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
Helicopter school · Troy, United States
Helicopter flight school at Oakland Troy Airport in Troy, Michigan, training in Robinson R22 and R44 helicopters under Part 61.
Helicopter school · Costa Mesa, United States
Helicopter training school with an office at John Wayne Airport, Costa Mesa, California; the site lists private, instrument, commercial, CFI, mountain, external load and NVG courses.
Independent flight school · Midland, United States
Small Part 61 flight school at Warrenton-Fauquier Airport using well-maintained vintage Cessna and Piper aircraft, with taildragger training, multi-engine program and discovery flights.
Professional flight academy · Ronkonkoma, United States
Part 141 flight academy at Long Island MacArthur Airport offering private through multi-engine, CFI and professional pilot programs, VA-approved training and A&P mechanic courses.
Independent flight school · Butler, United States
Part 141 flight school at Pittsburgh-Butler Regional Airport offering private through instructor training, accelerated and college-partnered programs, and discovery flights in aircraft or a Redbird simulator.
Helicopter school · Troutdale, United States
Helicopter division of Hillsboro Aero Academy, based in Troutdale, Oregon, training in Robinson R22 and R44 helicopters. Information here comes from the school's own blog post; the main site pages did not render.
University flight-training unit · Bolton, United States
Community college commercial aviation program housed at John Bell Williams Airport, combining an associate degree with private pilot training.
Independent flight school · Lubbock, United States
Lubbock flight training and aviation services centre offering private, instrument/commercial and instructor courses, discovery flights and FAA knowledge testing.
Independent flight school · Farmingdale, United States
Farmingdale-based flight school at Republic Airport offering private pilot, instrument, commercial and CFI training and using a Redbird simulator.
Independent flight school · Sauget, United States
St. Louis-area flight school (Illinois side) at St. Louis Downtown Airport offering airplane and helicopter training; describes itself as a Part 141 school.
Independent flight school · Denton, United States
Denton flight school with personal-flying, career-pilot and advanced-training pathways and a Purdue Global alliance.
Professional flight academy · Burlington, United States
Flight training organization with bases in New Jersey, Florida and, from 2026, Burlington, Vermont, offering Part 141 Fast Track and Flex Track professional programs, recreational training and intro flights. Only the Vermont base is recorded here.
Specialist training provider · Winter Haven, United States
Seaplane rating school in Winter Haven, Florida offering single-engine sea rating courses in Cub-type aircraft or a Cessna 172.
Professional flight academy · Johns Island, United States
Charleston-area flight academy owned and operated by professional pilots, offering private, instrument, commercial, instructor and multi-engine training in Cessna, Diamond and Tecnam aircraft.
Independent flight school · Boulder, United States
Boulder flight school and FBO offering powered-aircraft training, tailwheel, glider and ground school, plus discovery flights.
University flight-training unit · Salina, United States
Kansas State University's Salina campus offers a Professional Pilot bachelor's degree with flight training at the towered airport next to campus.
University flight-training unit · Kent, United States
University aeronautics school with a professional pilot major flying a 34-aircraft Cessna and Piper fleet at Kent State Airport.
Independent flight school · Logan, United States
Northern Utah flight school with private through commercial, multi-engine and CFI courses plus mountain flying, upset training, glider and tailwheel-related offerings.
Independent flight school · San Diego, United States
San Diego Part 61 flight school run by a certified flight instructor, offering private through CFII, tailwheel and flight review training.
University flight-training unit · Longview, United States
University college of aviation and aeronautical science with flight, aviation management, maintenance, dispatch, UAS and mission aviation programmes.
University flight-training unit · Romeoville, United States
University aviation department with an on-campus regional airport, a 56-aircraft training fleet and a B.S. in Aviation Flight Technology.
Independent flight school · Farmingdale, United States
Aircraft rental and flight instruction operation at Republic Airport on Long Island, teaching primary students through ATP and offering an accelerated multi-engine add-on course.
Independent flight school · Louisville, United States
Flight school based at Bowman Field in Louisville and a Cessna Pilot Center, offering discovery flights and an accelerated multi-engine program in a Piper Aztec.
University flight-training unit · Madison, United States
Madison College two-year professional aeronautics certification run with Wisconsin Aviation at Dane County Regional Airport; known only from a 2023 college news item, so current status is unclear.
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.