All aircraft rates are per hour Hobbs time and include fuel. Aircraft rental is subject to sales tax but flight instruction is not. Renters insurance required for flights without the instructor.

Cessna 152………..$129
Piper Archer……….$178
Flight Instruction…..$78
Ground Instruction…$39
Flight Review …….$120
Headset……………No Charge
In-Flight Video…….No Charge
Payment options: Cash, Check or Credit Card
3% Convenience fee for Credit Card transactions

Demeanor
• Would be professionally dressed and well groomed.
• Would be on-time and prepared.
• Would be flexible with scheduling changes.
• Would be 100% honest respecting people’s time and money.
• Would be kind, friendly and approachable.
• Would remember people’s names and greet them enthusiastically.

Availability
• Would be available in person at the airport and aviation activities, as well as by phone, text, email and website.

Marketing
• Would market him/herself actively to the pilot community and the general community.
• Would charge reasonable rates and provide flexible payment options to facilitate student enrollment.
• Would call pilots to suggest continued training and remind them when Flight Reviews are due.

Quality
• Would be well organized and efficient, maintaining files and databases on contacts.
• Would target Flight Reviews to specific areas depending on pilot needs per questionnaire.
• Would have access to a fleet of modern, well maintained, capable aircraft.
• Would teach in an efficient effective manner that students would recognize as high quality instruction.
• Would have high standards of knowledge and skill and have a reputation as the best instructor in the country.
• Would be quiet and humble, asking clear concise Socratic questions that invoke deep thought and understanding.
• Would be positive and enlightening, praising students at an effective personal level.

Training
• Would be well trained and experienced with years of flight time and interesting stories.
• Would have Flight Instructor friends and contacts to get ideas and advice from.
• Would stay up to date on aviation changes through subscriptions and personal contacts.

This graph shows the skill level a person might possess on the left versus an approximate number of lessons across the bottom.  Notice the rapid increase in skill in the first few lessons followed by a leveling off just prior to solo.  This is the classic learning plateau most students face.  When the light bulb finally goes on, you get a big jump in skill and the first solo flight goes well.  Training then proceeds and a second, smaller plateau is reached just prior to your checkride.

Each of these stages in skill development are often separated by periods of inactivity.  It is not unusual to have a student fly hard for a month or two, do the first solo, and then take a break before making a second push.  Be careful not to stay idle for too long, as it is easy to drop out permanently at these points in the process.

Key points to remember:

• Expect your progress to slow at these key times.
• Taking a break from training is normal and healthy.
• With persistence you will succeed.

…is polite
• Is friendly and humble.
• Calls ahead if they are going to be late.
• Reschedules lessons at least 12 hours in advance if a conflict arises.

…does their homework
• Has completed the assigned readings and tasks before arriving for a lesson.
• Records questions during home study to ask the instructor about.

…is prepared
• Brings all required books and equipment to each lesson.
• Checks the weather before coming to the airport or arrives early and checks the weather.

…is fiscally responsible
• Brings a checkbook to lessons and pays bills promptly
• Arranges for lines of credit as needed to maintain training progress.

…communicates well
• Discusses problems and concerns with the instructor right away.
• Maintains communications with other pilots-in-training to discuss problems and concerns.
• Never makes solo flights without the knowledge and approval of the instructor.

…is a self-motivated learner
• Calls AWOS on a regular basis to learn what various ceilings and visibilities look like.
• Reads books and magazine articles on aviation subjects that enhance learning.
• Uses the Internet as an additional resource to books and the instructor.

…is mature
• Treats rental planes with care and professionalism.
• Reports any damage or malfunction to the airplane owner immediately.
• Takes instant responsibility for any damage caused to airplanes or property.

…is safe
• Does not hot-rod or show off in the car or the airplane.
• Does no unapproved maneuvers in any airplane at any time.
• Uses flight following on a regular basis going cross country.
• Uses aircraft checklists without rushing progress.

The authors of Influencer: The Power to Change Anything explain in order to get anyone to do anything, such as a woman learning to fly, she must see the benefit and, she must be convinced she has the means and ability to learn to fly. Here are the barriers identified in the Wolf Aviation Fund Teaching Women to Fly Research Project.

#1 Lack of money for General Aviation flight training.

#2 Instructor-student communication incompatibility (Mars vs. Venus).

#3 Instructor Interuptus- Instructors leave flight instructing to take airline or charter service jobs often requiring the student to start over with another instructor. This is time consuming, expensive and discouraging to many female students.

#4 Lack of female mentors and support systems to encourage the female student.

#5 Personal lack of confidence in their ability and a “fear of flying,” especially stalling the airplane too early in the training process.

#6 Lack of experience with and knowledge of mechanical systems.

#7 Lack of map reading experience & orienteering skills.

#8 Flight schools perceived as indifferent to female students.

#9 Famous female pilots largely unknown as role models to non-aviator women.

#10 Lack of emotional support from family & friends, who perceive flying as “too dangerous”.

If these barriers erode or destroy the female student’s perception of the benefit of or her confidence to achieve the goal of pilot certification, then she either never begins flight training or drops out. Talk to your instructor right away if are experiencing frustration in any of these areas so a solution can be found and you will succeed!