have payment plans and options. We are still in tough economic times and that makes it even tougher for a flight school student.