Elite Flight Training
in Lawrenceville, GA and Millington, TN

No. Our Professional Pilot Academy (PPA) is a "zero-to-career" pathway designed for high school graduates, college graduates, and career changers starting with zero experience. The only requirements are that you are at least 18 years old, possess a high school diploma or equivalent, hold a current government-issued photo ID, and can obtain an FAA First or Second Class Medical Certificate.

You must present a valid government-issued ID, your FAA Pilot Certificate, a current FAA Medical Certificate, logbook proof of VFR/IFR proficiency and spin endorsement (if held), and official FAA written test results for FOI, FIA, and FII. Arriving with complete documentation ensures a smooth FAA checkride scheduling process.

Before flying solo or enrolling in our career pathways, you must pass a routine physical exam with an FAA-Authorized Aviation Medical Examiner (AME). We highly recommend obtaining a First-Class Medical Certificate prior to starting the Professional Pilot Academy, as this verifies you meet the physical health standards required to fly as a commercial airline pilot.

Our zero-to-hero Professional Pilot Academy is priced at $89,999 utilizing our modern Van's RV-12iS fleet, or $91,999 for our Cessna 172 fleet. This is an all-inclusive program covering Private, Instrument, Commercial, and CFI/CFII certifications. Unlike other schools, all books, curriculum resources, and standardized lesson plan outlines are fully included in our up-front pricing.

Our flagship intensive CFI & CFII Academy is priced transparently at $13,699. If you are pursuing the CFI-only rating, the cost is $10,399, while the CFII-only add-on is $4,299. These rates include 50 hours of instructor-led ground prep, up to 18 flight hours (standard program), and all required lesson outlines upon arrival. Retests and examiner fees are paid directly to the DPE.

We partner with premier aviation lenders like Stratus Financial and Flight Training Finance to make structured flight training accessible. Qualified applicants can finance their entire pathway, spreading costs into manageable monthly payments of approximately $500 to $800. We also offer flexible payment options through Klarna for modular training deposits.

No. Integrity is one of our core SKI values. All core training resources, study materials, and lesson guides are included in your course deposit. Your only additional costs are external examiner fees (paid directly to the DPE), FAA written exam fees, and optional housing. Spin endorsements can be added seamlessly for $450 if not already held.

We operate two premier campuses: **Atlanta, GA** (KLZU - Gwinnett County Airport) and **Memphis, TN** (2M8 - Charles W. Baker Airport). Our Atlanta campus operates out of Gwinnett LZU, a towered airport near Atlanta that builds strong ATC radio communications and cockpit discipline in a controlled environment. Our Memphis campus at Charles Baker Airport offers lower-congestion airspace ideal for highly focused, rapid modular progress.

Since our CFI Academy attracts candidates nationwide, we have negotiated special hotel block rates at select lodging facilities near both our Atlanta and Memphis campuses. This simplifies the relocation process, allowing you to focus 100% of your energy on our intensive 15-to-25 day cohort timeline without logistical stress.

Yes! We highly encourage prospective students and their families to schedule a campus tour at either our Atlanta (KLZU) or Memphis (2M8) locations. You will meet our active airline captain founders, tour our modern training fleet, inspect our classrooms, and sit down with our admissions team to review your pathway.

Training at KLZU near Atlanta provides invaluable experience in towered, high-traffic airspace. You will communicate with Air Traffic Control (ATC) on every flight, master complex ramp flows, and build situational awareness that prepares you directly for professional airline operations, all while avoiding the excessive ground delays of PDK.

To complete your certifications in **9 to 12 months**, we recommend a full-time commitment of a minimum of 6 training events per week. This includes structured ground school, flight sessions, simulator training, and cohort briefs. This high-intensity schedule mirrors actual airline initial training and keeps your flight skill progression rapid and consistent.

Our CFI + CFII Academy includes **50 hours of intensive in-person ground instruction** and **18 hours of flight training** (13 hours of flight instruction and 5 hours reserved for checkrides). Additional flight time is always available at standard instructor rates if you need extra prep to feel fully checkride-ready.

We operate a highly standardized, modern fleet of 7+ training aircraft across our campuses. Zero-experience students primarily fly the **Van's RV-12iS**, which features an advanced glass-cockpit Garmin display system, or the classic **Cessna 172** for taller students or specific weight profiles, ensuring a smooth transition into glass-cockpit commercial cockpits.

While our Private, Instrument, and Commercial ratings support flexible part-time paces (flying 2 to 3 times a week), our flagship CFI Academy is a full-time, intensive, cohort-based program. The 15 to 25 day timeline requires daily immersion in ground instruction and flying, making part-time attendance impractical for this specific course.

We combat high CFI checkride failure rates with deep structure. Our **50 hours of ground instruction** are specifically engineered to master the oral exam, teaching methodology, and lesson presentation. We also schedule and coordinate your FAA checkride with preferred examiners, taking the logistical burden off your shoulders so you can focus entirely on your training rather than chasing examiners.

We cap our CFI classes at a **maximum of 12 candidates** per cohort. This small, in-person environment fosters active collaboration. You will practice teaching lessons to your peers, receive immediate constructive feedback, and build a supportive professional network, replacing the isolation common in other flight schools.

Yes. Earning your CFI and CFII is the industry-gold standard for reaching the 1,500-hour ATP minimums. Instructing is the most financially viable and rewarding way to build hours. It refines your decision-making, situational awareness, and systems knowledge, making you a far more competitive candidate when interviewing at major airlines.

Because our founders are active commercial airline captains, our CFI program is built around airline Crew Resource Management (CRM) and high cockpit discipline. We don't just teach you to read checklists - we train you to become a professional mentor, teaching you how to instill judgment and airmanship in the next generation of aviators.