CAREER TRACK PROGRAM
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There's never been a better time to get started with a new career as a professional pilot.
Depending on your pace, a full time student can earn all needed certificates and ratings in 7-9 months. Then begin working towards the professional pilot job of your dreams!
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Next start date available is 12/4/2023!*
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Our program includes up to 280 aircraft hours, plus simulator time, to earn all of the certificates and ratings below for $72,000**.
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We encourage your to visit our school to meet with the team, learn about our program, explore our aircraft and facilities and get all your questions answered. Give us a call at (816) 282-1500.
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Your private training is your first step as a professional pilot. This certificate allow you to fly single engine piston aircraft for non-commercial purposes.
It includes 60 hours of flight instruction and aircraft time along with the associated ground school and instructor time to prepare your for your first FAA pilot certificate.
An instrument rating gives you the skills and confidence to safely fly through clouds and in weather conditions that would keep you grounded with only a private pilot certificate. We strive to provide every student as much "actual" instrument conditions to train in as is safely possible.
You'll learn procedures in a RedBird simulator and fly approximately 50 hours in our Garmin equipped aircraft to earn you instrument rating and build cross-country and additional night flight experience.
CERTIFICATED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR
A Certificated Flight Instructor (CFI) is often the most challenging, yet rewarding, certificate many pilots earn. It entrusts you with training the next generation of pilots.
The CFI certificate typically enables you to build time efficiently towards the 1500 hours you need to qualify for an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate.
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Your training will include approximately 15 hours of right seat flight time plus extensive ground school refining your lesson plans and developing effective teaching techniques on the ground and in the air.
CFI: INSTRUMENT
Many flight schools strongly prefer instructors that can teach private/commercial and instrument students to help maintain a student-instructor relationship throughout training. For those pilots without significant instrument time, this add-on certificate will hone your instrument stills and provide a more diverse set of students to teach.
Your CFI-I training will include additional simulator time to learn how to effectively teach in a simulator environment. Your right seat flying skills on instruments will be honed and you'll learn additional skills in teaching instrument pilots.​
A commercial pilot certificate refines your flying skills and teaches you the regulations related to commercial aviation.
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You'll spend about 50 flight hours prepping for your commercial certificate, along with associated ground instruction. ​
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To obtain the remaining hours needed to sit for the commercial checkride, students have a variety of options, including: traditional solo time building, learning to fly from the right seat in preparation for the flight instructor checkride, starting multi-engine training near the end of their commercial training, and, depending on enrollment availability, we may offer a flight-sharing option with other students to build hours more efficiently.
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MULT-ENGINE
Adding on a multi-engine rating and building 25-50 multi-engine hours is often a pre-requisite of most professional pilot jobs.
Your training starts with time in a RedBird simulator to learn multi-engine procedures.
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We offer the option earning your multi-engine certificate and 25 hours in a Piper Twin Commanche multi-engine aircraft or earning your multi-engine certificate plus multi-engine instructor rating to build further multi-engine hours.
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Custom packages of additional hours can be arranged for students that do not seek to earn a multi-engine instructor certificate but are interested in more multi-engine time.
*Prerequisites to schedule a start date in the career track program are a program interview, a completed Summit Flight Academy application (inclusive of necessary documentation), a current FAA 1st class medical certificate, and completed financial plan.
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​**Essential pilot supplies are included. Third party costs such as written tests ($175/ea), checkride fees ($800-$1200/ea) and FAA medical (~$150) are additional.