Of course you can come back! You need a current Medical Certificate and a Flight Review (FR) with one of our instructors. They will take all the time you need to brush up on your knowledge and skills to get you back to flying.

The same variables that affect the cost of learning to fly will affect the time it takes to earn your certificate. The FAA requires 35 hours of flight time to become a Private Pilot (under Part 141; 40 hours under Part 61), however most students will average somewhere between 55-70 hours. The average time it takes to obtain a Private Pilot

EFI Flight School is always looking for excellent instructors. If you wish to apply to be a flight instructor, you will be considered upon successful completion of your training. EFI hires instructors as needed.

Flight lessons are VERY safe and our safety record is second to none! Our instructors have thousands of hours of instruction time in many different types of aircraft, and our training aircraft have two sets of controls so the instructor is always ready to assist the student pilot with any training opportunity that arises during a lesson. We do not cut corners on maintenance to save money, and we always put safety first. Our fleet is carefully maintained by certified mechanics at our on-site maintenance facility. Occasionally, we will reschedule a student pilot’s lesson due to routine aircraft maintenance or weather, however, this is completely normal and to be expected in the aviation world.

Cessna Pilot Centers must meet higher standards than a typical flight school in order to be eligible to operate under the Cessna brand. Our school must be clean, professional, and provide superior customer service and flight training. Cessna Pilot Centers are the only schools that utilize Cessna’s integrated computer-based instruction, a modern method of teaching ground school that makes it easy to study from home at your own pace. We take great pride in being a Cessna Pilot Center knowing that we are providing you with a world-class school and curriculum for your training.

You’re probably referring to the TSA’s alien flight training and citizenship validation rule. The effects of this rule depend on whether you are a U.S. citizen or an alien. US citizens must prove their citizenship with either a valid US passport, or an official/embossed duplicate of a US birth certificate AND a form of photo ID. Your instructor will endorse your logbook (when you start one) as well as theirs when you present your proof of citizenship.

Pay-as-you-go is the expected method of payment. Each lesson is billed at the time it is provided so you can pace your training to match your budget. EFI offers “all inclusive” discounted flight training packages (must be paid in full prior to training) as well as financing options.

As a new pilot there are two methods of flight training you can pursue: Part 141 and Part 61. When deciding which program to choose, it’s important to consider your goals, study habits, and costs. One of the benefits at EFI Flight School is that we offer both.

Part 141: Part 141 approval verifies that the FAA has approved our training curriculum, inspected our aircraft fleet, approved our instructor staff and management, reviewed our flight school maintenance and safety record, and continually reviews the success rate of our flight school (Part 141 flight schools must maintain an 80% first time pass rate or better to remain part 141). This program has more FAA oversight and a more structured schedule. Periodically, a student will take stage checks administered by either the chief flight instructor or his/her designees. For the added requirements, students are allowed to accelerate their training and reduce the minimum required hours of private pilot training to 35 hours, rather than the 40-hour minimum required.

*Veterans using their GI Bill® benefits and certain financial aid programs require training under Part 141.

Part 61: This program offers more flexibility with training schedules and the curriculum can be tailored to meet individual student needs. Students are not required to complete a formal ground school program. If they wish, students can complete online home study courses, or simply review material with a qualified flight instructor.

Don’t assume that Part 61 and Part 141 have different training standards. The main difference is in the style of teaching, however both methods require the student to meet the same standards of performance. Part 141 is ideal for students geared towards a career as a pilot, whereas Part 61 is often more suitable for someone learning to fly recreationally. Our team will help you decide which program is best suited to you.

Yes, serving our veterans is a top priority for EFI! Please visit our website to view our VA Course Catalog or contact us for more information.

EFI is happy to accommodate aircraft owners and their training or recurrency requirements.

A student does not need special insurance when flying with an instructor. However, EFI requires that all renters and students must show proof of renters insurance prior to solo flight. You must have liability coverage and a minimum of $40,000 in physical damage coverage. We recommend Avemco Insurance Agency for purchasing affordable Renters insurance.

EFI offers flight training seven days per week, with our office staffed from 8am to 5pm. One-on-one flight instruction allows a flexible training schedule which may include early morning, day and evening hours. Students and renters can schedule flights anytime using our online scheduling system.

You will be assigned to one flight instructor who will mentor you and manage your flight training from start to finish. There may be times when you have flights with other instructors (eg: flights on your instructor’s day off). Our Cessna Course Tracking program will ensure that anytime you are scheduled to fly with another flight instructor, that instructor will know exactly where you are in your training and what needs to be reviewed from previous lessons.

You must obtain a student pilot certificate prior to soloing an aircraft. You must complete an application through the Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application (IACRA) website. Once, reviewed by Airman Certification Branch, the student pilot certificate will be mailed to the address provided by you on the application. There is no charge to obtain this certificate.

Every pilot must obtain a medical certificate in order to receive and exercise the privileges of a pilot license. You will need a medical certificate before flying solo in an airplane. If you have any medical conditions that you feel may be of concern, it’s a good idea to get your medical certificate before beginning flight training. This will alert you to any condition that would prevent you from becoming a pilot before you invest in lessons. The exam must be administered by an FAA medical examiner, and cost about $150. Students must apply EFI has a list of local examiners that you can choose from, or you can search the FAA online directory for one in your area.

Are there any medical restrictions that would prevent me from becoming a pilot?

Some medical conditions may require a waiver for a pilot to get a medical certificate, and these are best described by the FAA medical examiner.

A practical test, more commonly known as a checkride, is the FAA exam which one must undergo to receive a Private Pilot certificate. The check ride is a two-part process. During the oral portion, the designated pilot examiner will quiz the student on what was learned in ground school. Following that portion, the student conducts a flight to demonstrate his or her safety and competence. Check ride examiners ensure that only safe and competent students become pilots.

Student pilots will need to pass a pre-solo written exam, a Private Pilot written FAA exam, and a practical exam (checkride). You do not need to have any tests completed or even ground school prior to starting flight lessons, however some people have preferred to get the written exam out of the way prior to committing to flight lessons.

All flight training is conducted on an individual basis, and we offer flexible hours and tailor your lessons to fit your availability and budget. We have a limited number of slots we can fill, so the more lead time you can give us the better your chances of getting the day and time that works best for you. The length of each lesson will differ, but a standard lesson is two hours and will consist of some ground work and an hour or so of actual flight time. Students can schedule lessons by calling our office or using our online scheduling system.

There are a lot of variables that affect the cost of learning to fly, including aptitude, the frequency of flight lessons, weather, the type of aircraft in which you are training and its availability for scheduling. A reasonable estimate would range between $9,000 and $13,000 for a Private Pilot Certificate. EFI has a number of affordable flight training packages and financing options.

Don’t be fooled by schools who base their cost estimates on the minimum time required by the FAA – only a small fraction of people seeking their pilot’s certificate complete it in under 45 hrs. Sure, you can do it in that short of time, but only if you have no constraints on time or budget.

There is no age limitation on beginning flight lessons, and there is no maximum age for acquiring a Private Pilot certificate. The FAA requires an individual to be at least 16 years of age to solo an aircraft and 17 years of age to obtain a private pilot certificate. Once someone has this certificate, they may exercise the privileges of that certificate as long as they can maintain a medical certificate and a flight review every 24 months.

Proof of citizenship in the form of a birth certificate or US passport and an appointment with us to fill out an enrollment packet is all you will need to start. It’s that simple!

A discovery flight is a great place to start if you are interested in learning to fly! It is a fun, local introductory flight in which you, under close supervision, take control of the aircraft. You get to experience flight from the pilot’s perspective and take the controls to turn, climb, and descend. You can control the aircraft as little or as much as you like. If you decide to pursue flight training, your instructor can log your discovery flight as your first hour of instruction.