TRAINING & SAFETY
- AOPA Flight Training Advantage
- Flight Training Magazine
- Technique
- Knowledge
- Advanced Training
- Career
- Students
- Fun
-
Air Safety Institute
- About ASI
- Air Safety Institute Webinars
- Airworthiness Records
- Videos
- Avoiding Common Aircraft Damage Causes
- Companion Copilot
- Implementing Learn to Turn with Rich Stowell
- Safety Notices
- Scalable Safety Framework
- ASI Speaking Engagement Request Form
- View Your ASI Transcript
- Accident Analysis
- Safety Publications
- Safety Centers
- Online Learning
- Online CFI Renewal (FIRC)
- Flight Training Survey
- Active Pilots
2018 Flight Training Experience Award Winners
Best Flight Instructor - National
Mike Biewenga | Lake in the Hills Airport (3CK)
Lake in the Hills, IL
Best Flight Instructor by Region
Northeast
Gashaw Mengistu | Montgomery County Airpark (GAI)
Gaithersburg, MD
Southeast
Mike Davis | Fairfield County Airport (FDW)
Liberty, SC
Midwest
Mike Biewenga | Lake in the Hills Airport (3CK)
Lake in the Hills, IL
Southwest
Brian Schultz | Lake Havasu City Airport (HII)
Havasu City, AZ
West
Carol Bennett | John Wayne Airport (SNA)
Laguna Niguel, CA
Best Flight School - National
Take Flight Aviation, LLC | Orange County Airport (MGJ)
Montgomery, NY
Best Flight School by Region
Northeast
Take Flight Aviation, LLC | Orange County Airport (MGJ)
Montgomery, NY
Southeast
MIL2ATP | Wayne Executive Jetport (GWW)
Pikesville, NC
Midwest
Blue Skies Flying Services & Pilot Shop (3CK)
Lake in The Hills, IL
Southwest
Chandler Air Service, Inc. | Chandler Municipal Airport (CHD)
Chandler, AZ
West
San Carlos Flight Center | San Carlos Airport (SQL)
San Carlos, CA
Distinguished Flight Schools and Instructors
Midwest
AirTrek North | Airlake Airport (LVN)
Lakeville, MN
Avel Flight School | DuPage Airport (DPA)
Chicago, IL
Beaver Valley Aviation of Ohio | Moraine Air Park (I73)
Dayton, OH
Fargo Jet Center | Hector International Airport (FAR)
Fargo, ND
Flight Safety International | Beech Factory Airport (BEC)
Wichita, KS
Gateway Technical College | Kenosha Regional Airport (ENW)
Kenosha, WI
Illinois Aviation Academy, Inc. | DuPage Airport (DPA)
Chicago, IL
MacAir Aviation | Green County-Lewis A. Jackson Regional Airport (I19)
Xenia, OH
P&N Flight and Charter | Marion Airport (C17)
Marion, IA
Racine Sport Flyers | Batten International Airport (RAC)
Racine, WI
Skill Aviation | Waukegan National Airport (UGN)
Waukegan, IL
Spencer Aviation, Inc. | Delaware Municipal Airport (DLZ)
Delaware, OH
St. Charles Flying Service | St. Charles County Smartt Airport (SET)
Portage des Sioux, MO
Sweet Aviation, LLC | Smith Field Airport (SMD)
Ft. Wayne, IN
Warsaw Flying Club | Warsaw Municipal Airport (ASW)
Warsaw, IN
Windy City Flyers, Inc. | Chicago Executive Airport (PWK)
Wheeling, IL
Northeast
AeroVenture Flight Center | Mansfield Municipal Airport (1B9)
Mansfield, MA
Air Fleet Training Systems | Orange County Airport (CDW)
Caldwell, NJ
AIR Ventures Flying School | North Central Airport (SFZ)
Smithfield, RI
Alpha One Flight Services | Plymouth Municipal Airport (PYM)
Plymouth, MA
Bravo Flight Training | Frederick Municipal Airport (FDK)
Frederick, MD
Chesapeake Sport Pilot, LLC | Bay Bridge Airport (W29)
Stevensville, MD
East Coast Aero Club | Norwood Memorial Airport (OWD)
Norwood, MA
FCA Flight Center | Fitchburg Municipal Airport (FIT)
Fitchburg, MA
Harford Air Services| Harford County Airport (0W3)
Churchville, MD
High Flight Academy | Pittsburgh-Butler Regional Airport (BTP)
Butler, PA
Infinity Flight Group | Trenton-Mercer Airport (TTN)
Ewing, NJ
Norby Aviation, LLC | Southbridge Municipal Airport (3B0)
Southbridge, MA
Orlandi Flight Center | Blairstown Airport (1N7)
Blairstown, NJ
Smoketown Helicopters | Smoketown Airport (S37)
Smoketown, PA
Valley Aviation, Inc. | Wilkes-Barre Wyoming Valley Airport (WBW)
Forty Fort, PA
Southeast
Ace Basin Aviation | Lowcountry Regional Airport (RBW)
Walterboro, SC
Atlas Aviation | Peter O. Knight Airport (TPF)
Tampa, FL
ATP Flight School | Gwinnett County Airport (LZU)
Lawrenceville, GA
Aviation Adventures | Warrenton-Fauquier Airport (HWY)
Midland, VA
Aviation Adventures | Stafford Regional Airport (RMN)
Stafford, VA
Aviation Adventures | Leesburg Executive Airport (JYO)
Leesburg, VA
Aviation Adventures | Manassas Regional Airport (HEF)
Manassas, VA
Box Aviation, Inc | Montgomery Regional Airport (MGM)
Montgomery, AL
Cape Fear Aviation | Grays Creek Airport (2GC)
Fayetteville, NC
Centennial Aviation Academy | DeKalb-Peachtree Airport (PDK)
Atlanta, GA
Cherokee Flight | Cherokee County Airport (CNI)
Ballground, GA
Dominion Aviation Services, Inc. | Chesterfield County Airport (FCI)
Richmond, VA
Dragonfly Aviation | Barrow County Airport (WDR)
Winder, GA
FL Aviation Center | Tallahassee International Airport (TLH)
Tallahassee, FL
Flight Training Professionals | Orlando Executive Airport (ORL)
Orlando, FL
Holladay Aviation | Jacksonville Executive at Craig Airport (CRG)
Jacksonville, FL
JLS Aviation, LLC | Shannon Airport (EZF)
Fredericksburg, VA
New Orleans Aerial Tours and Flight Training | New Orleans Lakefront Airport (NEW)
New Orleans, LA
OpenAir Flight Training | Leesburg Executive Airport (JYO)
Leesburg, VA
Paragon Flight Training | Page Field (FMY)
Ft. Myers, FL
Pilot Training Center – Homestead | Miami Homestead General Aviation Airport (X51)
Homestead, FL
Pilot Training Center – Lantana | Palm Beach County Park Airport (LNA)
Lantana, FL
Skybound Aviation, LLC | DeKalb-Peachtree Airport (PDK)
Atlanta, GA
Stratos Aviation | Greenville Downtown Airport (GMU)
Greenville, SC
Sunrise Aviation | Cecil Airport (VQQ)
Jacksonville, FL
WaterWings Seaplane School | Shelby County Airport (EET)
Hoover, AL
Southwest
Brazos Valley Flight Services | Easterwood Airport (CLL)
College Station, TX
Chickasha Wings, Inc. | Chickasha Municipal Airport (CHK)
Chickasha, OK
Code 1 Flight Training | Van Zandt County Regional Airport (76F)
Wills Point, TX
Fox Aviation International, Inc | Propwash Airport (16X)
Justin, TX
Sierra Charlie Aviation | Scottsdale Airport (SDL)
Scottsdale, AZ
Texas Flight | David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport (DWH)
Houston, TX
Tulsa Aviation Group, LLC | Claremore Regional Airport (GCM)
Claremore, OK
West
AeroDynamic Aviation – San Jose | Reid-Hillview Airport (RHV)
San Jose, CA
Aeromania | Sheridan County Airport (CYS)
Cheyenne, WY
Aero-Sphere Flight Training Center | Vance Brand Airport (LMO)
Longmont, CO
Angel Aviation – Alaska | Merrill Field Airport (MRI)
Anchorage, AK
Bakersfield Flying Club, Inc. | Meadows Field Airport (BFL)
Bakersfield, CA
Bush Air | Elko Regional Airport (1L4)
Cal-New-Air, NV
CP Aviation | Santa Paula Airport (SZP)
Santa Paula, CA
Du Bois Aviation | Chino Airport (CNO)
Chino, CA
Executive Flight Institute | French Valley Airport (F70)
Temecula, CA
Latitude Aviation | Coeur d'Alene Airport (COE)
Hayden, ID
Pacific Skies Aviation | Zamperini Field (TOA)
Torrance, CA
SkyTrek Alaska Flight Training, LLC | Merrill Field Airport (MRI)
Anchorage, AK
Stick & Rudder, LLC | Boise Airport (BOI)
Greenleaf, ID
Summit Aviation | Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN)
Belgrade, MT
Midwest
Jim Ader | Libertyville, IL (UGN)
Al Alwin | Lakeville, MN (LVN)
Jeff Anderson | Hartland, WI (UNU)
Logan Arlis | Batavia, IL (DPA)
Peg Ballou | Bucyrus, OH (17G)
Paul Berge | Indianola, IA (OXV)
John Boos | Grayslake, IL (UGN)
Andrew Dow | Quincy, IL (UIN)
Jim Fellers | Lake in the Hills, IL (3CK)
Scott Malcolm | Geneva, IL (DPA)
Don Muehlbauer | West Bend, WI (UES)
Greg Patchel | Kenosha, WI (RAC)
Thomas Plambeck | Kansas City, MO (IXD)
Milne "CC" Pocock | Cal New Ari, NV (18Y)
Antonio Rodriguez | Eagan, MN (LVN)
Joe Standley | Lake in the Hills, IL (3CK)
Chad Tieman | Fort Wayne, IN (SMD)
Paul Van Brunt | Lakeville, MN (LVN)
Mark Yankovick | Gladstone, MI (ESC)
Ed Young | Spring Hill, KS (K64)
Joe Zubay | Buffalo Grove, IL (3CK)
Northeast
Bill Allen | Mansfield, MA (1B9)
Joe Baginski | Waynesboro, PA (HGR)
Mariana Baratto | Manassas, VA (HEF)
Marianne Buckley | Friendly, MD (VKX)
Mary Build | Naples, ME (LEW)
Scottie Burge | Fairport, NY (ROC)
Chuck Copley | Forty Fort, PA (WBW)
Dave Hall | Montoursville, PA (IPT)
Jim Henry | Stow, MA (BED)
Bob Hepp | Manassas, VA (HEF)
Larry Jarkey | Middletown, MD (FDK)
Andrew Joynes | Delta, PA (0W3)
Tyler Jusko | Mansfield, MA (1B9)
Kyle Lacey | Caldwell, NJ (CDW)
Domenic LaFauci | Townsend, MA (EWB)
Kevin Norby | Northborough, MA (3B0)
Geoffrey Orlandi | Blairstown, NJ (1N7)
Jim Powell | Fitchburg, MA (FIT)
Ron Semanski | Swoyersville, PA (WBW)
Brenda Tibbs | Frederick, MD (FDK)
John Toomey | Reading, PA (RDG)
Ryan Walker | Frederick, MD (FDK)
Southeast
Andrea Berry | North Fort Myers, FL (FMY)
Trent Bosse | Glasgow, KY (NEW)
Kirk Bray | Summerville, SC (CHS)
Kerwin Day | Smyrna, GA (PDK)
Raymond De Haan | Leesburg, VA (JYO)
Sabastian Drakes | Miramar, FL (OPF)
Christopher Freeze | Herndon, VA (JYO)
Bob Garity | Leesburg, VA (JYO)
Michael Gilbert | Purcellville, VA (JYO)
Todd Givens | Ruffin, SC (RBW)
Jace Habben | Sarasota, FL (FMY)
Jason Helmka | Lawrenceville, GA (PDK)
Ron Horton | Fort Mill, SC (EQY)
Jonathan Kotwicki | Sarasota, FL (VNC)
Bob Labrecque | Brandon, FL (PCM)
Jon Lambeth | Norcross, GA (WDR)
Barry Loomis | Hypoluxo, FL (LNA)
Raman Matiana | Manassas Park, VA (HEF)
John McWilliams | Leesburg, VA (JYO)
Dan Miller | Haymarket, VA (JYO)
Kelsey Mulloy | Fort Myers, FL (FMY)
Jay Nabors | Cary, NC (TTA)
Rajiv Nowbutt | Pembroke Pines, FL (LNA)
Dimitri Partafyllas | Greenville, SC (GMU)
Tim Plunkett | Port Orange, FL (7FL6)
Hannah Porter | Boynton Beach, FL (LNA)
Todd Shellnutt | Lawrenceville, GA (LZU)
Victor Slaughter | Naples, FL (FMY)
Jim Stover | Fredericksburg, VA (EZF)
Gary Sumner | Knoxville, TN (DKX)
Gene Tanton | Ponte Vedra Beach, FL (FMY)
David Twibell | Biloxi, MS (PDK)
Odanys Velazquez | Miami, FL (OPF)
Charles Weldon | Wilsonville, AL (EET)
JD Williams | Fort Smith, AR (FSM)
Jason Wolnek | Miramar, FL (HWO)
Reagon Wright | West Point, VA (RIC)
Harry Young | Fort Myers, FL (FMY)
Nathan Zucker | Boca Raton, FL (FXE)
Southwest
Muhammad Akif | Pearland, TX (LVJ)
Jerry Beckner | Spring, TX (DWH)
Scott Campbell | Scottsdale, AZ (SDL)
Joe Casey | Jacksonville, TX (JSO)
Brian Childs | Lake Jackson, TX (OCH)
Thomas DeYoung | Phoenix, AZ (SDL)
Jeff Kling | Friendswood, TX (LVJ)
Travis Lee | Magnolia, TX (DWH)
Caleb Park | Roma, TX (MFE)
Jim Pitman | Glendale, AZ (DVT)
Norman Rathje | Wills Point, TX (76F)
Russ Roslewski | Oklahoma City, OK (PWA)
Bill Scanlan | Wills Point, TX (76F)
Aaron Schaller | Magnolia, TX (DWH)
Johnathan Smith | Surprise, AZ (GEU)
John Winslow | The Woodlands, TX (DWH)
Steve Wong | Lantana, TX (52F)
West
Rebekah Butler | Leavenworth, WA (ELN)
Anthony Cirincione | Sun Lakes, AZ (CYS)
Robert Delvalle | Sandpoint, ID (1S6)
Jeff Fouche | Coeur D Alene, ID (COE)
Brad Groesbeck | Bozeman, MT (BZN)
Jim Hudson | Boise, ID (MAN)
Wes Irish | Emerald Hills, CA (PAO)
Paul Leadabrand | Greenleaf, ID (EUL)
Marc Lee | Rancho Santa Margarita, CA (SNA)
Fred Lundahl | Langley, WA (W10)
Miriam MacMillan | Torrance, CA (TOA)
Joe Mattison | Longmont, CO (LMO)
Tim Miller | Sandy, UT (U42)
Anissa Mohler | San Jose, CA (RHV)
Evan Paraskevopoulos | San Jose, CA (HWD)
Jamie Patterson-Simes | Anchorage, AK (MRI)
Adam Peterson | Bakersfield, CA (BFL)
Harold Rice | Orem, UT (SPK)
Aaron Richman | Aurora, CO (APA)
Ernie Swallie | Las Vegas, NV (VGT)
David Waksberg | Los Gatos, CA (RHV)
Kristine Wanner | Highlands Ranch, CO (APA)
David Werntz | Altadena, CA (EMT)
William Woodbury | Bakersfield, CA (BFL)
You Can Fly !
This beginning pilots' resource guide explains what you can expect from your introductory flight through initial training—and how to turn your dream of flying into reality.
