Flight Training

If you’re interested in becoming an aviator, our friendly staff is dedicated to making it happen.

Our flight school is staffed with instructors who have both trained and conducted training in the Tampa Bay area, having logged many hours training student pilots locally. Our instructors can customize your learning experience to suit your personal needs, whether your goal is to begin a career in aviation and take an accelerated path towards the commercial level, or to fulfill your dream of becoming a private pilot at your own pace.

St. Pete Air offers flight training under F.A.R. Part 61 criteria for all ratings. Our primary training fleet consists of a Diamond DA40, Cessna 172 G1000, Cessna 172 P, and Piper Archer/Arrow models equipped with Garmin GNS-430 GPS systems. All aircraft are equipped with state-of-the-art Traffic Awareness Systems to provide you with the highest level of safety.

Flight & Ground Instruction Rates

Rates are twofold:  you’ll pay the instructor rate plus the rental rate of the plane of your choice.

Standard Instructor Rate: $67.00/hr
Club Member Instructor Rate: $58.96/hr

Plane Rental: Rates Vary – click for specific rates on each plane

(Packages Are Nonrefundable; One Time Payment Required)

The FAA requires a minimum of 40 hours with each criteria met below.  Most students finish their requirements in 50-60 hours.  Our instructors will work with you to meet your timeline and goals.

General:

• Be at least 17 years of age. Students may begin training prior to this as young as 14.
• Be able to read, write and converse fluently in English.
• Obtain at least a third class medical certificate from an Aviation Medical Examiner
• Pass a computerized aeronautical knowledge test at an FAA-designated computer testing center with a score of 70 or higher
• *Accumulate and log flight experience (FAR 61.109). Receive a minimum of 40 hours of flight instruction and solo flight time including:

Solo Requirements:

• 10 total hours of which 5 must be solo cross-county time
• One solo cross-country flight of at least 150 nmi (280km) total distance, with full-stop landings at a minimum of 3 points and with at least one segment of the flight consisting of a straight-line distance of at least 50nmi (93km) between the takeoff and landing locations
• Three solo takeoffs and landings to a full stop at an airport with an operating control tower

Night Requirements:

• 3 hours of night flight training
• One cross-country flight over 100nmi (190km)
• 10 takeoffs and 10 landings to a full stop (w/ each landing involving a flight in the traffic pattern) at an airport

Other:

• 3 hours of flight training on the control and maneuvering solely by reference to instruments
• 3 hours of flight training for cross-country flights
• 3 hours of flight training with an authorized instructor in preparation for the practical test.

Next course announcement coming soon. Contact Danielle Broussard, [email protected] for registration and details.

St. Pete Air will be conducting ground school courses periodically. The course will focus on the oral component of the private pilot check ride and will be useful for students pursuing a private pilot license, those returning to flying, or those seeking a refresher course. The class will be held on a weekday evening from 6-8 pm for 6 weeks.

Club members: $199.00, Non members: $299.00

Topics Covered:

• Aircraft Systems
• Airport Information
• Airspace and Sectional
• Weather Analysis
• Performance Calculations
• Cross Country Planning

The course includes 12 hours of ground class.  Please inquire at [email protected] to be placed on our ground school wait list.  *Please note: if a ground school course is not scheduled at this time, you’re welcome to begin ground sessions one on one with one of our certified flight instructors – who can cover the same material.