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
Professional flight academy · Fallbrook, United States
Fallbrook Airpark flight academy offering private through CFI/ATP training, online ground school and a multi-engine Beechcraft Duchess.
Independent flight school · Farmingdale, United States
Flight school on Long Island offering private pilot training, introductory flights and Redbird full-motion simulator training with a fleet of ten planes.
Independent flight school · Knoxville, United States
Knoxville flight school at Downtown Island Airport operating Grumman Cheetah and Cougar aircraft, offering discovery flights and fast-paced multi-engine training.
Independent flight school · Miamisburg, United States
FBO and flight school at Dayton-Wright Brothers Airport training from private pilot through flight instructor under a Part 141 air agency certificate.
Professional flight academy · Apopka, United States
Flight school at Orlando-Apopka Airport (X04) that says it runs Part 141 and Part 61 training and can issue M-1 visa paperwork.
Independent flight school · San Diego, United States
Flight school headquartered at Montgomery-Gibbs airport in San Diego that runs private pilot, instructor and career pilot programs, with additional training sites in Kansas and Missouri.
Independent flight school · Marathon, United States
Small Part 61 flight school in the Florida Keys operating from Marathon, Key West and Miami Executive airports, offering discovery flights and training.
Professional flight academy · Woods Cross, Spanish Fork, United States
Utah Part 141 flight academy with campuses at Skypark Airport and Spanish Fork Airport, offering career-track and private pilot programs on Diamond and SportCruiser aircraft.
Specialist training provider · Blue Bell, United States
Private aviation services company whose Wings Field base in Blue Bell offers Cirrus flight training and aircraft rental.
Flying club · Upland, United States
Flying club at Cable Airport in Upland offering flight training, aircraft rental, introductory flights and flight reviews.
Independent flight school · Burleson, United States
Flight school at Fort Worth Spinks Airport in Burleson offering discovery flights and training.
Independent flight school · Bowie, United States
Flight training operation at Freeway Airport in Bowie, Maryland offering Part 61 training in two Cessna 172P aircraft.
Independent flight school · Bolton, United States
Part 61 flight school and aircraft rental operation at John Bell Williams Airport in Bolton, Mississippi, with discovery flights and training from private pilot to flight instructor.
Independent flight school · Traverse City, United States
Traverse City flight centre offering flight training, intro flights, sport pilot training and maintenance; fleet of a Cessna 172, a Van's RV-12iS and a Gleim BATD. The site does not state a Part 61 or Part 141 status.
Independent flight school · Farmingdale, United States
Flight school at Republic Airport stating Part 61 and Part 141 training, an on-site designated pilot examiner and PSI testing center, and authorization to enroll international M-1 students.
Professional flight academy · Tampa, United States
Flight academy at Tampa Executive Airport with discovery flights, private through commercial courses and services for international students.
Helicopter school · Milton, United States
Nonprofit helicopter-focused flight school based at a heliport in Milton, Vermont, offering helicopter training from an introductory flight through commercial, plus airplane training in Cessna 172s.
Independent flight school · North Clarendon, United States
Student-oriented flight school based at Rutland Southern Vermont Regional Airport offering private pilot, instrument and commercial training and discovery flights.
Independent flight school · Greenville, United States
Greenville, South Carolina flight school and aircraft rental company, established in 1967 according to its site, offering discovery flights and private, instrument, commercial and multi-engine training.
Independent flight school · North Hampton, United States
Grassroots airfield on the New Hampshire seacoast combining a flight school, aircraft rentals, maintenance and a cafe; intro flights are booked through the flight desk.
Independent flight school · Churchville, United States
Flight school at Harford County Airport founded in 1996, offering discovery flights, sport and private pilot training, instrument and multi-engine ratings, and aircraft rental.
Professional flight academy · Tupelo, Shelbyville, United States
Professional-pilot oriented flight academy with bases in Shelbyville, Tennessee and Tupelo, Mississippi, using fixed-price certificate programs and an RV-12 training fleet.
Independent flight school · Hayward, United States
Hayward Executive Airport flight school with flight training, ground school, discovery flights, maintenance and charter services.
Helicopter school · Fort Worth, United States
Fort Worth helicopter training school listing discovery flights, private through ATP helicopter ratings and NVG services.
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.