Professional Aviation

Right now is an ideal time to start flight training. The pilot-shortage crisis that the industry faced in 2017, 2018, and 2019 was only paused briefly by the COVID-19 pandemic. The demand for air travel slumped during the pandemic but bounced back to exceed pre-pandemic demand in 2023, and there is a full-fledge workforce shortage that is forecasted to worsen in the coming year and to last for the foreseeable future. This international pilot-shortage crisis is prompting airlines to pay higher salaries than ever before to compete for pilot talent, and many airlines are lowering entry-level hour minimums and offering $50,000 to $100,000 for incoming first officers to help them pay down their flight-training debt. PAC is a 21-month program, after which graduates become instructor pilots for another 15-20 months. Once they have gained those all-important flight hours (1,500 hours minimum), they can qualify to apply for an Airline Transport (ATP) license, making them eligible to be hired by airlines in less than four years from the program start date.

After graduation, most students typically work at flight schools training other students while gaining the flight experience required to meet minimum qualifications for the Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) license, an FAA requirement for scheduled air carrier pilots and corporate aviation departments operating jet aircraft. Wings Flight Enterprises will certainly be looking to retain a good percentage of graduates for training subsequent classes of student pilots enrolled in PAC. Based on national averages, flight instructors can expect to earn $32,000-$45,000 per year, and after 15-20 months of flight instructing, graduates typically move on to be First Officers at regional airlines and charter flight departments, earning salaries of approximately $80,000 per year starting pay plus benefits and a signing bonus up to $100,000. Career pilots enjoy yearly raises and career progression that put the average salary after two years at over $122,000 per year, and Captains of international airlines earn $300,000+ per year working 10-13 days per month.

Airline pilots fly scheduled passenger or cargo flights and must hold an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) license, the highest FAA qualification. However, all pilots must start their professional aviation careers by earning their private pilot licenses. Next, they earn instrument ratings to fly in the clouds and low visibility, and then they obtain a commercial pilot license before they can apply for an ATP license. There is a minimum of 1,500 hours of flight experience required to hold an ATP license, so commercial pilots most often choose to become flight instructors and work at a school teaching new pilots while building their hours before taking the ATP licensing exam.

PAC is an accelerated, targeted, vocational program for aspiring professional aviators that is more flexible, less time-consuming and faster than the rigid, full-time commitment required for an associate or bachelor’s degree in aviation. Since PAC only requires 15-20 hours of work each week, high school students can dual-enroll in PAC while finishing high school. This allows them to enter the aviation workforce 1-2 years ahead of their peers, which is valued at $150,000-$200,000 per year. PAC is also designed to attract returning adult students looking for an exciting new career. PAC allows them to work part-time to pay bills while earning their professional flight certifications. In fact, PAC is also a valuable alternative for traditional college students considering an aviation college or university. Specifically, PAC is not tied to an aviation degree, which allows our students to earn a degree in ANYTHING they choose while simultaneously earning their professional flight certifications. This has an advantage over aviation colleges whose degrees are generally related to aviation science or aviation management because those skills cannot be applied to earn money outside of aviation. PAC students, however, can earn degrees and certifications in areas outside of aviation, allowing them to work remotely while sitting around airports and hotels between flights.

Unfortunately, GI Bill benefits cannot currently be used for flight fees under Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) Part 61, but we are working on FAR Part 141 approval for the PAC program that will allow GI Bill benefits to be used for flight fees. 

This program is built to maintain 9-12 hours of contact learning with instructors each week, and it is expected that students will spend at least another 6-8 hours of personal home study and flight preparation, for an estimated 15-20 hours per week on average. Students will spend three (3) hours in class one day per week. Additionally, students will be scheduled for three (3) 2.5-hour flight lessons each week. Ground school courses are scheduled according to the academic calendar: PPL in fall of year 1, IFR in spring of year 1, CPL in fall of year 2, and CFI / CFII in spring of year 2, but flight training is not as rigid. Flight training can start anytime, and PAC coordinators will work with your schedule to build a program that fits. Students will coordinate closely with their instructor on scheduling, and staying on track will require commitment to work around scheduling interruptions caused by weather and aircraft maintenance. Students should be prepared to make up cancelled flight lessons on any day of the week, including Sundays if required. Other outside commitments will need to be scheduled accordingly, and students must be flexible and ready to fly when the weather and aircraft availability allows.

Unfortunately, government-backed loans are not an option for flight training because the US Department of Education does not recognize flight training as an accredited educational activity despite the fact that flight training is tightly regulated by the FAA. Be that as it may, some banks, credit unions, and private lenders offer loans for aspiring professional aviators, and some airlines are offering sign-on bonuses big enough to pay back loans in full (up to $100,000). We invite you to secure your own lender and can recommend one of our preferred lenders after we have had a chance to review your financing plan. Loan eligibility depends on your credit history and in many cases requires a qualified co-signer. Scholarships and grants are also available at www.FlightScholarship.info, https://www.aopa.org/training-and-safety/learn-to-fly/aviation-scholarships, and https://www.natafoundation.org/education/scholarships/.

Be sure to also check out financing options from both Stratus and Flight Training Finance.

Yes. All students must obtain a Class 1 medical certification and submit a copy prior to enrollment in this program. A Class 1 medical certification ensures future employment as an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP). We will recommend a physician with the proper FAA certifications near you before you enroll.