Accelerated Flight Training - Is it for you?

I have to say, that I am a strong believer in accelerated flight training - in MOST cases. There are of course exceptions to every rule but when it comes to selecting the method by which you plan to become a pilot or add another rating to your pilots license, an accelerated flight training course - done correctly - is the most cost and time efficient way to become a safe and proficient pilot.

That was the quick and easy answer, now let's get down to the nitty gritty details of how this accelerated flight training works. Like I said, if you are looking to become a pilot or add a rating to your pilot certificate, accelerated training is right in MOST cases and for most people, but not all.

If you can take the time out from work, school, family, etc. to dedicate 2 or 3 weeks to really focus - and I mean FOCUS - and get the job done, then the accelerated route is definitely for you.

Of course, not everyone can do this. After all, two to three weeks is a long stretch away from home for many of us. However, some accelerated flight training providers are able to provide flexibility for scheduling and many have chosen the option to break up their training into shorter segments. Just be prepared to add some additional time in the big picture if you need to approach it this way.

Why?

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In between segments, some of the knowledge and skills gained in the previous segment will go bye, bye, so on the return segment you can count on the first day or two just getting back up to speed before plowing into some new concepts.

7 Days, 14 Days, 21 Days. Which One is Right for Me?

If you have spent any time browsing the internet for an accelerated flight training course, I'm sure you have noticed a wide variety of offerings - anywhere from 10 days to 30 days for a Private Pilot training course for example.

So, why the big difference? Isn't the shortest one the best one?

Well, some flight training centers seem to think they can attract more customers by offering the shortest course. But not so fast! - pun intended ;-)

The FAA requires a MINIMUM of 40 hours of flight training time - or 35 hours in some part 141 schools - in order to obtain a Private Pilot License. Add to this almost an equal amount of "ground training" as well as exams, exam prep, etc.

SIDE BAR: Hardly anyone can complete their training in the FAA's minimum time. Actually, the national average time to complete training for a private pilot license - according to the FAA - is closer to 60 to 75 hours!

Just do the math.

In order for the average person to complete private pilot training in a 10 day accelerated flight training course, that person would need to fly at least 4+ hours per day - not counting all the other stuff. Now, anyone who has taken any flight training can tell you that after four hours of intense flight training, the brain and body are basically fried. The learning curve is past it's peak and too much instruction in one day can actually be counter-productive.

There comes a point where the human has reached the maximum amount of information input on a daily basis. In my experience with accelerated flight training courses, the average person can tolerate about 2 to 3 hours max of flight training and about the same amount of ground studies per day. Anything more is information overload and is simply not productive.

What About Ground School?

Here is one of the most important aspects of choosing the right accelerated flight training school. The ground training or "ground school".

All flight training is broken down into two basic categories: ground school and flight training. The ground school is for the brain and the flight training is supposed to take the stuff you put into your brain during ground school and APPLY that knowledge in the airplane. Of course, the FAA has knowledge exams - some people still call them "written tests" even though these tests are administered on computers nowadays - and the knowledge exams are designed to measure the amount of knowledge you retained in the gray matter during ground school.

Now, ground school comes in a multitude of shapes, colors sizes, etc. but the logic behind it is all still pretty much the same in the more traditional sense.

Getting you prepared for the FAA knowledge exam.

Now this is fine except that this kind of approach to ground school is missing the real point or intent of ground school! It's one thing to be able to pass a relatively simple multiple choice exam, quite another thing to have that knowledge translate into becoming a SAFE AND PROFICIENT PILOT!

Now, some flight schools do get it.

These are the ones that use a more INTEGRATED approach to ground school and flight training. Just as the word implies, this more up-to-date method of training takes the ground school and the flight training and meshes them together. The way it's supposed to be done!

SIDEBAR: By the way, an INTEGRATED pilot training syllabus is what the FAA recommends! Choose a flight school that utilizes an FAA approved integrated syllabus.

With an INTEGRATED pilot training syllabus, each ground lesson is actually preparing the student for his/her next flight lesson in the airplane - or simulator in some cases. This way, the entire training program is following a structured pathway and both the ground lessons and the flight lessons are complimenting each other, hence increasing the students retention of the knowledge and skills.

Make sure the flight school you choose uses some kind of INTEGRATED pilot training syllabus. If the flight school representative seems to not understand what this is all about then they probably don't have one.

Accelerated Flight Training For Advanced Ratings

I used private pilot training as an example above, but what about advanced ratings such as an instrument rating, a multi engine rating, etc.?

All of the same principles apply here too.

I would add however that if you are going for some kind of an advanced pilot rating, you already have some basis and reference from previous training experiences, so you already know that regardless of which flying school you ultimately choose, there is a partnership dynamic at work here where hopefully, if both parties are equally committed to the end goal, there is little else which can prevent you from achieving your objective on time and within budget.

In other words, assuming you have chosen a good flight school; you will get out of it what you put into it.

There is no pilot training magic wand. You have to do the stuff and your flight school / flight instructor is simply there to facilitate the whole process, provide the syllabus, the equipment and some guidance along the way. No study, no rating. Right?

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