Ready To Soar? Learn To Fly With East Bay Flight
Socrates once wrote, “man must rise above the Earth – to the top of the atmosphere and beyond – for only thus will he fully understand the world in which he lives.” If you’ve longed for an opportunity to rise above the world and learn to fly, the team at East Bay Flight can make that dream a reality.
Based at Oakland International Airport, we offer several different types of aviation courses, depending on your goals and experience level. Here’s a quick look at our offerings:
Private Pilot Lessons
For beginners, we can train you to become a private pilot. Whether you have zero experience or have already taken a few lessons, we can transform you into a safe and confident private pilot.
Just about anyone aged 17 or older can learn to fly and train to earn their Private Pilot License (PPL). We can help you complete the ground school training as well as your flight training. Flight training requirements include completing at least 40 flight hours, including 20 hours of flight instruction and 10 hours of solo flight time.
PPL applicants also will need to pass both a written exam, the FAA Private Pilot Knowledge Test, and a practical exam that includes both an oral exam and an actual flight test. Our certified instructors will ensure that you have all of the knowledge you need to pass these exams.
You also must obtain at least a third-class medical certificate from an FAA-authorized aviation medical examiner. Some medical conditions (and vision issues) may prevent you from becoming a pilot including some cardiac conditions, insulin-dependent diabetes, epilepsy, bipolar disorder and a history of a substance use disorder. In some cases, however, you may be able to apply for a special medical certificate and learn to fly in spite of some of these conditions.
Instrument Rating
Once you’ve earned your PPL, we typically recommend that you also work toward earning your Instrument Rating, as we can help. This training will help you learn to fly completely by reference to instruments, which is essential knowledge for flying in a variety of weather conditions.
In addition to completing 50 hours of cross-country flight time as the pilot-in-command, you also will need to pass the FAA Instrument Rating Knowledge Test as well as the FAA’s practical exam for instrument rating.
Commercial Pilot Training
Interested in pursuing a career as an airplane pilot? East Bay Flight can help make this dream come true. We offer comprehensive training for flyers that wish to become a commercial pilot. To obtain a Commercial Pilot License (CPL), you will need to first earn your PPL.
To be eligible for a CPL you must complete your PPL and then have at least 250 flight hours that include 100 hours as the pilot-in-command as well as 10 hours of instrument training, 10 hours of training in an advanced aircraft and 50 hours of cross-country flight time. You also will have to pass the FAA’s Commercial Pilot Knowledge Test as well as a practical test.
As a Commercial Pilot, you will have several career opportunities to consider, such as becoming a flight instructor or perhaps working in aerial photography, towing advertising banners, crop dusting or even working on some charter flights. However, if you wish to work at a major airline as a first officer or captain, you also will need to earn your Airline Transport Pilot certification.
Certified Flight Instructor
We often recommend that students wishing to become airline pilots gain experience as flight instructors as we can train them to become top-notch flight instructors. This is an excellent way to earn flying hours and, by teaching others, you will gain a huge amount of confidence in your own flying abilities.
FAA Flight Review
Whether you have a PPL, a CPL or have earned your Airport Transport Pilot license, a Biennial Flight Review, or BFR, is required by the FAA to maintain your license. This ensures that you are up-to-date with your flying skills as well as your overall flying knowledge. If you need to prepare for your BFR, contact us and let’s schedule some time for your flight review and get you back in the skies.
Rusty Pilot Training
If you’ve previously earned your PPL or CPL, but it’s been a few years (or decades) since you’ve piloted an aircraft, we can refresh your knowledge and get you back up in the air where you belong.
Get Started With A Discovery Flight
If you’ve longed to fly, but have put off getting started with aviation training, a discovery flight is the perfect first step. This 1.5-hour introductory flight includes a 30-minute orientation where you will learn about how airplanes fly as well as the various controls that must be used during flight.
From there, you will spend an hour in the aircraft with a certified flight instructor. You will help run the checklists for takeoff and, once safely in the air, you will do most of the flying under the supervision of your flight instructor. This will give you a taste of what flight training is all about.
Don’t wait another day to fulfill your goals and learn to fly. Whether you are hoping for a career in aviation, need to brush up on your rusty pilot skills or just long to soar up in the clouds, East Bay Flight provides quality flight instruction for any level of flier. Get in touch with our team at any time to schedule lessons or book a discovery flight.