Choosing a Flight School: Answers To Your Questions
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Let us begin with a concept that may surprise many at first. Motivation—or fun. Ultimately, fun is why most people fly. Nobody seeks a pilot certificate under duress and few do so because they believe it to be an easy path to food on the table and shelter over their heads. Indeed, learning how to fly may be among the most challenging things we choose to do in our lives. So why then do we do it? We do it because it’s fun. More than any other characteristic, a shared committment to flying defines us at Midwest Flight Academy. We live to be at the airport, in and around aircraft, and in the company of those who share this motivation. We enjoy nothing more than to share this enthusiasm with our students. This leads us to our first recommendation. When doing your research, visit the schools in person. Try to get a sense whether the staff and students are enjoying themselves. Enjoyment is key to motivation and motivation is essential for success. Consider the efficiency of a drab or oppressive versus an enthusiastic learning environment.
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Next is structure. At Midwest Flight Academy we believe that students are best served when structure is both provided and reciprocated. For example: A good flight school provides competent and enthusiastic instructors, an organized learning path or curriculum, and an environment conducive to efficient learning. The student’s role in ensuring the success of his/her program includes adhering to the schedule, coming to each lesson prepared, and making a sincere effort to communicate needs, questions, or uncertainties on an ongoing basis. Any breakdown of these elements by either party compromises structure and jeopardizes the progress of the student. Hence our next recommendation—don’t start your training and expect to be able to achieve any specific goals if either you or the school of your choice are unwilling to outline those goals and agree to a plan for obtaining them. Such a plan should include a schedule that is aggressive yet flexible, a detailed discussion of all elements needed to graduate including costs related, and any expectations on behalf of either party in writing. At Midwest Flight Academy each new student undergoes a counseling session that outlines a program to achieve the student’s goals, establishes a timeline for completion, sets a budget, and puts the critical elements in writing. Make sure the school of your choice is eager to work with you do develop such a plan.
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The aircraft and maintenance are other critical elements to consider. Are you paying $175 per hour for that brand new glass cockpit IFR trainer simply to get your Private Certificate? Likewise, although that 2-seat trainer is great on the pocketbook when it comes to primary training, how well does it fit the needs of the student pilot seeking advanced training?
At Midwest Flight Academy we maintain an appropriate balance between utility and cost. For each lesson you will be assigned a superbly maintained aircraft that is most appropriate for the lesson. For the Private Student this may be a traditionally equipped Cessna 172 s and sp models. For the Commercial student this may be a Piper Arrow either traditionally equipped or with advanced avionics. Instrument and Commercial Students make use of Flight Training Devices (commonly referred to as simulators). The use of FTD’s not only enhances the educational process, but saves time and money as well.
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