A commitment to community values is an incredibly important characteristic to look for in a flight school. In fact, things like proper leadership, a collaborative learning environment. And attentive instructors may mean the difference between a passing or failing grade. And, when it comes to such an endeavor as learning to fly, you always want to give yourself the greatest chance of success by working with an organization that puts students first.
So, if you’re still on the fence about a particular flight school. Here are a few community values that they should show off in order to earn your business as a student. Let’s take a look.
1) Servant Leadership Style
The main goal of a flight school leader pursuing a servant philosophy is to always put their student’s needs first. It’s different from a traditional leadership style, where the main focus revolves around never-ending organizational growth. Servant leadership, on the other hand, is practically designed to build a strong community. With characteristics like empathy, understanding, foresight and awareness, a servant leader strives to help others rather than gather power.
2) Collaborative, Not Competitive, Environment
In some educational settings in the aviation industry, like the Air Force or a university program, you may find that faculty encourages a sense of competitiveness among peers. This stems from the organization’s reliance on certain donors, performance requirements, the need to “be the best”, and other things that simply shouldn’t apply at a private flight school. Instead, your instructors should encourage collaboration on their quest to help you become the best-possible licensed pilot.
3) Instructors Who Care
An instructor’s main goal should be to mold students into competent aviators – and while they get paid to do just that, they shouldn’t be motivated solely by their paycheck. The best flight instructors only reach such a high level by offering best-in-class service to every student. An easy way to know that your instructors care about your success is to ask about lesson plans and how they’re personalized to your learning style. If the flight school offers a cookie-cutter approach, rather than a lesson plan that’s developed around your goals, you’re better off moving on to the next candidate.
4) Communal Events
Some flight schools regularly host social events or offer networking opportunities for their students throughout the year. Engaging with your peers at events like these are a great way to build a sense of camaraderie with other like-minded individuals. Plus, it’s a great way to blow off steam after a long training session.
5) Giving Back To The Community
Another often overlooked aspect of signing up for a flight school is their attention to philanthropy. Whether offering community programs that get the youth involved in the aviation community, participating in volunteer organizations. Like Air Care Alliance or the Civil Air Patrol, or even donating tuition revenue to a specific cause, there are plenty of ways flight schools give back to the communities they serve. Make sure to ask about any charitable efforts or events that will help you become a more altruistic-focused pilot.
6) Relationships With Past Students
Another consideration for a potential flight school should be its relationships with past students. This provides good insight as to what you can expect by signing up for lessons. If the organization generally has solid reviews, are willing to offer up references, or even have a run-down as to alumni achievements or occupations, you can verify that their reputation is in good standing.
7) They Honor Their Students
From an annual awards ceremony to rotating recognition programs to a simple social media post that profiles individual students. There are plenty of ways flight schools can show appreciation for their clients. Those with the best community-building values always keep the focus on students who are trying to better themselves, taking pride in their accomplishments from the first lesson to final checkride.
Don’t Forget, A Flight School’s Community Values Matter
If you’ve narrowed down your list of flight schools and are trying to decide on the right one for you, always ask about these crucial community-driven values to make sure you’re giving yourself the best chance at success. When it comes to learning to fly, your leaders, instructors and peers will play a big role in how you approach your lesson plan.
From fostering a collaborative environment to displaying servant leadership qualities to accommodating your unique learning style, There are plenty of reasons you want a flight school focused on building community, not breaking it down.
Are you searching for a flight school with a sense of community? Take a look at Inflight’s training programs.
If you’re searching for a flight school that has built a student-centric training program, then turn to Inflight Pilot Training. With new facilities planned for 2023 and beyond, we’ve crafted our flight training programs around a growing sense of community.
Whether you want to pursue flying as a hobby or a career, we’ve helped countless students take the control wheel and soar to their favorite destinations. Together, we develop personalized plans designed around your goals. With a high-quality fleet of airplanes, experienced crew and diverse training programs, you’ll soar to new heights under our student-centered approach to leadership.
Let our team of certified flight instructors 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.
