Flight Schools in Illinois

It’s important to consider your flight training and flying goals when deciding which flight training school to attend. Are you enrolling because flying is a hobby? Or do you want to pursue a full-fledged career as a pilot? Answering these questions and similar ones like it is essential if you want to identify the flight school that is best for you, your needs, and your preferences.

Regardless of the type of flying that you plan to focus on, you must talk to multiple flight schools in order to know which best fits your personality, flying style, and your ultimate flying goal. While it’s arguable that all flight training programs typically offer the same result, choosing the best flight school in Illinois for you will let you reach your goals more efficiently and much faster.

This article will examine flight schools in Illinois to help you make the most informed decision when choosing which flight school to attend. Without further ado, let’s dive right into the details!

Having concluded to attend a flight school in Illinois, whether to become a commercial or private pilot, the 5 flight schools in Illinois reviewed in this section will help you find the best option to consider to achieve your goal.

The Illinois Aviation Academy is an approved flight school in Illinois, dedicated to offering various flight training programs to newbie and previously-trained pilots in Illinois. Established 23 years ago, Illinois Aviation Academy has helped more than 2,000 pilots achieve their flying dream and the company is still committed to helping even more people.

Location: 32W751 Tower Rd, West Chicago, IL 60185 

Tuition & Fees: 

Financial Assistance: No

Accreditation: Yes

Program Length:

Endorsements:

School Size: 220

Job Placement: Yes

Virtual Learning: Yes

Elite Training and Aircraft Management is remarkable for providing progressive and essential multiple flight training programs for persons looking to get their private, commercial, or instrument rating certificates timely and budget-friendly.

Location: 809 E 4000 S Rd, Kankakee, IL 60901

Tuition & Fees:

Financial Assistance: Yes

Accreditation: Yes

Program Length:

Endorsements:

School Size: N/A

Job Placement: Yes

Virtual Learning: No

Established in 1994, The Chicago Executive Flight School is one of Illinois’ largest flight schools, specializing in training beginners, adults, and part-time students. Offering multiple financial aids, this flight school is particularly recommended to persons looking to be trained as a pilot without breaking the bank. Interestingly, they also provide their students with employment opportunities, making their environment a fair place to kickstart your flying career.

Location: 1098 S Milwaukee Ave, Wheeling, IL 60090

Tuition & Fees:

Financial Assistance:

Accreditation: Yes

Program Length:

Endorsements:

School Size: N/A

Job Placement: Yes

Virtual Learning: No

Experience, professionalism, and strictly hands-on training are the major selling points of the Windy City Aviation flight school. Established 30 years ago, Windy City Aviation has since offered comprehensive flight training programs to interested individuals in Chicago. Whether newbies or existing pilots, Windy City Aviation has a program that meets your needs.

Location: 1098 S Milwaukee Ave Ste 105 Wheeling, IL 60090

Tuition & Fees: The cost of training at Windy City Aviation strictly depends on the program type, geographic location, and experience level – whether newbie or previously trained pilot, and others. Kindly contact the school to know the exact cost of your flight training.

Financial Assistance: No

Accreditation: Yes

Program Length:

Endorsements:

School Size: 100+

Job Placement: Yes

Virtual Learning: No

Another school worthy of mention is the Avel Flight School, which is recognized for its high safety standards and the timely delivery of flight instructions. This flight school is equipped with state-of-the-art aircraft, classrooms, facilities, and flight simulators, making it an excellent environment for learning your favorite hobby or starting your flying career.

Location: Schaumburg Regional Airport, Schaumburg, IL 60193 

Tuition & Fees: The cost of studying at Avel Flight school depends on multiple factors, most notably the program type you are enrolling for, your schedule, needed instruments, and others. Kindly contact the school to know the exact cost of your flight training.

Financial Assistance: No

Accreditation: Yes

Program Length:

Endorsements:

School Size: N/A

Job Placement: Yes

Virtual Learning: Yes

There are various ratings and licenses you must qualify for to fly an aircraft in Illinois, including the private pilot license, commercial pilot license, and airline transport pilot license. The flight schools outlined in this article are excellent places to get these licenses.

The private pilot license will allow you to fly an aircraft for non-commercial purposes. As its name implies, the commercial pilot license will allow you to fly aircraft for hire or compensation. It’s the minimum requirement needed for employment considerations in Illinois.

The minimum time required for a commercial pilot license as stated under CFR 14 Part 61 is 250 hours. The Airline Transport Pilot License is the apex of pilot licenses in Illinois. The minimum flight time requirement for this license is 1,500 hours.

This section outlines significant facts and figures about Illinois flight schools. Be sure to familiarize yourself with these details when searching for the best flight school in Illinois for you. 

There are 65 flight schools in Illinois, with most of these schools concentrated in Chicago.

Flight schools in Illinois have an average of 20 or more students per class.

The tuition rates of flight schools in Illinois primarily depend on the training course, books, check ride, exam fees, and other materials that are essential to flight training costs. Generally, exam fees range between $100 to $500, while books and other related materials are also averagely estimated at $100.

The tuition fees to become a licensed pilot in Illinois are as follows: 

Various flight schools offer loans as financial assistance to students who struggle to finance themselves through aviation training. The average loan amount provided to students of flight schools in Illinois is $7,381 for private loans and $5,725 for federal loans yearly.

Generally, scholarships for flight schools in Illinois are hard to find, apply, and receive. Nonetheless, a few are still available to help cover your aviation training expenses. When finding scholarships in Illinois, consider conventional scholarships and aviation organizations. Some aviation schools also offer scholarships to their students.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, an employment growth of 11% is expected for pilots between 2020 and 2030, making employment for pilots more stable than many other occupations in Illinois.

This section explores the employment facts and figures of Illinois pilots, helping you familiarize yourself with the Illinois labor market to make navigation relatively easier.

Pilots’ salary in Illinois varies widely depending on multiple factors, including certifications, education, additional skills, years of experience, and others. Generally, pilots in Illinois on average earn $80,871 per year, $6,739.25 per month, and $1,555.21 per week.

As seen in this article, there are several flight schools in Illinois. Nonetheless, we have helped you identify the best flight schools to consider to make better-informed decisions about your flying career.

To stay updated about the flight schools in Illinois, check out FLYING Magazine’s print and digital subscription to stay up-to-date with industry news and other resources for the best solution to help you choose only the best flight school in Illinois and complete your aviation training as timely and budget-friendly as possible.