Elon Aviation is considered to the go-to flight school for beginning pilots in the Triangle and the Triad. Flying since 2014, the academy has locations in Burlington and Greensboro and is open seven days a week for aspiring commercial pilots or anyone just seeking a new hobby.
“I’ve really enjoyed my time so far here,” student Elijah Hawkings, an Elon university student, said. “It’s challenging yet fun at the same time, and I’ve always looked forward to conversing with my instructor about anything while we’re in the plane.”
Not only can prospective students book an appointment whenever they want, but students can also choose which pilot they work with and which plane they fly in. A pilots’ bag with a logbook, study books and an airplane headset are provided to all students.
“Once you’re registered into the school, we kind of see you as one of us,” flight instructor Luke Gareth said. “We’re made of a group of young adults who want to get more experience every day and eventually get the licenses that we’re all striving for.”
Elon Aviation offers five different pilot certifications: private pilot, commercial pilot, instrument rating, multi-engine rating and certified flight instructor. Students must be sixteen to fly solo and seventeen to receive a pilot’s license.
Elon Aviation’s deck is made up of a small crew, which instructors at the school say allows them to get know pupils well. Usually there are five or six people on deck or in the office.
“Getting to know each other and building relationships is something that’s common here,” assistant pilot instructor Ishmael Moore said. “We’re always around each other, so it’s always sad to see when a co-worker reaches the stage of filling out forms for being a commercial pilot. The mood on site is always bright and upwards, and we all bond with one another and look forward to getting to work.”
Although flying can be seen as an enjoyable profession, becoming a pilot is hard work, instructors say. Flight training, ground school and homework are all prerequisites for obtaining a pilot’s license.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) advises student pilots to at least complete one lesson a week. Students can choose either a one-hour or two-hour lesson, depending on plane and instructor availability.
Students who attend the school once a week generally take six to nine months to earn a private pilot’s license.
