Depending on your schedule, you can get your license in as little as a month-and-a-half to a year. On average, if you can fly once or twice a week, then you can get your license in 4-6 months.

You can earn a private pilot certificate which entitles you to fly as pilot in command for personal, business, or pleasure with certain limitations. Once you have your private pilot certificate, you can start to work on your instrument rating which will allow you to fly in the clouds. After that, if you would like to earn money with your flight skills, you would get a commercial certificate. In order to teach, you would need to become a certified flight instructor for private pilot and a separate license for instrument training.

You can get started immediately and train as often as your schedule allows. Even if the weather is poor, that is the time to perfect your ground school knowledge or spend time on the Redbird Flight Simulator. We have online scheduling which allows you to quickly check to see if your favorite plane and instructor are available.

Your vision does not need to be perfect 20/20 natural vision to be a pilot, but your vision must be correctable to 20/20 using glasses, contacts, or surgery.

Pilots must have normal color vision to interpret cockpit lights, signals, and navigational displays.

Yes, as a U.S. private pilot (PPL), you can fly at night, provided you have received the required night training and maintain currency. While no additional rating is required, you must be “night current” to carry passengers, meaning you have performed three takeoffs and three landings to a full stop within the preceding 90 days, 1 hour after sunset to 1 hour before sunrise.

Key Requirements for Night Flying:

Training: Your PPL training must include 3 hours of night flight training, including 10 takeoffs/landings and a 100 nautical mile cross-country flight.

Currency: To carry passengers, you must perform three takeoffs and landings to a full stop at night within the preceding 90 days.

Equipment: Ensure aircraft lights are operational and carry at least one, preferably two, flashlights.

Ground school in aviation is the foundational, classroom-based theoretical training designed to pre-pare student pilots for the FAA Knowledge Test and safe flight operations. It covers crucial topics such as aerodynamics, weather, navigation, regulations, and aircraft systems. Ground school can be completed in-person or online, providing the knowledge necessary to pass written exams and transition to

practical, in-air flight training.

Crosswind Aviation has both in person and online Ground School. It is up to the learning preference of the student. A combination of both is a perfect way to make sure your knowledge is complete for passing your FAA written test.

No. It is advisable to rent a plane for flight training and look at purchasing a plane after you have earned your Private Pilot Certificate.

Regular required maintenance is done every 100 hours of flight time. Also, 50 hour oil changes are performed as well as annual inspections.

We recommend buying a headset, IPad with cellular service, Far/Aim (FAA Rules and Regulations), logbook, kneeboard, notebook, and foggles. Crosswind carries most of those items in the Pilot Shop or can give you recommendations as to the best value for a beginning flight student.

Crosswind is a Part 61 Flight School which basically means that our flight program provides greater flexibility for part-time students or hobbyists, allowing for customized schedules and personalized pacing. Part 61 allows for you to pay as you go, which can be cheaper. It allows for training around work or school schedules.

You must be English proficient. You must be 16 years old to solo an airplane and 17 years old to get your private pilot certificate.