flight schools in Florida
- 29 May 2024
Are you dreaming of flying plane as a pilot?
Florida is home to some of the top flight training schools in the US. With its year-round sunny weather and abundance of airports, the Sunshine State provides ideal conditions for student pilots to get their wings. Here are five of the best flight schools in Florida to consider for your pilot training.
Paris Air(Vero Beach)
Established in 1996, Paris Air has built an excellent reputation as one of the leading flight academies in Florida. Based at Vero Beach Regional Airport, the school offers comprehensive professional pilot programs from private pilot all the way up to Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certification. Paris Air has +50 fleet of Cessna and Piper aircraft, helicopters equipped with advanced avionics.
They're affiliated with Vietnamese airline, and accept cadets from Vietnam every year.
Tuition: Commercial Pilot Certification with Multi-Engine Instrument Rating $62,070
For more information: Paris air
ATP Flight School (Multiple Locations)
As one of the largest flight training providers in the United States, ATP has multiple locations across Florida including Miami, Jacksonville, and Tampa. They offer accelerated training programs that allow students to obtain commercial pilot certificates in just over 6 months. ATP has an expansive fleet comprising over 300 aircraft and utilizes advanced simulators for more efficient training. You have to finish from private pilot to certified flight instructor instrument courses in a year.
Tuition: Flight Cost $92,000
For more information: ATP flight school (Stuart)
L3Harris Airline Academy (Sanford)
Formerly known as Aerosim Flight Academy, L3Harris has an outstanding reputation for commercial pilot training. Based in Sanford near Orlando, their programs include Private Pilot all the way through to Certified Flight Instructor. L3Harris offers structured pathways to meet the demands of airlines and prepare students for ATP careers.
They recently extended cadet program with Korea Aerospace University. Their partnership begin in 2018.
* For new students: they sold their training division to private equity in 2023, training environment might be different now.
Tuition:
Accelerated Airline Pilot Track training $97,500
International Professional Pilot Program $99,500
For more information: L3Harris flight school
Phoenix East Aviation (Daytona Beach)
Rounding out the list is Phoenix East Aviation, another acclaimed flight school located in Daytona Beach. They offer personalized training with flexible schedules to accommodate both full-time students and those with other commitments. Phoenix East has been certified by the FAA to provide Aviation Maintenance Technician programs as well.
They have pathway program which is called Aviate and it's affiliated with United airline. Students can apply to Aviate program after completing their Private pilot license.
Tuition:
Private Pilot $17,209
Instrument Rating $11,328
Commercial Pilot $20,122
Commercial pilot Multi-engine Add-on $9,648
Certified Flight Instructor $11,305
Certified Flight Instructor Instrument $8,245
Total Flight Cost $77,857
For more information: Phoenix east aviation
Kingsky Flight Academy (Lakeland)
Based at Lakeland Linder International Airport, Kingsky Flight Academy provides professional pilot training using modern aircraft and simulators. Their programs range from private pilot certification up to advanced ratings like CFI and CFII. Kingsky emphasizes developing students into skillful and safe pilots through structured flight courses.
They have exclusive program to Indian students, which is exclusive accelerated course.
Tuition:
Airline pilot program with C150/152 $67,406
Airline pilot program with C172 $72,294
* Airline pilot program includes Private pilot, Instrumen rating, Commercial pilot single engine, Commercial pilot multi-engine add-on, CFI, CFII, MEI.
For more information: Kingsky flight academy
No matter which of these elite flight schools in Florida you choose, it's up to you to find a job as an instructor or airline. Flight schools does not guarentee students to become an airline pilot, but they can give you the qualification!