Flight School Options in Virginia

Have you ever dreamed of becoming a pilot and soaring over the Appalachian mountains or across the Chesapeake Bay and along the Atlantic coastline of Virginia? Earning your pilot’s license may not be as difficult as you might imagine. 

Learn what it takes to become a pilot in Virginia, how long it takes, and what costs are associated by reading all about the best flight schools in Virginia and the top employers of pilots in the commonwealth. 

The best companies hire the best pilots, which typically come from the top flight schools. Check out our list of flight schools in Virginia! 

Hampton University is a historically black private college located in Hampton, Virginia. It was originally founded in 1868, after the Civil War, to provide educational opportunities to freedmen. They were voted the best flight school in Virginia by PilotColleges.com 

Location: 100 E. Queen Street, Hampton, VA 23669

Tuition & Fees: Undergraduate tuition and fees for the 2021 school year total $42,148 with an additional $3,500 for flight school fees. 

Financial Assistance: 

Accreditation: Yes

Program Length: 

Endorsements: None

School Size: Hampton University has an enrollment of 3,742 students and an average class size of 16 students per classroom. 

Job Placement: Yes

Virtual Learning: Yes

Liberty University is located in Lynchburg, Virginia, and is a private Christian university. In 2017 and 2018, Liberty’s School of Aeronautics was awarded the prestigious, Loening Award, which honors the most outstanding all-around collegiate aviation program in the nation. 

They feature three areas of aviation specialties, Commercial/Corporate, Military, and Missionary. 

Location: 204 Arthur S. DeMoss Dr. Lynchburg, VA 24515

Tuition & Fees: 

Financial Assistance: 

Accreditation: Yes

Program Length:

Endorsements: None

School Size: Liberty University has over 100,000 students enrolled with an average class size of 20 students per classroom. 

Job Placement: Yes

Virtual Learning: Yes

Averett University was founded as a women’s college in 1859, became a co-ed college in 1969, and Baptist re-affiliated in 2011. Located in Danville, Virginia, the flight school offers bachelor degrees in aviation, as well as the required certificates required to become a professional pilot in Virginia. 

Location: 427 Airport Dr, Danville, VA 24540

Tuition & Fees: 

Financial Assistance: 

Accreditation: Yes

Program Length:

Endorsements: None

School Size: Averett University has an annual enrollment of 893 students with an average class size of 11 students per classroom. 

Job Placement: Yes

Virtual Learning: Yes

American Aviation is considered one of the highest respected flight schools in the nation and has been in business since 1979. Located in the Manassas Airport, they offer private and commercial pilot training, as well as various instructor and instrument certificates. 

Location: 10503 Wakeman Dr, Manassas, VA 20110

Tuition & Fees: 

Private Pilot License - Cost varies dependent on aircraft, however, all coursework and materials are included in the price listed. 

Financial Assistance: No, but there are grants and scholarships available through the FAA and the Virginia Dept of Aviation.

Accreditation: Yes

Program Length:

Endorsements: None

School Size: All ground and flight training is conducted individually with an instructor.

Job Placement: Yes

Virtual Learning: No

Founded in 1993, Horizon Flight Center is an FAA-approved, Part 141 / Part 61 Pilot Training Center located in Chesapeake, Virginia. Pilot courses, ground courses, pilot and instrument certificates, and pilot training certificates are offered, in addition to multi-engine add-ons. 

Location: 2801 Airport Dr. Chesapeake, Virginia 23323

Tuition & Fees: 

The cost to attend Horizon ranges between $15,000 and $20,000 to obtain a pilot's license depending on which classification. 

Financial Assistance: Yes, there are grants and scholarships available through the FAA and the Virginia Dept of Aviation. Financing is also offered through Pilot Finance, Inc..

Accreditation: Yes

Program Length: 

Endorsements: None

School Size: All ground and flight training is conducted individually with an instructor.

Job Placement: Yes

Virtual Learning: No

A pilot’s license is a document issued by the FAA, which proves that an individual has met all requirements to fly an aircraft and has successfully completed all required testing and flight hours to obtain a professional pilot’s license. 

To qualify for a student pilot’s license, one must pass a physical to obtain a 3rd class medical certificate, be able to read/write/speak fluently in English, be at least 17 years of age, and pass the required flight, oral, and written tests. 

After a pilot has obtained a professional pilot’s license (PPL), they may be hired to pilot commercial (non-passenger) aircraft. To fly with passengers, an airline transport pilot certification (ATP) is required, which is earned with additional training beyond a professional pilot’s license. 

The best flight schools in Virginia offer the necessary training to become a professional pilot, at a competitive price, and offer job placement assistance upon graduation. 

There are 39 flight schools in Virginia and 8 aviation colleges across the commonwealth with the majority located in the Richmond and Newport News areas along with the northern part of the state, closest to Washington D.C.

Virginia flight schools and aviation colleges have an average of 17 students per classroom.

The average annual tuition rate for aerospace programs in Virginia is approximately $24,000. 

Virginia students have an average federal/private loan debt of $37,098.

The average scholarship amount per student in Virginia is $3,852.

The Virginia Department of Aviation offers programs to assist aspiring pilots with information about flight schools in Virginia and employment opportunities beyond graduation in a career that is in extreme demand. 

Virginia neighbors one of the busiest airspaces in the world, near Dulles International Airport in Washington D.C. The area attracts several large aviation employers in need of professional commercial and airline pilots.  

Commercial pilots in Virginia earn an average annual salary of $87,440, while the average salary of an airline pilot in Virginia is $140,001. 

Commercial pilots in Virginia earn an average annual salary of $87,440 ($7,287 per month or $1,682 per week), while the average salary of an airline pilot in Virginia is $140,001 ($11,667 per month or $2,692 per week).

The top flight schools in Virginia provide a clearer picture of your specific path to becoming a pilot. The locations, costs, time commitments, and course offerings have been listed so you can decide which educational path best fits your needs as you work towards your goal of soaring the Virginia skies! 

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