Discover your new love for flying.
This is the start of a beautiful new hobby or even a career! Here’s what you need to know about flying lessons at High Flight Academy:
- Located at the Pittsburgh-Butler Regional Airport and open daily from 8:00 A.M. to 8:30 P.M.
- Start with a Discovery Flight, then earn your Private Pilot, Recreational, or Commercial Pilot’s License
- Experienced instructors dedicated to providing quality, safe, fun lessons for recreation or a career
- No previous experience required
- Flights are available for US and Non-US citizens, ages 12 and up
We’re here to answer all of your questions. Use this form or call us at 724-481-1359 for more information or to schedule your first flight.
Contact Us
Flight School in 4 Easy Steps
Your initial flight training session will set the tone for the rest of your flying career- whether professional, or simply for fun. Finding the right flight school that fits your needs, schedule and learning style is essential. High Flight Academy welcomes you to experience the difference with our customized, personalized approach in flight training. Our team is dedicated to delivering an exceptional experience by integrating the latest in flight simulator technology and traditional flight training to ensure that every flight lesson is educational, efficient and of course, fun. Try it, and see for yourself with a Discovery Flight Package.
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Step 1
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Discovery Flight
- Your instructor will guide you through a pre-flight inspection, including information about airplane parts and flight controls. At High Flight we offer you two options…
- You can fly a Cessna 172 Aircraft or Piper Warrior or experience flight in our Redbird full motion Flight Simulator with an FAA Certified Flight Instructor
- You have the opportunity to control the aircraft throughout the flight, trying basic maneuvers
- You’ll end with a realistic idea of what training and flying is like
- Post-flight question and answer session with the instructor
Getting Started:
- No experience necessary
- Flights are available for US and Non-US citizens
- Call us anytime to schedule your flight
Discovery Flights starting as low as $99 in a simulator and $149 in the air!
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Step 2
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Enroll in High Flight Academy’s Private Pilot Course
What’s next? By obtaining your Private Pilot Certificate, you will be able to fly an airplane, carry passengers, and baggage. So let’s get started.
Depending on your goals and ambitions, the High Flight Academy team will help you build a plan for success before you begin training including budgeting, scheduling and medical certification.
- Budget: Your High Flight Academy instructor will provide a detailed review of flight training costs, and develop a schedule that fits your budget and maximizes the efficiency of your training.
- Schedule: We understand the importance of customizing a schedule that fits your lifestyle. Ideally, we recommend flight student`s schedule at least 2 lessons per week. If your work, academic, or personal schedule won’t allow that, we are happy to work with you to establish a personalized training schedule that will meet your needs, and allow you to succeed.
- Medical: Early in your training you will need to obtain an FAA Medical Certificate. This is a simple form that is required, stating you are medically qualified to act as the pilot in command of an aircraft.
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Step 3
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Your First Solo
You are now pursuing your Private Pilot Certificate. The first exciting event in your training will be to Solo the Airplane. You will have learned the skills necessary to fly an airplane on your own. With the training you receive by our professional flight instruction team you now have the freedom of flight on your own.
You can now say I did it – I can fly an airplane on my own. Congratulations!
From here you your instructor will guide you through all of the additional skills you will need to get your private pilot certificate.
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Step 4
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Checkride
You’ve done it. You’ve completed the necessary training and are able to safely navigate an airplane, and soar through the open sky. The last step is to pass your FAA examination, known as a Checkride. There are three parts to the Checkride: a written, verbal, and practical exam. The computer-based written exam is done in advance once your flight instructor has informed the FAA that you have completed the required training to pass the test. The verbal and practical tests are completed with an FAA Designated Examiner (“DE”) usually on the same day as the written exam. The DE is often a senior pilot in the community that has authorization from the FAA to grant private pilot licenses. Don’t expect any curveballs. The DE will run you through all the maneuvers that you’ve worked to perfect during your training with your flight instructor at High Flight Academy.
At the end of a successful Checkride, the DE will utter those famous words that you’ve worked hard to hear; “Congratulations, you’re now a certified pilot!”
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