Become a Pilot Now: When is the Best Time to Start Flight School?

With the new year well under way, you might be considering career changes or additional schooling. Are you fascinated in aeronautical industries? Has flight school crossed your mind? If you have a passion for flying and wish to one day become a pilot, now is the perfect time to consider a career in aviation.

Below, we discuss three top considerations as you decide when is the best time of year to start flight school.

1. Seasons and Inclement Weather

Is your local flight school currently amidst a wintery season or other period of inclement weather? Though it may sound contrary to popular belief, don’t let the weather or current season impact when you begin your enrollment process at flight school. The  licensing path  to becoming a pilot can take some time, ranging from 12 months as part of an  accelerated program  to 30 months in a traditional program. Regardless, any flight school program requires at least 250 hours of flight time which could include flying through multiple forecasts.

Furthermore, before even beginning to test your piloting skills in an actual cockpit, there are many precursor tasks, lessons, and flight trainings you must complete in the months prior. As a result, the time of year you enroll in will not have too much of an impact on your impending flight scheduling.

Sometimes, your schedule or preferences revolve around seasons unrelated to weather. Your life may currently feel like you are in a season of balancing your work, home, and social responsibilities. Having a full schedule of commitments may cause your time at flight school to feel inundating. However, if you have the time and energy to commit to flight school, then this is the perfect time to begin the process of enrollment!

With receiving any format of higher education, cost of attendance always becomes a considerable deciding factor. Obtaining a  commercial pilot’s license can cost  a pretty penny without any form of financial aid. Therefore, if your existing funds cannot contribute to flight school, it’s best to wait until you accumulate enough savings to pay the remaining tuition that other financial aid cannot cover.

If now is the best time of year for YOU to start flight school, start looking at next steps!   J.A. Flight Training  is conveniently based in Chicago’s western suburb, Sugar Grove. No matter which career path you follow, you can count on experiential learning with the most up-to-date equipment, flight simulators, and aircrafts available.

We are proud to offer world-class training that prepares our students for a successful future as a pilot through flexible classes and affordable programs. If you would like to receive more information about our flight training program,  contact us  today to get started on your new career path!