Are you searching for a reputable Minneapolis flight school? If you’ve dreamed of taking to the skies, setting out toward the horizon in a private plane, the first step is to find the right group of instructors willing to help you successfully become certified. It’s important that you choose a flight school that caters to your learning style, personality and desired timeline. As such, there are some key questions you should ask when visiting with a potential flight instruction partner.
1) How Many Certified Flight Instructors (CFIs) Are On Staff?
One of the first things you should ask about is the number of CFIs on staff. If their roster isn’t deep, you find that instructors are not as readily available or it may take longer to become certified. A Minneapolis flight school with more instructors also indicates a more robust business, which may mean better aircraft to learn on, better learning facilities and more networking perks, among other benefits.
2) What Certifications & Accolades Do Your CFIs Have?
Many instructors will have achieved much more than just a CFI rating throughout their piloting career. Those instructors that have progressed beyond CFI, achieving commercial or aviation transport pilot certifications and everything in between, and are much more experienced and will provide you with higher-quality lessons.
3) Will I Work With The Same CFI Or Multiple?
This is dependent upon your learning style, but some students thrive under the guidance of one or two flight instructors who will be able to teach them on a more personal level. Others prefer a variety of instruction styles and may benefit from a lesson plan that involves learning from multiple CFIs.
4) How Many Students Are Currently Enrolled?
Again, this may be up to personal preference, but make sure to inquire about the total number of students currently enrolled at a potential flight school. You may prefer the camaraderie of learning within a smaller group or even one-on-one, or you may find advantages from a larger group of students with more diverse personalities.
5) What’s The Pass/Fail Rate?
The number of students who pass compared to the number of students who drop out gives you a good gauge on the effectiveness of the flight school’s instructors. Ask about their pass/fail rate and follow up with some questions about the steps they take to ensure student’s success.
6) What Types Of Certification & Ratings Do You Offer?
For those just starting the process of learning to fly, there are several flight schools in Minneapolis that will offer private pilot licenses (PPL). The best schools, however, will go beyond PPLs and may offer things like instrument, commercial and airline pilot training. They may also offer accelerated programs for those students who want to fast-track the training process and become certified in a much shorter period of time. Plus, if you want to advance past private pilot, you can continue to learn at the same location where you’re comfortable.
7) Why Are You Better Than Other Minneapolis Flight Schools?
Ask the potential flight school for some hard examples of why they’re better than other Minneapolis flight schools. Maybe their curriculum is more rigid, the instructors have more experience or their fleet of airplanes is more modern – regardless, they should be willing to help you understand what sets their school apart.
8) Can You Put Me On An Aviation-Related Career Path?
You may have big dreams of being a professional pilot someday. That’s great! First, however, make sure a flight school has the resources to help you succeed on this exciting new career path. This could come in the form of certain ratings or certifications, professional networking events, or partnerships with universities, job agencies or airlines. Additionally, ask about how many students go on to a career in aviation to help you understand the success of their approach to professional development.
9) What’s Your Safety Record?
Of course, you don’t want to choose a flight school that doesn’t put your safety above all else. Ask for information about how they educate their students on different aspects of safety, including awareness in the sky, emergency procedures and insurance needs.
10) Are There Hidden Fees Or Financing Options?
Cost is always a big consideration for an aspiring student pilot. After all, it’s a big investment to learn to fly. The flight school in question should be transparent with their pricing, with a crystal clear fee structure. Also, the better schools offer financing options that can help you unload the burden of paying for everything up front.
Are you ready to sign up at a reputable Minneapolis flight school?
There’s no better time to start than now. And, there’s no better team to get you to where you want to go than Inflight Pilot Training. We can help you achieve your dreams of becoming a certified pilot for a fun hobby or as a career. We’ve helped countless people take the control wheel and soar the skies, whether through accelerated pilot programs, commercial licensing, ATP certification or anything else – we do it all under one roof.
Let our diverse team of CFIs elevate your learning experience as you take to the skies. If you’re interested in learning more about Inflight programs, contact us today or call (952) 698-3000.
