Academy College

Located in Bloomington, Minnesota, Academy College offers three associate-degree and two bachelor-degree paths. Academy also offers certificate programs. At Academy, it is possible to fly the first week that classes begin. Academy College courses begin approximately every seven weeks.

Program Highlights

Academy College is an FAA-approved Part 141 and flight training is conducted at Thunderbird Aviation at both Flying Cloud Airport (KFCM) and Crystal Airport (KMIC). Both airports are about a 25-minute drive from the main campus.

Programs Academy College offers include: 

• Associate of Applied Science
  • Commercial Pilot 
  • Aviation Flight 
  • Aviation Business

• Bachelor of Science
  • Commercial Aviation 
  • Aviation Operations

• Certificate
  • Aircraft Dispatcher (10 Weeks)

Academy College has partnerships with multiple airlines, providing well-defined paths to an industry career. Some of those connections include:

• Cape Air
• Go Jet Airlines 
• SkyWest Airlines

The commercial pilot program is the only flight program in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area.

Value

Academy College’s tuition is competitive for the size of school and the facilities it provides. Students who attend Academy College will pay about $24,000 a year in base tuition. 

On top of base tuition, flight students will have additional costs for flight courses. Over the course of four years, before financial aid or scholarships, flight costs will come in at about $115,000 for all the certificates necessary to be a professional pilot. 

Academy offers scholarships to help mitigate the cost of tuition and flight, including the:

• Sherm Booen Legacy Scholarship
• RAA Regional Airlines Scholarship
• Alliance Program Scholarship

It also accepts veteran’s benefits such as the GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon.

Fleet and Facilities

The fleet of aircraft at Academy College includes:

• Piper Warriors 
• Piper Archers
• Piper Arrows 
• Piper Seminoles 
• Cessna 172s

The school provides an on-site testing facility for the completion of all FAA written exams.

Academy College is able to reduce hours from the FAA mandated 1,500 flight hours needed to become a commercial pilot. If students complete the courses in the prescribed order, a bachelor’s degree would allow them to apply for a pilot position with only 1,000 hours of flight time.

The Bottom Line

Academy College is a dedicated technical campus with many paths to becoming a professional pilot. Students will be exposed to high-level industry connections, the option of flying at one of two airports, and the benefit of a 500-hour reduction for an ATP.