Flying for a career is something that millions dream of doing but only a handful choose to pursue these dreams. Those select few who take the time to look into flight training frequently find themselves spending hours and even days researching flight training. Some things such as cost and time for flight training programs tend to be easy to find. Other things, such as lifestyle and daily schedule, can be difficult or impossible to find. This can lead prospective pilots to scour the depressing side of online forums leaving them with more questions than answers.
So what is it like to be a Student Pilot?
For anyone to fulfill their dreams and become a pilot they have to procure certain ratings which we talk about in another article. The way to obtain these ratings can vary greatly but what is required regardless of the route taken is that for each rating a student must pass a written and practical test after meeting certain requirements (there are some exceptions to this). While we do not have the time or foresight to break down every flight program that exists, what we can take a close look at is Axiom Aviations' program and what it is like to be a student pilot at Axiom.
Weekly Commitment
The standard weekly time commitment for full-time students at Axiom is 5 days per week and 8 hours per day. The 8 hours are typically broken up as follows: 4 hours will be spent at Axiom which is further broken down into 2 hours of ground instruction with a flight instructor, and a 2-hour flight block. The other 4 hours are spent studying. Students may study at Axiom or home. The choice is theirs but we encourage studying at the school as it helps limit distractions and other students and instructors are always willing to help students with any questions they have.
At 5 days per week, students can expect to commit at least 40 hours per week towards flight training which does include time spent studying. (Note: These hours are averages and will fluctuate from day to day). In addition to this minimum commitment, Axiom offers weekly ground school for students which is optional to attend but is strongly encouraged. These group grounds offer students a great way to refresh their knowledge and study with other students. It is important to understand that these classes do not replace the ground a student does with their instructor.
As far as a daily schedule is concerned, the details of each day are worked out between an instructor and their student. This means that an instructor makes the schedule but communicates with the student to ensure that it works for both of them. For example, if a student can meet anytime before 1400 the student can expect to complete their daily training at the school by 1400 every day with the exact details being worked out with the instructor.
Note: Students can fly more than 5 days per week if they wish but it should be noted that for each flight hour a student flies, they will need to spend at least 3 hours studying. This is not a firmly enforced number but is the standard.
Part-Time Students
The majority of students at Axiom are full-time, but not everyone can commit 40-50+ hours per week to flight training. For those students, Axiom offers part-time options. The daily time commitment remains the same for these students, but they generally do not meet as often. These students can choose how many days per week they meet with their instructor ranging from a minimum of 2 up to as many as 7 days per week.
For example, if a student wants to do 3 days per week they can expect to commit 8 hours per day for each day they are scheduled to fly. Let's say a student wants to meet with their instructor on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Every Monday they can expect to meet for 4 hours. The 4 hours they need to spend studying can occur the same day but this student could do their studying on Tuesday if they wanted to in preparation for Wednesday's lesson.
Can I have a job while I attend flight school?
Unlike many other flight schools, Axiom does not restrict its students from working while in training. While everyone is different and has unique life circumstances, in general, full-time students following the standard pace of 5 days per week are typically able to work a part-time job throughout their training. Occasionally a student will attempt to work full-time and do school full-time. This has been done successfully on multiple occasions but will generally result in the program taking longer than anticipated. See this article on the length of flight training for more information.
Those who are required to work a full-time job while in flight training are generally encouraged to pursue flight school on a part-time basis which is further explained in the same article.
Conclusion
Everyone has a unique schedule and personal circumstances that will affect the amount of time that they can dedicate to flight training. Only the student can know exactly what they can commit but we strongly encourage students to pursue full-time training if at all possible as the more a student puts into their training the more they will get out of it, resulting in them retaining more information and finishing school faster.
Have questions about Student Pilot Life? Reach out to us at 262-297-4568 Or shoot us an email at info@flyaxiom.com
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