Colorado Flight Schools
Have you ever dreamed about becoming a pilot? Getting licensed as a private or commercial pilot is a fun and exciting idea, and Colorado is the perfect place to accomplish your flight goals.
With outstanding natural beauty, brilliant blue skies, and more than 300 sunny days per year, it’s no surprise that Rocky Mountain State is one of the best states in the USA to attend a flight school.
Training in Colorado offers the chance to practice basic drills on wide open plains and to navigate high-altitude mountain areas. Colorado has it all for those who want the thrill of soaring in the skies.
Licensed Colorado flight schools follow rigorous programs to make sure you learn everything needed to pilot a plane with safety and competence. Most Colorado FAA-certified training schools offer a full spectrum of training programs such as the following:
Private Pilot Certificate - This first course teaches you to pilot a small plane solo and with passengers. You’ll log around 40 hours of in-flight hours in visual conditions, plus extensive ground school training. Course fees run between $12,000 to $21,000 depending on time and circumstances.
Instrument Rating Training - This next step allows you to pilot a plane in all sorts of weather conditions using onboard flight instruments, even when outside visuals are impaired. This means you can fly through puffy clouds instead of avoiding them, and you won’t get grounded because of the weather.
Commercial Pilot Certificate - To shift careers and gain employment as a commercial pilot, you’ll need over 250 hours of logged flight time and around 70 additional hours of flight training. After completing private pilot training, additional fees for the commercial certificate start around $47,000 and go up depending on the school.
Certified Flight Instructor - Once you have a Commercial Pilot Certificate, you can learn to teach others how to fly. Plan on 60-70 hours of ground school training and at least 15-20 hours of in-flight training. The cost is about $7000 but can vary with your personal pace.
Most schools also offer a mini-course, so your sidekick (who doesn’t necessarily want to become a pilot) can learn the basics, too and it can cost approximately $500.
Additional courses at select Colorado flight schools might include mountain flying, helicopter training, and even aerobatics training among other unique programs.
If you’ve got a passion for flying and want to become a private or commercial pilot while living in Colorado, there is probably an excellent flight school near you!
Front Range Flight School
Denver, CO
Instructors at the Front Range Flight School know all about why people love to fly, and their instructors are determined to see that you reach your goal. Front Range offers the full scope of professional pilot programs, with all courses including detailed ground training. You can complete FAA certification with ease and learn near the Denver International Airport.
Front Range Flight Training takes flying seriously but also provides enjoyable and complete personal training. Their patient and experienced instructors make sure you get the most out of the program. You can enroll to become a certified flight instructor or how to navigate the mountains and more.
FRFS offers an Introductory Flight with one full hour of flight time for just $199.00. After making up your mind, you can select from instrument...
Western Air Flight Academy
Denver, CO
$12,208+
Western Air Flight Academy, part of the American Flight Schools family, has been training pilots in the Denver area since 2003. With its enthusiastic staff of highly skilled instructors, Western Air is proud to offer a complete range of pilot training programs.
If you’re just getting interested in flying, take advantage of a discovery flight. Getting into the air and learning more before committing to a course can help you make the right decision. Western Air’s convenient Denver location allows potential pilots to take their training in the front range environment and fly around the Rocky Mountain foothills.
Western Air Flight Academy even offers a specific mountain flying course to provide you with the skills needed to safely fly through the stunning but challenging Colorado mountains and canyons.
Whether your...
Alpine Flight Training
Gypsum, CO
$16,500
Alpine Flight Training operates its flight school from the Vail Eagle County Regional Airport. Their knowledgeable and expert staff instructors know what it takes to navigate the Colorado mountain areas, and they’re happy to provide proficient and intuitive training.
If you want to be a pilot in Colorado, Alpine Flight Training is an excellent choice, and they cover all the requisite programs. Their mission is to prepare pilots to safely enjoy the thrill of flying. The instructors who work with Alpine Flight have experience in mountain flying; not only in Colorado, but in other extreme mountain areas, such as Idaho, Montana, and Alaska.
Private pilot training certification will cost around...
Arapahoe Flight Club
Colorado Springs, CO
$21,000+
Arapahoe Flight Club is a dynamic and dedicated flight school based in Colorado Springs. The company is veteran-owned and has a stellar staff of pilots who want to help your piloting hopes become a reality. Not only does Arapahoe Flight Club offer private and professional pilot certifications, but they are also a helicopter aviation school.
If you want to take an exhilarating flight over the city and feel what it’s like in a small plane, Arapahoe offers two introductory flight options. The first is a 1-hour flight in a Cherokee or Piper Warrior plane ($249). The second, the Elite Introductory flight, takes place in a jet-style plane ($299).
If you’re...
Aspen Flight Academy
Aspen, CO
$21,450+
The Aspen Flight Academy, founded in 2014, is a non-profit organization located in Aspen, Colorado. The Aspen airport, where training takes place is in mountainous terrain at an elevation higher than most other airports. The airport also sees a high degree of air traffic. Training in this unusual and demanding environment makes for strong and competent pilots.
While The Aspen Flight Academy offers a full spectrum of pilot training programs for adults, they specialize in providing programs for students to learn to fly.
The Academy believes in empowering youth to experience the triumph, plus the responsibility, that comes with becoming a pilot. Aspen Flight Academy offers FAA-certified Private Pilot Flight...
Leading Edge Flight Training
Fort Collins, CO
Located at the Fort Collins-Loveland airport, Leading Edge Flight Training (LE) is an outstanding aviation school. Their dedicated and top-notch team members make your pilot training smooth and easy.
LE’s wonderful location allows take-offs and landings in FAA-controlled airspace, local flights in the gorgeous northern Colorado scenery, and solo cross-country flights.
Leading Edge offers several certification programs. Private pilot certification is completed with about 40 hours of specific flight training, including ground school study for the basics. A certification course takes between 4-9 months, depending on how often your schedule allows you to fly.
Not ready to sign up for certification? Leading Edge also offers a 2-hour introductory flight for...
Peak Aviation
Colorado Springs, CO
$17,000+
Peak Aviation, established in 2016, is the only Cessna Pilot Center in Colorado Springs. If you live in this area of Southern Colorado, look no further for a fantastic flight school that offers all the necessary pilot certificates.
Training at Peak Aviation is on a one-to-one basis with a qualified instructor. With the Peak Aviation approach, personalized training ensures that each person can go at their own pace to learn the required skills to fulfill their aviation goals.
On average, the FAA-certified Private Pilot Certificate takes around 40 hours of flight time, in addition to ground study and written exams, and will cost about $17,000. Commercial pilot training is more...
Springs Aviation
Colorado Springs, CO
$12,686+
This family-owned and operated flight school has been in business since 1995 from its base at the Meadow Lake Airport. Just outside of Colorado Springs, Springs Aviation is there to make sure you get the right FAA-certified training. It’s open to those who want to become a hobby pilot or a professional career pilot.
Springs Aviation trains pilots to fly planes and helicopters. Their programs are geared toward the individual, making it easy to pass all requirements and get certified. Springs Aviation breaks up the pilot training course into separate small courses that can be taken according to your schedule. Check their website for more details and to find out...
The Flying School
Loveland, CO
$9000+
The Flying School, established in 1996 in Loveland is a first-rate place to start your adventures in flying. The Flying School operates out of the Northern Colorado Airport, certifying private and professional pilots under the beautiful blue skies. The time necessary to get an FAA-certified private pilot license at the Flying School is between 6-9 months.
If you already have your pilot certification, talk to The Flying School about upgrading your license. They also hold Instrument Flight training that expands the types of weather a pilot can fly in, which is valuable for a pilot’s resume. Or, you could become certified as a flight instructor and teach others how to...
What is employment like for pilots in Colorado?
Colorado sees a high amount of general air traffic, so there are abundant opportunities for pilots in Colorado. You can easily find jobs in the private sector and commercial sector. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists Colorado as one of the places for the highest concentration of jobs for pilots.
How much does it cost to get a pilot license in Colorado?
A private pilot’s license in Colorado will cost approximately $21,000. Commercial pilot licenses run from between $47,000-69,000. The amount will vary due to personal time limitations, amount of flight time needed, and the number of certifications desired. Most flight schools can help you with your tuition to become a pilot.
How much do pilots get paid in Colorado?
Commercial pilots can expect high job salaries. Commercial pilots in Colorado earn an average salary of $151,000 according to Intuit. This amount will vary depending on experience, with a range from $52,000-$102,000/year for newer pilots to $184,000-211,000/year for experienced pilots. Indeed shows an average salary of $112,733.