Training paths

Three certificates, one airplane.

Every CLT Aviation student trains in the Charlotte area, based at KJQF, in a PA-28-140 Cherokee with a named CFI assigned at the discovery flight. Training tracks the Part 61 hour requirements for each certificate; the full lesson-by-lesson syllabus is shared with students at enrollment.

Private Pilot. FAR §61.109. The starting certificate for most students. Discovery flight, ground knowledge, dual instruction, solo work, and a checkride at a local DPE.

Instrument Rating. FAR §61.65. The certificate that opens up flying through weather. Cross-country experience builds on your private certificate; instrument training builds new skills for flying solely by reference to instruments.

Commercial Pilot. FAR §61.129. The certificate that allows pilots to fly for compensation or hire. Builds on Private and (most commonly) Instrument, with additional cross-country, complex aircraft, and commercial maneuvers training.

Detailed syllabus content arriving in a future update. For now, the hour requirements above and the regulation citations are the source of truth. Discovery flight bookings include a conversation with your CFI about which certificate path fits your goals.