Epic Flight Academy was founded in 1999 with a single Cessna aircraft; today, it operates more than 40 planes. They offer prospective pilots a half-hour taster flight for $59 (as of February 2011), and prices for private pilot single engine tuition start at $9,290. This price includes 40 flying hours, five of which are solo. The school offers a number of add-on courses, one of the most notable being its commercial pilot multiengine service, which starts at $6,328. Epic Flight Academy is one of the top-rated Cessna flying institutions in the world and has trained more than 1,500 new pilots.
The private pilot tuition at the American Aviation Academy begins at $7,880, and includes 45 hours of flying time (10 of which are solo). They also offer a full professional course, which includes both private and commercial licenses, instrument rating, three FAA exams and single and multiengine training. The course is $28,635. The school offers an accommodation package to students, which comes in at $750 a month, and includes a free shuttle service to the airfield. Based in San Diego, the school can offer 350 flying days per year due to the region's clear skies and low levels of precipitation.
Phoenix East Aviation is based in Daytona Beach, Fla. Their private pilot course includes 55 hours of flying time, including 11 solo hours. The company also offers a comprehensive professional program, which includes a commercial license, multiengine and instrument ratings and flight instructor rating. The course comes in at a total of $39,121, and includes 136 flying hours. Phoenix East runs a program of financial aid for students, which is available to help meet tuition costs. The school was founded in 1972 and gave pilot training to a NASA astronaut who would go on to walk on the moon.
Located in Denton, Texas, the U.S. Flight Academy offers a private pilot course for $7,128, which includes 21 hours of solo flying time (45 overall). Its commercial multiengine course comes to $18,916. The school also offers a helicopter training course, including an introductory session for $149, which is designed to offer prospective students the chance to decide whether helicopter flight is for them. Programs in aircraft maintenance, avionics and sales are also avilaible. In four years of operation the school has grown rapidly, and currently has more than 200 students, as well as a large sports plane sales division.