Located in Boise, Jetstream Aviation offers FAA part 141 instruction for new pilots. A Discovery Flight is offered for a fee, and introduces you to piloting by giving you control of the aircraft while in flight. Fixed-wing and glass-paneled planes are available for training. 35 hours of ground training and 35 hours of in-flight training qualify you to take the FAA oral, practical and written examinations. You must also pass a medical examination. The cost varies according to how many hours you need to pass the course. Financing is available.
Located in western Idaho, McCall Aviation offers private pilot license training on the ground and in the sky. McCall's ground school is taught on a one-on-one basis, giving the student an opportunity to work directly with his flight instructor. While the FAA requires a minimum of 40 hours of instruction, the school suggests that 50 to 55 hours is a more accurate estimate to pass an FAA inspection flight. These additional hours add to the base cost of the course. Open seven days a week, training hours can accommodate most schedules. Your first flight lesson will put you in the pilot's seat while in the air. Advanced instruction in instrument rating, twin-engine aircraft and backcountry flying is also available. Students learn in Cessna aircraft.
Located in Nampa and close to mountainous terrain, this is a good topographical location for training. Using a Piper Tomahawk as the training plane, the single instructor, Bill Zerfas, is a certified flight and instrument instructor. He also holds a commercial and multi-engine license. You cannot weigh over 225 pounds because of the airplane's weight limitations. Although the FAA requires a minimum of 40 hours for training, this school suggests 50 to 70 hours, depending on your abilities. As a full-time student, working five to six days per week, you can expect to earn your license in approximately one month. APA estimates the cost for earning a pilot's license at their school to be close to $6,000. They also suggest that you add an additional $3,000 to the cost to cover additional flying time and costs required to prepare you for the FAA exam.
Glass Cockpit Aviation, located in Boise and Sun Valley, has seven aircraft, two flight simulators and six instructors. It is one of the few schools nationally to offer private pilot instruction in a Cirrus aircraft. The Cirrus's computer and simulation avionics give a pilot technological advantages over learning in the more basic aircraft. Glass Cockpit also offers training for a sport pilot's license, which is a shorter course but grants a more restrictive license. Sport pilots do not need a medical and are required to take a minimum of 20 hours of instruction before taking the FAA test. Accelerated classes are available for licensing beyond the private pilot's license, including instrument training and multi-engine courses.