All Courses — Top Flight Aviation
All Courses

From first hour
to airline.

Every FAA pilot certificate, every step of the way. Train at your own pace under FAA Part 61. Six programs — one progression.

6
Programs
Part 61
Certified
98%
Pass Rate
7/7
Days a Week
The Path

Your progression, step by step.

Click any step to jump to that course below — or read top to bottom in order.

Get Started
60
Minutes
$245
total
Day 1
Controls
Get Started

Discovery Flight.

Take the controls on day one. No experience needed.

The fastest way to find out if flying is for you. Sixty minutes in the cockpit with a certified instructor — walk-around briefing, takeoff, basic maneuvers over Southern California. Time logged counts toward your Private Pilot certificate if you decide to enroll.

What you'll do

  • Pre-flight walkaround
  • Engine start & taxi
  • Hands-on flight time
  • Basic turns & climbs
  • Logbook entry + photo

Requirements

  • No experience needed
  • No medical certificate required
  • Minimum age 13
  • Photo ID
  • Weight under 300 lbs
Level 01 · Most Popular
40+
Flight Hours
3-6
Months
FAA
Medical
Level 01

Private Pilot.

The foundation every aviator earns first.

Fly anywhere in the U.S. for personal use — day or night, with passengers. Master pre-flight planning, navigation, radio communication, and emergency procedures in our Cessna 172 trainers. This is where most pilots start, and where most aviation careers begin.

What you'll learn

  • Pre-flight planning & weather
  • VFR navigation
  • Radio communications
  • Emergency procedures
  • Day & night VFR flight
  • Cross-country flying

Requirements

  • Minimum age 17 (solo at 16)
  • FAA 3rd Class Medical
  • Read, write, speak English
  • 40 hr minimum (50-70 typical)
  • Written & Practical Exam
Level 02
40
IFR Hours
50
X-Country PIC
+3mo
Typical
Level 02

Instrument Rating.

Fly through clouds with confidence.

Train to fly safely in low-visibility weather using only cockpit instruments. The single biggest expansion of when, where, and how often you can fly — and the next step toward every professional pilot career. Practice on our Redbird TD-2 simulator to log IFR time at a fraction of the cost.

What you'll learn

  • IFR flight planning
  • Instrument approaches
  • Holding patterns
  • ATC procedures & clearances
  • Advanced weather analysis
  • Partial-panel emergencies

Requirements

  • Private Pilot certificate
  • 50 hrs cross-country as PIC
  • 40 hrs simulated/actual instrument
  • FAA 3rd Class Medical (current)
  • Written & Practical Exam
Level 03
250
Total Hours
Pro
Maneuvers
$$$
Career
Level 03

Commercial Pilot.

Get paid to fly.

Refine precision flying and advanced maneuvers to FAA commercial standards. Opens the door to charter, banner-tow, traffic-watch, agricultural, and CFI work — the gateway to flying for hire. Required for every aviation career.

What you'll learn

  • Commercial maneuvers (chandelles, lazy eights, eights-on-pylons)
  • Complex aircraft operations
  • Commercial decision making
  • Aerodynamics in depth
  • FAR Part 91 / 119 / 135 regs

Requirements

  • Minimum age 18
  • Private Pilot certificate
  • Instrument Rating (recommended)
  • 250 total flight hours
  • FAA 2nd Class Medical
  • Written & Practical Exam
Add-On Rating
2x
Engines
N8F
PA-30
$375
Aircraft/hr
Add-On Rating

Multi-Engine Rating.

Twin-engine training. Required for airline-track careers.

Train in our Piper Twin-Comanche N8F. Focus on safety protocols, performance planning, and the precise engine-out work airline and corporate operators expect. Two engines, retractable gear, complex systems — the platform serious career pilots build hours on.

What you'll learn

  • Engine-out procedures (Vmc demo)
  • Multi-engine aerodynamics
  • Performance & weight-balance
  • Retractable gear & complex systems
  • Emergency descents

Requirements

  • Existing certificate (PPL or higher)
  • Current FAA Medical
  • No minimum hours required
  • 10-15 hours typical to checkride
  • Practical exam (no written required if Commercial)
Pro Track
Build
Hours
Earn
Income
CFI/II/MEI
3 Levels
Pro Track

Flight Instructor Certificates.

Teach others to fly. The fastest path to airline-pilot hours.

Get paid to fly while training the next generation of pilots. Three flight instructor certificates available: CFI (basic flight instructor), CFII (instrument instructor), and MEI (multi-engine instructor). We hire our best CFIs to teach right here at Top Flight.

What you'll learn

  • Fundamentals of instruction
  • Lesson planning & presentation
  • Teaching from the right seat
  • Student evaluation & debrief
  • FAR/AIM in depth
  • Spin training endorsement

Requirements

  • Commercial Pilot certificate
  • Instrument Rating (for CFI/I)
  • Minimum age 18
  • FAA Medical (any class)
  • Written + practical exam
Not sure where to start?

We'll help you pick a path.

Call us. Tell us your goal — flying for fun, a side career, or a seat in the right of an airline cockpit. We'll map out the certificates, timeline, and budget that get you there.