One of the first steps in becoming a pilot is finding the best flight school to attend. Your education can determine how knowledgeable and skilled you will become as a professional pilot. So, it’s important to be selective of where you will enroll. Although there are many pilot schools Philippines residents have access to, it can be challenging to identify which institution will be able to help you achieve your goals as an aviator. Each flight school offers various programs and training courses at varying prices, making it especially difficult to choose the right one for you.
Whether you’re searching for a reputable institution to earn your wings or looking to enhance your skills so you can advance in your aviation career, here are the things you need to consider when choosing the best flight school.
Safety
A primary consideration you need to pay attention to is the flight school’s safety record. As an aspiring pilot, you’ll be learning the necessary skills and technical know-how to operate an aircraft. As such, you want to make sure to choose a school that prioritizes its students’ safety above all else while maintaining the highest level of standards. One way to find out if the flight school has excellent safety measures is by asking for a tour of the facilities. From here, you can inspect the school’s training equipment and get a good sense of their operations.
Also, make sure to ask about where and how their aircraft are maintained and what their defect reporting system is like. Learning how seriously a flight school takes safety won’t just help you become more confident about the training that you’ll receive, but it will also prepare you to work in top aviation companies that place a high priority on safety.
Infrastructures
While on a tour of the flight school, take a closer look at its facilities and identify if the institution is sufficiently equipped to cater to its students’ learning needs. For instance, how many classrooms are there and can they accommodate everyone who is going through ground school? Also, check if there are ample aircraft available along with the age of the fleet. If the school has a small fleet size and a large student population, it may impact your training hours. On the other hand, there’s a good chance that a school with a young fleet will teach its students to handle more modern avionics as a way to stay competitive with older, larger schools.
Additionally, ask about the availability of flight simulators. During the early stages of your flight training, learning through flight simulators is one of the safest and most effective ways to practice fundamental aircraft operations. It will also help prepare in piloting an actual aircraft since modern flight simulators can accurately mimic a variety of flight scenarios.
Flight Instructors
When you tour a flight school, remember to ask about the flight instructors too. Ask about their teacher-to-student ratio so you know if everyone has access to knowledgeable mentors. Also, inquire about the credentials of their instructors. Apart from being competent with the latest aviation knowledge, you also want to learn from someone who has plenty of experience as a pilot and an instructor. If it’s possible, meet with one of the flight instructors and discuss any of your aviation-related concerns.
Location
Choosing the location of the institution is another vital criterion when picking the right flight school. It can affect your housing arrangement and potential part-time work opportunities. If you’re fortunate to find a great flight school near your home, then you won’t have too many issues in terms of lodgings while undergoing training. On the other hand, picking a school that’s quite far from where you live might mean that you’ll need to search for proper accommodations. There are schools that have robust client relations/student affairs support processes including appropriately led and staffed teams assisting students who look for lodging, laundry, catering, etc.
In addition to practicality, you need to consider the distance between the flight school to the airport. Naturally, a school near an airport will be the most convenient because it reduces the travel time you can otherwise dedicate to your training. But you also need to assess the type of airport the school uses for training its students. A quiet airport in uncontrolled airspace gives you more freedom during training hours. A busy airport, on the other hand, can help you get used to communicating with air traffic control as well as managing a heavier traffic environment. These skills will be beneficial if you want to work in a major commercial airline.
Available Pilot Training Courses
Another factor to consider before enrolling in a flight school is making sure it offers courses aligned with your aviation goals. If you want to pursue a career as a commercial pilot, you need to look for a school that can support this. They must have a program that can help you learn all the fundamentals of aviation knowledge and let you complete a course that will let you fly a commercial aircraft.
If you’re a professional pilot looking to enhance your opportunities, you need to find a flight school that allows you to complete your type rating for an Airbus, Boeing, or ATR.
Selecting the right flight school is the first and most crucial step in your journey to becoming a pilot. Learning proper flying techniques and aviation principles at a good institution will allow you to be equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in your piloting career. So, make sure not to take this choice lightly. Use the factors mentioned above when choosing a flight school that’s the right one for you.
