ATP Raleigh-Durham Flight School at Raleigh-Durham International Airport offers programs for career pilots, commercial pilots, certified flight instructors and private pilots along with single-engine and multi-engine instrument rating programs. ATP also offers housing for career flight students, and it trains pilots using a variety of aircraft and simulators. As a nationwide flight school company, ATP has access to products and services not available to smaller flight schools.
Located at the Henderson-Oxford airport, about 10 miles east of Henderson, Empire Aviation offers training in a Cessna 172, Cessna 152 and a Piper Cherokee PA128-140. The school boasts a 95 percent success rate for students earning the Private Pilot's Certificate on their first check ride. Empire Aviation's instructor team has amassed over 130 years of flight training. The company offers multi-engine training as well as an IFR (instrument rating) flight training package, pilot's licenses and advanced flight ratings.
Training pilots for over 20 years at Smith Reynolds Aiport in Winston-Salem, Piedmont Flight Training offers training at a reasonable price. The company specializes in light training and maintains a fleet of single-engine Beechcraft, Piper and Cessna aircraft, as well as a Piper Seneca One. The Piper One Seneca allows the Piedmont student to obtain a rating from multi-engine to Airline Transport Pilot. Piedmont Flight Training teaches FAA-approved curriculum used in most Part 141 (requiring less airtime under FAA rules) schools.
With a staff of two and located just north of Charlotte, Acro Dynamics offers flight training for recreational flying or "high intensity aerobatic training." Students range from beginners to professional aerobatic pilots and commercial pilots seeking to increase their safety skills in an 8KCAB Bellanca Decathlon plane, known as the premier aircraft for aerobatic training. Acro Dynamics is the only flight school in North Carolina that offers both aerobatic and tail wheel training. The company's flight instructors draw on years of experience in commercial, military and aerobatic flying.