The northeastern part of Philadelphia has its own airport, named Northeast Philadelphia Airport. The engineering avionics school in Northeast Philadelphia is located by the airport on Grant Avenue. The Via Air Flight School is located in the airport itself off Grant Avenue through Ashton Road at airport Gate 21.
Via Air offers prospective students lessons in the area of general aviation, which covers private aircraft training and not commercial airline training. The lessons include both ground training and in-air training. Students need to pass a medical examination prior to flying solo. The minimum number of hours required to obtain a private pilot's license for a single-engined plane under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) is 40, but Via Air recommends that on average students get 60 to 75 hours of training. VFR rules allows pilots to fly in conditions where visibility is good and they don't have to rely on instruments. Each Via Air lesson includes 15 minutes of discussion on the ground before and after an hour in the air. The individual lessons cost $140 as of February 2011, and the company estimates that on average, a student should expect to spend $6,000 to gain the private pilot's license. The school also rents planes out to qualified pilots and offers advanced training such as Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) for flying in poor visibility by instruments alone.
The Aviation Institute of Maintenance in Philadelphia offers certificate programs in various specialties of aircraft maintenance. The Aviation Maintenance Technician program prepares students for an entry-level career in aviation engineering, in such jobs as installers, inspectors or service technicians and to pass the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) test for this type of career. The Aviation Maintenance Technician Electronics certificate prepares students for the FAA exam for aircraft-mechanic licensing and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) licensing for avionics careers. The Airframe Maintenance Technician program is designed for students who want to work on aircraft frames and prepares students for entry-level careers as service technicians. The Powerplant Maintenance Technician certificate is for students who are interested in working with aircraft engines, turbines and other power-creating devices. The certificate prepares students for entry-level positions in maintenance and servicing of aircraft.
U.S. citizens need to show evidence of citizenship, and non-U.S. citizens must submit to a background check, prior to being allowed into the air. This rule was brought into effect to reduce the risks of terrorism.