Taking Aviation Students to New Heights

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Taking Aviation Students to New Heights

Fly With Us Today

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The fastest pathway to becoming an airline pilot is here!

Our program takes students from zero experience and provides all ratings required to become a co-pilot in as little as 12 months. This is the only flow through program that has a curriculum specifically designed for entry into Southern Airways Express. This structured FAA Approved 141 program includes training in late-model Cessna aircraft and State-of-the-art FAA approved simulators.


Upon completion, a co-pilot position at Southern Airways awaits and your longevity at Skywest begins. After two years with Southern Airways you enter Skywest with two years of work credit.

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Choose Your Starting Point

Routes to Become a Career Airline Pilot

Becoming an airline pilot is a road that starts with getting your Private, Instrument and Commercial Pilot ratings. Once completed with these ratings students typically have 250 - 300 of total flight time. The requirement to fly "jets" is 1500 total hours.... how do you get there? Our accelerated path to Southern is one way and the other is becoming a Certified Flight Instructor. JA Flight Training offers all Instructor ratings and hires our Instructors from from within.

From Zero Experience

Start your career pilot journey by earning your pilot's license.

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From Private Pilot Certificate

Already have your pilot's license? Jump into our career airline pilot program.

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Be paid to fly as a co-pilot in as little as 12 months from your first flight.

For students that complete our accelerated commercial program, JA Flight Training in conjunction with Southern Airways Express offers a guaranteed training slot as a co-pilot with Southern Airways.


No College Degree Needed!

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Purdue Global Bachelor Degree

Get a Bachelor Degree from Purdue Global while attending our flight training program. This pathway works well with the accelerated program to Southern Airways.

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Liberty University Bachelor Degree

Our affiliation with Liberty University is a three year program that provides all of your flight ratings. This program prepares you to become a flight instructor with reduced hours into the airlines.

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Earn Your Bachelors Degree

Our Affiliated Collegiate Programs

Whether it be our collegiate program through Liberty University or helping someone shift careers into a professional pilot, JA is here to help. Getting a commercial pilot rating is only the start, followed by fulfilling required flight hours. JA Flight is committed to helping all of our students build the necessary time requirements through flight instruction, internships, and affiliations. We know the work is not done until the stripes are on your shoulders!

The Latest Technology and Equipment


With a fleet of Garmin G1000 aircraft, JA Flight Training has the newest fleet in the Chicago area and trains all of our students to use the latest in glass panel technology.


In addition, JA Flight Training utilizes FAA approved Advanced Aviation Training Devices (AKA Simulators) to help students accelerate traiing and save money at the same time.

Required Certifications to Start Your Airline Career

Achieving a Private Pilot License

Average Cost: $15k

Est. Timeline: 3 Months


Flight training will enrich your life in countless ways.


You’ll learn to balance technical training with the freedom of flying toward an endless horizon. You’ll adopt new ways of speaking, navigating, and calculating your position. What initially feels like a complex process will slowly become second nature, and you will always have a great story to tell. The accelerated Private course can be completed in as little as 3 months.

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Achieving a Commercial Pilot License

Average Cost: $30k

Est. Timeline: 180 Days


Training for the certificate focuses on a better understanding of aircraft systems and a higher standard of airmanship.


A commercial pilot can be paid for certain types of operations, such as banner towing, flight instruction and to be a co-pilot for our Career Pilot Program through Southern Airways Express. To fly for hire, the pilot must hold a second class medical certificate. If you plan on making a career out of flying then a Commercial Certificate is a required training evolution. Because of the extra flight hours needed, the accelerated Commercial License can be completed in as little six months.

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Student Testimonials

Achieving and maintaining a consistent record of 5-star reviews demonstrates our school's dedication to delivering top-notch aviation education and creating a supportive environment for students to thrive. 

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  • "Thank you to J.A. Flight Training for giving me the opportunity"

    "Aviation has always been my passion, but I couldn’t achieve this dream early when I was in Venezuela. Instead, destiny or God gave me a different pathway. So, finally after quitting to be a corporate guy and doing what I love for a long time, I decide to start my adventure in aviation. I became a flight attendant for United Airlines in late 2018, they took me to so many places I never thought I would know, I met so many people who are now my family and friends, and it always gave me great moments at work. My American dream started during 2020 where the entire world was shut down because of the pandemic. Like everyone else, I was scared since everything was uncertain and aviation was at the lowest moment in history. I worked hard for each certificate, had the best CFIs I could ever ask for, had great classmates who always supported me, had my family and friends who were always there saying “I knew you would become a pilot”, and an excellent flight school who always made me feel welcomed and in good hands. I now have the opportunity with the fastest path to becoming a commercial airline pilot with Southern Airways Express. This new chapter in aviation will bring so much in my professional career, I will learn to be a better pilot, I will continue working hard everyday, and continue doing what I love to do. Thank you to J.A. Flight Training for giving me the opportunity to refer to me and for creating a good program that will allow newly pilots to gain more experience in Part 135 operations."

Luis Gonzalez

Helpful Resources


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by scott.fank 16 Nov, 2023
Curious to know how much do pilots make? An airline pilot's salary depends on experience, airline, type of aircraft, flying routes, and more.
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02 Nov, 2023
Discover the vital role of yaw in aviation, its intricate connection with roll and pitch, and its importance in flight training.
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15 Aug, 2023
View or download our free Cessna 172RG aircraft checklist!
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Flight Training FAQs

  • Is learning to fly difficult, and are there any prerequisites?

    Learning to fly is not difficult, but it does require study, practice, and commitment. The Federal Aviation Administration has a series of regulations that spell out the requirements for different ratings and aircraft.  In short, you will follow a very specific series of steps when you learn to fly.  For example, you must master some basic aeronautical knowledge as well as achieve a certain level of flight proficiency before you can fly alone in an aircraft or in less-than-ideal weather conditions.  Finally, if your goal is to become a professional pilot, you’ll be required to amass training hours in aircraft.


    But before that, you must meet the following basic FAA criteria:


    • Be at least 16 years old (14 years old for operating a glider or balloon).
    • Be able to read, speak, write, and understand the English language.
    • Hold at least a third-class medical certificate from an aviation medical examiner (AME), who is an FAA-approved doctor. If you have physical limitations that make it difficult for you to meet the medical requirements, the FAA may place operating limitations on your pilot certificate to ensure the safe operation of the aircraft. Our team members at JA Flight Services are available to assist members in getting their medicals or obtaining waivers.
  • How long does learning to fly take?

    To earn a private pilot certificate, FAR Part 61 and/or FAR Part 141 detail the information you must learn and requires a minimum of 40 hours of flight training: 20 with an instructor and 20 solo. Few people complete their training in the minimum amount of time; most take 60 to 80 hours. If you learn to fly at a flight school that is governed by Part 141 of the FARs, the minimum is 35 instead of the 40 just mentioned, but most students take 50 to 60 hours in a Part 141 program.  At JA Flight Training, students can train under either FAA program.

  • What's the difference between Part 61 and Part 141?

    Although most lessons are based on a one to two-hour flight, they usually take between three or four hours from start to finish because there are pre- and post-flight discussions in which you and your certificated flight instructor (CFI) talk about what you’re going to do during your flight, how you performed, what you did well, what needs work, and what you’ll do in your next lesson.

  • What should I bring to training?

    AT JA Flight Training we utilize the Cessna Pilot Center (CPC) Program. Upon start, students purchase the Private Pilot Kit which includes a logbook, plotter and curriculum.... which is all that is needed to get started. Most students will also buy a headset after discussing the various options with the instructor.

  • Can I fly passengers?

    Student pilots cannot carry passengers when flying solo. Friends or family may ride along on dual lessons (when the instructor is in the airplane), with flight school and instructor approval.

  • How do I pick the right flight school?

    Remember, you are going to be flying around thousands of feet off the ground at a high rate of speed with yourself and maybe your loved ones on board, right? You can’t be too thorough when picking a flight training program. Search the internet for aviation schools in your area, then call and visit them. Look around and have an instructor or school management personnel explain the school’s training program in detail, and what a typical lesson is like. Above all, be sure to ask a lot of questions. Questions like “Flight School vs College: Which One is Right for You?” Ask students how they feel about their training experiences as well. Lastly, take a good look at the school’s training equipment. Is it well maintained, state of the art, or old and not so well maintained? Then, choose the school that made you feel the most confident in their ability to deliver on the promises made in your meetings and facility tour.

  • What is ground school?

    Flight training is divided into two parts: ground school and flight training. Ground school teaches you the principles, procedures, and regulations you will put into practice in an aircraft, such as how to navigate from one airport to another. Before you can earn a pilot certificate, you must pass the FAA written knowledge test on this information. You have several ground school options, including a scheduled classroom course from a flight school, weekend ground schools, or FAA-approved home-study courses.  We offer all of these options at JA Flight Training.

  • When will I actually begin flying?

    You’ll be flying in your first lesson, with your certified flight instructor’s help, of course. With each successive lesson, your CFI will be helping less and less, until you won’t need any help at all. When you reach this point, you will make your first solo flight, an important milestone in every pilot’s training, in which you will fly as the sole occupant of the airplane. After you solo, you and your CFI will work on such things as flying cross-country trips to other airports.

  • What kinds of aircraft can I fly?

    If you are pursuing a private, instrument, or multi-engine certificate with our team ,you will most likely learn to fly in a two- or four-seat airplane with one engine and fixed landing gear. Most training airplanes carry two to four hours of aviation fuel and fly about 100 mph.

  • What can you do with a pilot certificate once earned?

    The options are endless! Take local sightseeing flights with friends and family, travel farther for business or recreation. Test your mettle (and your stomach) learning to fly aerobatics for fun or competition. Build and fly your own aircraft or restore and fly antique/classic aircraft. Join a flying club to connect with other aviation enthusiasts. You can also support a growing number of flight organizations that support humanitarian causes, such as disaster relief or transportation for non-critical medical treatment. Explore more of what you can do with your private pilot license.


    If you want to fly professionally, JA Flight Training has one of the finest programs in the country to help get the training and flight time you’ll need to fly the “heavy metal”. Whatever your goals, we can help get you there safely and efficiently.

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