|
Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
Career
Pilot Training Questions
Non-Career
Pilot Training Questions
General Questions and
Answers
Q: Are the program costs based
on the minimum required?
A:
No, our program costs are not based on minimums. Our program is
based on an estimate of a normal student. Some students will
finish faster and some will finish slower.
Q: How does the
scheduling of aircraft work? Do I get told when to fly?
A:
Your instructor and you will sit down and plan what time works
for both of you. You will always be scheduled for about 5 days
out, but changes can be made when necessary. Our ground schools
are on set schedules but otherwise you have a lot of
flexibility. We also have an
online scheduling program so you can
see what is planned.
Q: Can I take flights that are not part
of the training?
A:
Yes! We allow our pilots to rent our aircraft for flights with
family and friends. Just remember that these flights are not
part of the program and are not budgeted for in training
expenses.
Q: What kind of maintenance is done on
the aircraft?
A:
All maintenance is performed by Atlantic Aviation. Our aircraft
are very well maintained with both 50 hr and 100 hr inspections
as well as the annual inspection. That means that our aircraft
get serviced at least once a month.
Q: What kind of simulators do you use?
A:
We operate an Advanced Aviation Training Device (AATD), Flight
Training Device (FTD), and Personal Computer Aviation Training
Device (PCATD) representing single engine, multi-engine, and
turbine aircraft. Click
HERE for more information about our
simulators.
Q: How long has
Westwind been in the pilot training business?
A:
Westwind started as a small flight training organization in 1985
and has grown to be one of the 10 largest professional flight
academies.
Q: Why does Westwind use Cessna
aircraft while some schools use Pipers?
A:
Westwind uses both
Cessna and
Piper manufactured aircraft. Westwind
uses Cessna 172’s, and Piper Arrows for single engine training.
For multi-engine training we use the Piper Seminole. If
you add up all the current pilots who received their Pilot's
certificate in an aircraft other than a Cessna it wouldn't even
come close to the number of pilots who learned to fly in a
Cessna. There must be a reason for that! Cessna
aircraft are rugged and can take a lot of training abuse.
Its large cabin (two doors) and high wing make it an ideal
training aircraft.
Q: How important is the number
of training aircraft?
A:
Insufficient number of aircraft can severely limit a student's
progress. Westwind’s fleet currently exceeds
25 aircraft and simulators and most of
them are less than five years old. Westwind is continually
upgrading its fleet. Most of our aircraft are equipped
with state of the art Global Positioning System (GPS)
receivers.
Q: What’s the difference between Part
61 and Part 141?
A:
Part 61 and Part 141 refer to the sections in the Federal
Aviation Regulations (FAR) that govern the conduct of flight
training. The vast majority of flight training is conducted
under Part 61 regulations, especially if it is a small flight
school. Part 141 was created by the FAA in an attempt to
allow schools to train students at a lower cost if the schools
would comply with the very exacting criteria the FAA establish.
Part 141 however puts a considerable administrative burden on a
school. Westwind is a FAA Certified 141 school but we also
train under Part 61. A Veteran who desires to use his/her
GI Bill educational benefits would do so under our Part 141
Certificate.
Career Pilot Training Questions
Q: How do I get from your program
to an airline?
A:
There are many ways to build time and get to an airline. We hire
our students as flight instructors when they graduate the
Airline Direct Track or Flight Instructor Direct Track programs.
We also have
charter and airline services owned by
our sister company Westwind Aviation Inc. Most of our graduates
are leaving us for a
regional airline when they reach
500-1000 Hours. As you can see, our graduates have many
opportunities.
To help you along, we also have a
Career Resource Center. There you can
get help with resumes, cover letters, and mock interviews. We
also have numerous connections with different regional airlines
to help you get the job you want.
Q: Given the current condition of
the airline industry, is a career in aviation a smart move?
A:
Anyone pursuing a career needs to take a long-term outlook of an
industry and avoid the short term viewpoint. Always
remember that the majority of commercial pilots currently flying
with the major airlines are facing the FAA imposed 60 year
mandatory age retirement in the next 10 years. The
airlines in general are starting to experience increases in load
factor, passenger miles flown and even profit. Several
airlines have announced long-term aircraft orders which always
spells good news for future pilot requirements. In short... Yes.
A career in aviation is a smart move.
Q: Seems like all the major flight
academies are either in Florida or Arizona. Why is that?
A:
It all comes down to weather. In fact some schools have
campuses in both states. Westwind has chosen to keep our
operation at the one location here in Phoenix. We have
found that Arizona offers the most ideal location for flight
training. More so than Florida, Arizona is the true
"Sunshine State" with flying weather almost every day of the
year.
Q: Can I work and attend the school
at the same time?
A:
Yes; however, it is important that you strike a reasonable
balance between your flight training and working. A
student in the Professional Pilot Program would be hard pressed
to work more than 20 hours per week without impacting his/her
training progress. If a student does need to work for
personal reasons, they can still pursue an aviation career
through our Career Pilot Program.
Q: I noticed that Westwind seems
to have more flight hours and a lower program price then the
other major flight academies. How is that possible?
A:
Westwind has a very low cost structure that allows us to pass
the savings on to our students. The school operates a
balance sheet with zero debt and it is not burdened with
corporate overheads that drive the program cost out of sight.
Q: Can I rent airplanes for fun
flights?
A:
Yes; However you want to be careful that you make those flights
a part of your training or you can easily overrun your training
budget if you're not careful. Westwind even rents airplanes to
students who attend other flight academies.
Q: How much do Flight Instructors
get paid?
A:
Starting pay is $25.00 per hour and can go as high as $33.00 per
hour.
Non-Career Pilot Training Questions and Answers
Q: How does Westwind approach
non-career pilot training?
A:
Westwind School of Aeronautics, the world's largest Cessna Pilot
Center, has adopted the Cleared for Takeoff Cessna Computer
Based Instruction (CBI) program for Private Pilot training.
This program utilizes an FAA approved syllabus that integrates
the ground school with the actual flight training, and
incorporates state of the art teaching techniques. The CBI
program uses over 25 CD's which includes your ground school on
full screen video. Since you own the software, you can do
your ground school on your own computer, at your own pace, on
your schedule. You can start, stop, and review as many
times as you want. When using the Cleared for Takeoff
program, you always know where you stand on getting your pilot
certificate. Every ground session and flight is conducted
to set correlated training objectives.
Your flight
training will be conducted at the Deer Valley Airport in
northern Phoenix. Deer Valley is one of the finest
training airports in the U.S. Its two runways, nearby
practice area, and a training-oriented control tower make Deer
Valley the airport of choice for training in Arizona.
Q: Is this going to take a lot of time?
A:
Westwind School of Aeronautics offers an 8-week Private Pilot
Course for students that can dedicate five days a week to flight
training. For those individuals that cannot train that
often, we offer a flexible training schedule. We recommend
that students train a minimum of 2 to 3 times a week. By
training more frequently, students need less review from the
previous lesson, ultimately saving both time and money. A
student training 2 to 4 times per week will usually earn his/her
Private Pilot Certificate in about 4 months. A student
training 5 or 6 times per week can usually earn his/her
certificate in as little as 8 weeks.
Q: How much does it cost?
A:
The FAA requires a minimum of 40 flight hours to qualify for the
Private Pilot Certificate. While many schools estimate the
price of their flight training program on FAA minimums, Westwind
prefers to quote a more realistic amount. For example, the
national average to obtain a Private Certificate is about 65
hours. With our quality training program and professional
flight instructors, Westwind students usually obtain their
Private Pilot Certificate in 45 to 55 hours of training.
We have based our price estimate on 62 hours of flight.
Please note that all pricing is an estimate only.
You will only be charged for what you actually require.
Q: How can I pay for my pilot training?
A:
Some students simply pay as they train, while others finance
their training through Sallie Mae. If you are interested in
financing your flight training, please make an appointment with
Student Admissions or visit our
Student Loans page. The applications
are simple and can be done on-line.
Q: What do I need to do to get
started?
A:
Initially, all you need to do is call or come visit Westwind
School of Aeronautics and fill out a simple application form. As
you begin your flying, your new instructor will help you with
the rest of the process, which will eventually include a simple
medical exam by an
FAA-approved doctor. You can start at
any age, although you must be at least 16 to fly solo and 17 to
obtain your Private Pilot Certificate.
|
