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3 Answers

Advantages of Getting Flight Training at More than One Flight School

Asked by: 943 views , , , ,
Commercial Pilot, Flight Instructor, Instrument Rating, Private Pilot, Student Pilot

I am completely happy with my current flight school, and my instructors, but I have been wondering..............

Are there any significant advantages to choosing a different flight school for ratings and endorsements beyond the initial private and instrument tickets?

I am blessed to be in area that is knee deep in various flight schools. Some operations place special emphasis on fast tracking trainees to the airlines; others are more traditional in their training.  All the flight schools, to the best of my knowledge, offer quality training programs, meet or exceed minimal standards, and can boast sufficient diversity in their fleets of aircraft. 

I have flown at four different local flight schools, and can sense slight differences in training philosophies, ground school and stage check methods, and more.  Covid, aircraft availability, and reputation of instructors basically explains how I ended up flying with four different operations.

Up to now, most of my private and instrument training has been with one school. I have no complaints.  Nevertheless, looking at Commercial and beyond, I do wonder if a broader training exposure might not be a bad thing.  I fly strictly for the recreational pleasure, and do not aspire to any form of future employment. 

Comments from all, especially the CFIs, would be appreciated.

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3 Answers



  1. Mark Kolber on Nov 22, 2023

    There are differences in technique and philosophies not only between different schools but different instructors as well. Unless there is something about a particular school or particular instructor you like, I can’t think of a single reason for feeling tied to only one,

    My private, instrument, commercial, CFI, and CFII all involved different schools and different instructors. Even different airports in some cases. They have all contributed value to my flying.

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  2. LTCTerry on Nov 23, 2023

    I had lots of multiple instructors and locations for Private – two different countries and three different states! IFR was all in one state, but two widely separate locations and lots

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  3. LTCTerry on Nov 23, 2023

    I don’t know why, but the Captcha told me “verification expired” and posted before I was ready.

    I had lots of multiple instructors and locations for Private – two different countries and three different states! IFR was all in one state, but two widely separate locations and lots of different instructors. That was for airplanes. Gliders got even worse. The only thing that every had one main instructor was ME Commercial and MEI.

    There’s value in being exposed to different CFIs and their experience.

    Out of eleven checkrides in the last 14 months, two people have each done three with me (AMEL Private, AMEL Commercial, and Airplane IFR add on and AMEL Commercial, CFI initial, and CFII (soon to be MEI too)) I’ve encourage both of these guys to fly with others. I want them to see more. I’m doing Commercial now for a guy whose instrument rating I did in the summer – I set up for him to fly w/ others when I was busy – it’s a good check on his progress and my instructing.

    I would avoid lots of primary instructors, though. It does make it more complicated.

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