Learning how to fly a plane must have crossed the minds of the majority of people when they were kids. No matter where you’re from, becoming a commercial pilot has always been a dream job for a good chunk of the population.
With that said, there’s no shortage of young aspiring pilots that have set their gaze on a commercial pilot license. Across the globe, there are a variety of flight schools that you can teach you how to fly. Whether it’s burgeoning flight schools that have a reputation to protect or small homely pilot schools, these businesses are always at the forefront of producing skilled and talented pilots.
So you’ve decided that you want to get a commercial pilot license so that you can start your career. But you have to remember that before you start packing up your things and committing to a profession, you have to know what you’re getting into. Preparation is the key to setting the right mindset. What are some expectations when you get there?
What You Should Expect
Before choosing a particular school, you’ll need to weigh in several key factors. But before you look into each school, know what your goal is. Some students want to learn flying as a means of recreation or set up their own business. In this case, you can search for a local flight school to train you.
If you’re committing to a full-time profession in aviation, it’s best to start pooling in energy and money towards a national flight school. Bottom line: it will depend on the budget that you might have as of the present moment.
Budget and Tuition
It’s a bit challenging to compare one flight school to another since no flight school is the same. But there’s one common denominator that can be measured, and that’s the tuition. When people start discussing it, all the niceties seem to go out of the window.
Don’t worry because a student-centric school has a finance program. In most cases, a dropout rate of most flight schools is around 60%. But for schools that have a finance program, this dropout rate shrinks to a mere 5%. It’s all about reaching your goal through the experiences and learnings that you have gained from the school.
Price Does Not Equate Quality
It’s also worth noting that the tuition does not equate to the quality of your learning experience and the school. Even if you’re in an institution where almost every student is treated in high regard, if you’re not comfortable with the learning process, you’re not going to learn much. As such, it’s paramount to go to a school that gives high-quality lessons to its pilots.
One of the best ways to determine the quality of the school is by doing your research. It’s imperative to do some background checks on the school by going to their website. Checking out their facilities, their personnel, and their methods of teaching will paint a bigger picture of what you’re getting yourself into. Moreover, you can also check out some constructive reviews of the school from other sites. These will give you an idea of how outsiders see the institution.
Some schools offer top-of-the-line professional instructors who are committed and passionate in bringing quality learning to students. If they see that an individual does well in terms of skills and talent, instructors will want to hone that potential.
Practice Makes Perfect
Naturally, the experience that you earn is one of the key factors in being successful in any profession. Whether you’re a pilot, an instructor, or even an air traffic controller, years of experience will come a long way. That said, you should set your expectations that training is a long and arduous process that will take years. What if you wanted to learn how to fly only recreationally but started committing to your craft? You might even need to continue your pursuit a second time in the same school or another flight school.
So if you’re happy with what the school’s been teaching you, but you’re not moving up the ladder yet, don’t worry. It’s more experience for your part.
Just like when you’re getting yourself to any school or university, ask your seniors on what it’s like in the school. A flight school that cares for its students is a definite sign that they will give you quality flight instructions that will set your path towards success. By having your expectations set, you’ll be equipped with the right mindset to hone your skill in flying.