Training at some flight schools can be frustrating, let alone expensive, but with any frustration comes a turning point… Deciding it’s time to change flight schools is a big decision that isn’t taken likely. After all, you’ve likely spent a great deal of time with your current instructor, have invested heavily in your training, and are already familiar with your schools aircraft and procedures. So when is enough, enough?

Is it time to change Flight Schools? 

Sign #1: You’ve lost your motivation.

The key to success in flight training is student motivation. If you’ve lost it, it can be near impossible to surmount the challenges that come with learning to fly.  This is where your instructor plays a vital role. Your instructors job, beyond simply teaching, is to cultivate your passion, nurture your growth, and create an environment for you to thrive. Flight training should be fun! While; yes, flight school is difficult, you should never “hate” going to your lessons. How could anyone expect to learn anything when they are indifferent to even their own success? It’s a paradox that derails even the best students.

The time to change to a new flight school is when your current provider isn’t willing to work with you to correct your concerns. You continuously show up to your lessons only to be disappointed and the light at the end of the tunnel is, seemingly, nonexistent. You’ve lost your motivation to continue and you begin to wonder if you want to finish your pilot licenses at all. Don’t lose hope. You likely just need to change to a new school. 

Sign #2: Your flight instructor is too busy.

Sometimes flight instructors have too many students. This is especially true for many airline bound CFIs. Their insatiable desire to acquire flight time renders their schedule completely overbooked.  They may not even have availability for weeks! This can be the worst type of flight instructor to work with, sometimes even neglecting to complete ground lessons with students in an attempt to pursue lucrative flight hours. It’s a unconscionable situation which only disadvantages the student, making it that much harder to succeed. Moreover, it’s a total waste of the student’s money and time. 

You could easily change instructors at your school, but be certain this is truly the solution. A flight school which allows, or worse yet, encourages instructors to drive up student flight hours is no school you should choose to spend your valued business. It only works to deepen the student’s financial obligation to pay for the rental and instructor without actually progressing in the training curriculum. Unfortunately, this issue is a reality for far too many students. Consider changing to a school with a firm training plan/syllabus and a proven track record of student success. Don’t let greedy flight schools or instructors take advantage of your desire to become a pilot. Making you a safe a competent pilot should be the highest priority. 

Sign #3: Aircraft are never available.

A tactic practiced at many flight schools is to bring in too many students or renters to help reduce aircraft idle time. This works great for business but not so much for student’s eager to complete required flight experience. While there is usually friendly competition, at any flight school, to book a desirable flight schedule, it shouldn’t be impossible. Not being able to reserve aircraft consistently is a huge red flag. Inconsistent lessons is the bane of student success.  If you find that you are consistently running into problems reserving aircraft, it may be time for a new school.

Sign #4: You’re way over your planned budget.

Flight school is expensive. It was likely even an inhibiting factor preventing you from starting training. You decided to commit anyway, making sacrifices where necessary to make it work. After all, at the end of the training lies a lucrative flying career. You know its the right thing to do, but now things are getting a little too costly.

How do you know when you’re paying too much for flight lessons? Students on average, depending on your location, spend around $180 per hour for flight training. This includes both the instructor and the aircraft rental. If your lessons are running far above this average, you should evaluate if the benefits of your particular school merits the cost of the training. Some schools charge a high price, but offer students access to newer aircraft and simulators. Be mindful though, you don’t have to train in the newest aircraft or the latest and greatest technology to earn your pilot license. Older aircraft offer a reduced cost and will result in achieving the same training. 

Aside from just the per lesson costs, students should also be mindful of how much they have already spent on their training. AOPA estimates that the average private pilot licenses costs student $10,000. If you are halfway through your training and are already nearing this budget, you may want to consider changing schools for your instrument and commercial pilot training. The last thing you want to do is come out of flight school with monstrous debt.

Sign #5: You aren’t progressing.

If you’re not learning, your NOT learning! This is a huge indicator that it’s time for a new flight school. So many times I’ve had student’s tell me they were flying with their instructor but it felt more like a ride-along than a lesson. If your instructor isn’t teaching or isn’t letting you sufficiently fly the aircraft to practice and develop your skills, you will never progress. 

Flying is a skill, like playing an instrument or riding a bike. You have to practice and make mistakes to grow and master the technique. If your instructor refuses to allow you to do this, why are you training with them? More importantly, why would you continue to use a flight school that stands by this type of instruction? 

Progressing in your curriculum should be a students highest priority. The second this isn’t happening, don’t count your loses. Take action. Consider taking a lesson at another school to “test the waters”. What do you have to lose?

Have you ever had a bad flight school experience? Tell us about it in the comments.