North America · Authority: FAA
232 researched schools and 507 verified programs so far. This is the research done to date, not a complete list of every provider in United States.
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232 schools
Independent flight school · Sugar Land, United States
Sugar Land flight school formed in 2003 with a Cessna 172 and PA-44 fleet, Redbird device, Part 145 maintenance and foreign-national training.
Independent flight school · Gulfport, United States
Gulfport, Mississippi flight school operating under Part 61 with the ASA Part 141 curriculum, offering discovery flights and private pilot through flight instructor training in a Cessna 172P.
Independent flight school · Farmingdale, United States
Flight school at Republic Airport on Long Island teaching private pilot through CFI/CFII under Part 61, with discovery flights and a Cessna 172 fleet.
Independent flight school · Kansas City, United States
Flight school and air charter operator at Kansas City Downtown Airport with an FAA Part 141 flight training program and a Piper/Cessna training fleet.
Independent flight school · Kennesaw, United States
Part 61 flight school founded in 2015 at Cobb County International Airport offering private, instrument, commercial and CFI training.
Professional flight academy · United States
National flight training provider with many flight training centers across the United States, offering a full-time airline career program and time-building blocks.
University flight-training unit · Auburn, United States
Auburn University's School of Aviation runs the Professional Flight degree with flight training at Auburn University Regional Airport.
Independent flight school · Lancaster, United States
Long-established Lancaster flight training, aircraft rental and maintenance business at William J. Fox Airfield.
University flight-training unit · Waco, United States
Baylor University four-year aviation programme with a Professional Pilot concentration for airplane and helicopter.
Flying club · Van Nuys, United States
Van Nuys flying club specialising in Beechcraft Bonanza and Baron training and rental, with a BPPP-approved training syllabus.
Independent flight school · Danvers, United States
Flight school and aircraft rental facility serving Boston's North Shore from Beverly Regional Airport, offering introductory flights, private through ATP training and Cirrus transition training.
Independent flight school · Hartselle, United States
Part 61 flight school at Hartselle-Morgan County Regional Airport in Alabama offering discovery flights and primary training in a Cessna 172.
Independent flight school · Slatington, United States
Flight school, rental and maintenance operation at Slatington Airport since 1990, offering discovery flights, certificates from sport/recreational through commercial plus instrument, and a tailwheel course.
University flight-training unit · Bowling Green, United States
University aviation school whose Flight Technology and Operations major is delivered in a Part 141 flight program at Wood County Regional Airport.
Independent flight school · Middle River, United States
Baltimore-area flight school at Martin State Airport that describes itself as an FAA Part 141 school, offering discovery flights, private through CFI and multi-engine training, aircraft rental and VA benefits.
Flying club · Brookings, United States
Non-profit 501(c)(7) flying club at Brookings, Oregon with a Cessna 172N; independent club instructors teach members under Part 61.
Independent flight school · Hawthorne, United States
Hawthorne Airport Cirrus-focused flight school offering intro flights, private pilot training, transition and currency courses.
Independent flight school · Van Nuys, United States
Van Nuys flight school offering discovery flights, private pilot, instrument, commercial and accelerated training.
Independent flight school · Camarillo, United States
Camarillo Airport flight school offering one-on-one training from private pilot to ATP, discovery flights and aircraft rental.
Flying club · Columbus, United States
Columbus flying club and flight school founded in 2004, operating at Ohio State University Airport and an office at Bolton Field, and an authorized Cirrus training center.
Independent flight school · Louisville, United States
Flight training and aircraft rental at Bowman Field in Louisville, with Cessna and Cirrus airplanes, a Robinson R44 helicopter, discovery flights and Cirrus transition training.
Professional flight academy · DeLand, United States
Part 141 flight school at DeLand Municipal Airport with an in-house maintenance base, Piper Arrow and Seneca aircraft, an AATD and discovery flights.
Independent flight school · Fairfield, United States
Flight school at Essex County Airport founded in 1975, stating FAA Part 141 approval and offering private pilot through CFI/CFII/MEI training and Cirrus training.
Independent flight school · Morristown, United States
Flight training center at Morristown Airport operating Cirrus SR22 and Cessna 172 aircraft, with Cirrus transition and recurrent training and a Cirrus timeshare program.
Results are listed alphabetically; there is no price ranking because prices in different currencies, price types and bases are not comparable. Schools marked Sponsored are paid placements and never change approval status or order.
In the United States pilot certification is federal and set by FAA regulations in Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Part 61 sets the eligibility, knowledge, experience and testing requirements for each certificate and rating, and training can be given by an authorized instructor outside any approved school. Part 141 is an alternative route: FAA-certificated pilot schools run approved, FAA-reviewed courses under the general operating rules of that part. Part 142 covers training centers, which provide training in simulators and training devices as an alternative means to accomplish training required by several other parts. Which route a school uses affects how its course is structured, so students should ask a school which part it operates under.
Private pilot
Part 61 sets the age, English, aeronautical experience and testing requirements for the private pilot certificate with an airplane, helicopter or other category rating.
Commercial pilot
A commercial certificate requires more flight experience than the private certificate and is a prerequisite for the flight instructor certificate.
Airline transport pilot
The ATP certificate is the highest airplane pilot certificate and has its own age and total-time requirements.
Names and privileges are local to United States. Similar names in other countries are not interchangeable.
| Code | Official name | Minimum age | Regulatory minimum flight time | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PPL-A | Private pilot certificate, airplane categoryAllows the holder to act as pilot in command of aircraft within the privileges of the certificate and ratings, without being paid for flying as a pilot. | 17 | 40 hTotal flight time for single-engine airplane under 14 CFR 61.109(a), including 20 hours of flight training from an authorized instructor and 10 hours of solo flight training. Most students need more than the minimum. | official |
| PPL-H | Private pilot certificate, rotorcraft category, helicopter classPrivate pilot certificate with a helicopter class rating, subject to the same Part 61 eligibility rules as other private pilot certificates. | 17 | 40 hTotal flight time stated in 14 CFR 61.109 for the helicopter paragraph; check the section for the dual and solo breakdown. | official |
| SPL | Sport pilot certificateA lighter-weight certificate for sport pilots with lower aeronautical experience requirements than the private certificate. | 17 | 20 hSingle-engine airplane land or sea under 14 CFR 61.313: 20 hours of flight time including at least 15 hours of flight training from an authorized instructor and at least 5 hours of solo flight training. | official |
| CPL-A | Commercial pilot certificate, airplane categoryAllows the holder to act as pilot in command of an aircraft for compensation or hire within the privileges of the certificate and ratings. | 18 | 250 hTotal flight time as a pilot for airplane single-engine and multiengine class ratings under 14 CFR 61.129, with specified categories of training, cross-country and solo time. Paragraph (i) provides exceptions. | official |
| CPL-H | Commercial pilot certificate, rotorcraft category, helicopter classCommercial pilot privileges for helicopters; the total flight time requirement is lower than for airplanes. | 18 | 150 hTotal flight time as a pilot for a helicopter class rating under 14 CFR 61.129, including 100 hours in powered aircraft, of which 50 hours must be in helicopters. | official |
| IR | Instrument rating (airplane)Allows flight under instrument flight rules; the applicant must hold at least a private pilot certificate and be able to read, speak, write and understand English. | n/p | 40 h40 hours of actual or simulated instrument time (15 hours from an authorized instructor with an instrument-airplane rating) plus 50 hours of cross-country time as pilot in command, under 14 CFR 61.65(d). | official |
| ME | Additional class rating (e.g. airplane multiengine land)A pilot adds a class rating by receiving an instructor endorsement and passing a practical test; the training-time requirements of the pilot certificate need not be met again. | n/p | n/p14 CFR 61.63(c) does not set a minimum hours figure for additional class ratings. | official |
| CFI | Flight instructor certificateAuthorizes flight instruction within the category and class ratings listed; requires a commercial or ATP certificate with appropriate ratings. | 18 | 15 hAt least 15 hours as pilot in command in the category and class of aircraft appropriate to the flight instructor rating sought (14 CFR 61.183(j)); this is not total hours. | official |
| ATP | Airline transport pilot certificateHighest-level pilot certificate for airplanes; 23 years of age applies to certificates under the standard experience provisions and 21 under the restricted provisions of section 61.160. | 23 | 1500 hTotal time as a pilot for the airplane category and class rating under 14 CFR 61.159(a). Section 61.160 provides reduced-hour alternatives for certain training and military backgrounds. | official |
| TYPE | Type ratingA type rating is required to act as pilot in command of large aircraft and turbojet-powered airplanes. | n/p | n/p | official |
A regulatory minimum is a legal floor for the qualification. It is not the number of hours most students need, and not a guarantee of cost or completion time.
Airman medical certificates are issued under 14 CFR Part 67, which sets the eligibility standards for first-, second- and third-class certificates. Official medical information
Applicants for the instrument rating and flight instructor certificate must be able to read, speak, write and understand English.
Languages of instruction among researched schools: English.
Non-U.S. citizens who apply for flight training from a U.S. flight training provider are subject to TSA flight training security rules in 49 CFR Part 1552 and should check with the provider and TSA before starting. Visa and immigration requirements are separate and set by the U.S. government; this page makes no promise about eligibility.
Training approval does not establish immigration permission or international-student eligibility. Verify current rules with the official sources above.
14 CFR 61.75 describes how the holder of a foreign pilot licence issued by an ICAO contracting State may apply for a U.S. pilot certificate based on it; the certificate can only be used while the holder also has the foreign licence. Details and verification procedures are on the FAA website.
Country information last reviewed 16 October 2026. 5 official sources consulted.