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 · Madison, United States
Madison, Mississippi flight school and aircraft rental business and Cirrus Authorized Training Partner, offering private, instrument, commercial, instructor and Cirrus transition training in Cirrus and Cessna aircraft.
Independent flight school · Augusta, United States
Augusta-based aviation organization operating since 1946 with Part 141 flight training, a University of Maine at Augusta degree partnership, charter, FBO and maintenance.
Independent flight school · Roanoke, United States
Professional flight training school at Aero Valley Airport, established in 1998.
Helicopter school · Honolulu, United States
Hawaii helicopter flight school with bases on Oahu and the Big Island offering private, commercial, instrument and CFI helicopter courses plus turbine and external-load training.
Independent flight school · Mesquite, United States
Texas flight school listing flight training from zero experience to commercial and CFI/CFII, with published aircraft and instructor rates.
Specialist training provider · White Lake, United States
Part 61 seaplane school based at 41D Seaplane Base in Oakland County, Michigan, flying a Piper Super Cruiser.
University flight-training unit · Mankato, United States
AABI-accredited B.S. in Aviation, Professional Flight with flight training delivered with North Star Aviation at Mankato Regional Airport.
Independent flight school · Starkville, United States
Starkville, Mississippi flight school and aircraft rental business founded in 2017 and previously known as Circle S Aviation, offering discovery flights and flight instruction in Cessna 150, Cessna 172 and Champ aircraft.
University flight-training unit · Columbia, United States
Community college aviation commercial pilot degree program held at Columbia Regional Airport in Missouri.
Independent flight school · Arcola, United States
Cirrus flight school at Houston Southwest Airport in Arcola offering discovery flights, private, instrument and commercial training and Cirrus transition training.
Independent flight school · Denison, United States
Denison, Texas flight school and Part 145 repair station at North Texas Regional Airport, owned by airline pilots, with a Cessna Pilot Center programme.
Independent flight school · Beaver Falls, United States
Flight school at Beaver County Airport describing itself as Pennsylvania's oldest continuously operating flight school, with a mixed single- and twin-engine fleet and college partnerships.
University flight-training unit · La Verne, United States
Community college aeronautics department with a student flight training association at Brackett airport and a Commercial Flight A.S. degree.
Independent flight school · Farmingdale, United States
Cirrus Platinum Training and Service Center at Republic Airport offering Cirrus-based private, instrument and commercial training, Cirrus transition training, ground school and a simulator.
Independent flight school · Plattsmouth, Blair, United States
Owner-instructor flight school founded in 2003 operating at Plattsmouth Municipal and Blair Executive airports near Omaha; offers private, light sport and instrument training and aircraft rental.
Independent flight school · Atlanta, United States
Locally owned Part 61 flight school inside the Globe Building at DeKalb-Peachtree Airport offering discovery flights and flight training.
Independent flight school · Oakland, United States
Flight training and aircraft rental facility at Oakland airport covering sport, private, instrument, commercial and instructor ratings.
Professional flight academy · Ocean City, United States
Part 141 flight academy with campuses at Ocean City Municipal Airport (MD) and Delaware Coastal Airport (DE), operating as a Cessna Pilot Center with discovery flights and a full-motion simulator.
University flight-training unit · Athens, United States
University aviation department with an FAA-approved flight program, its own airport and a fleet of Cessna and Piper aircraft.
Independent flight school · Wichita, United States
Wichita flight training, testing and consulting facility with Cessna 172 and Piper Pilot-100i trainers.
Flying club · Carlsbad, United States
Member-owned flying club at Palomar Airport offering training and aircraft rental with member-owned aircraft.
Independent flight school · Torrance, United States
Torrance flight school offering a fast-track pilot program, a pay-as-you-go programme and discovery flights.
Professional flight academy · Vero Beach, United States
Vero Beach airplane and helicopter flight school offering Part 141 career pilot programs with published package prices, student housing and international student services.
Professional flight academy · Dallas, Fort Worth, United States
Dallas and Fort Worth flight academy stating Part 141 status, with private, instrument, commercial and career pilot programmes and a Purdue Global degree option.
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.