The Phoenix metro area is a wonderful place for student pilots to learn to fly. We’re lucky to have an abundance of excellent choices for flight schools, owing to our clear weather and infrastructure.
Students in Phoenix Flyers
Phoenix Flyers requires students to perform all of their training with club instructors; as of July 2022, none of our club instructors have the time needed to dedicate to training new students, so we must decline student membership applications for now. Feel free to Contact Us to check, particularly if this seems out-of-date.
Resources for Student Pilots
The best starting point for learning to fly light aircraft is the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association’s Learn To Fly page. Their Flight School Directory is a very good place to start finding schools in the area to talk to.
Other Thoughts
Arizona is also home to some of the best soaring environments in the United States, making it a natural place to learn to fly gliders. Gliders – also called sailplanes – are extremely fun, and earning a Private Pilot: Glider certificate is a great way to become an excellent stick-and-rudder pilot. The Arizona Soaring Association has details of learning to pilot Gliders; the sailports near Maricopa and Lake Pleasant both have excellent schools on-site.
Getting started in gliders is comparatively inexpensive, though it might not make sense if you have an aviation career in mind. If you look at flying as an awesome hobby, it might be worth your while to try an introductory glider flight some day!
Don’t Forget About Flying Clubs
Even if Phoenix Flyers can’t accommodate you as a student, flying clubs are wonderful tools to keep yourself flying. Get back in touch with us or another great club after you pass your checkride — and keep flying!