Orange-Ulster BOCES partnership
Orange-Ulster BOCES C-TECH students fly real Diamond aircraft as juniors and seniors — 40 hours of dual flight instruction across two years, fully funded. This is not a video-game program. You're in the left seat of an actual airplane, learning to fly from an FAA-certified instructor.
What this program actually is
Through Orange-Ulster BOCES C-TECH (Career and Technical Education Center), eligible high school juniors and seniors fly real Diamond aircraft at Take Flight Aviation, Montgomery NY. Each session is conducted by an FAA-certified flight instructor in our Diamond DA20-C1, the same trainer aircraft used by major aviation universities.
This isn’t a flight simulator demo or a one-time discovery flight. Over the two-year program, you’ll log 40 hours of dual flight instruction — meaningful progress toward an FAA Private Pilot certificate, and a serious head start on an aviation career.
Honest pitch
Some programs oversell what high school aviation classes deliver. We don't. Here's the honest picture so you can plan accordingly.
What's included
15 flight hours junior year + 25 flight hours senior year. Dual instruction means you fly with a CFI in the right seat — not solo, but actively flying the airplane.
Ground school instruction, aviation career exposure, exposure to real flight training environment, time in a Diamond DA20-C1.
What's not included
A Private Pilot certificate typically requires 60–75 hours of total flight time (40 BOCES hours + 20–35 additional). The BOCES program is a head start, not a complete PPL.
FAA medical exam ($150–$200), solo flight time, written exam fees, checkride fees — these come separately if you continue to PPL.
Aircraft you'll fly
The Diamond DA20-C1 is a modern composite training aircraft used by major aviation universities including Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Prescott campus, U.S. Air Force Academy initial flight screening, and over 50 university flight programs nationwide.
Bubble canopy gives 360° visibility — easier and more enjoyable than older training aircraft. Side-by-side seating means you and your instructor share the same view. Continental gas-piston engine, modern avionics, low operating cost. This is the aircraft serious aviation programs train in, and it’s the aircraft you’ll fly through the BOCES program.
Year-by-year structure
Junior year
Introduction to aviation, fundamentals of flight, basic flight maneuvers under instructor supervision. By end of junior year, students have flown enough to understand if aviation is the right career path.
Senior year
Building on junior-year foundation. Cross-country flight planning, more advanced maneuvers, navigation. By graduation, students have logged 40 hours toward Private Pilot certificate.
Why this is a big deal
At standard private rates, 40 hours of Diamond DA20-C1 dual flight instruction with a CFI costs approximately $18,000 (40 hrs × ~$344/hr aircraft + ~$120/hr instructor = $18,560). Through the BOCES program, that value is covered by the partnership — you graduate high school with $18,000 in real flight training and a meaningful path toward a Private Pilot certificate.
Most BOCES graduates can finish their PPL with another $4,500–$11,500 of training (typically 10–25 additional flight hours plus exam fees). That’s a fraction of what an adult-start PPL costs — and you start your aviation career at age 18 instead of 22.
Where this leads
Path 1
Finish your PPL at TFA after high school. Most students need 10–25 additional hours ($4,500–$11,500). Then continue through IFR, Commercial, CFI on TFA's career-track Zero-to-Pro program.
Path 2
Apply to a college aviation program (ERAU, UND, OU Aviation) — your BOCES flight hours count toward those programs' total flight time requirements. Some programs offer credit for prior flight training.
Path 3
Enroll at one of our college partners (Purdue Global, UVU) while continuing flight training at TFA. Earn a bachelor's degree alongside FAA ratings in as little as 2 years after high school.
Requirements to enroll
1. Enrolled at Orange-Ulster BOCES C-TECH. The Aviation Program is delivered through C-TECH, the Career and Technical Education center within Orange-Ulster BOCES. Talk to your guidance counselor at your home district about applying through Orange-Ulster BOCES.
2. FAA Medical Certificate (3rd class minimum). An FAA-designated aviation medical examiner (AME) conducts the exam. Cost typically $150–$200. Most healthy teenagers qualify without issue. Find an AME at faa.gov/pilots/amelocator.
3. English language proficiency. FAA regulations require pilots to read, speak, write, and understand English. Native and non-native English speakers both qualify if functional.
4. Drug-free. The FAA prohibits use of certain substances. Recent or current marijuana use (even where state-legal) is disqualifying.
5. Academic eligibility through BOCES. Specific academic and attendance requirements are set by Orange-Ulster BOCES — talk to your guidance counselor for details.
For parents
Yes, and yes. The BOCES Aviation Program partners with a Part 141 flight school (Take Flight Aviation) that has trained pilots for 16+ years at Montgomery-Orange County Airport. Every flight is conducted with an FAA-certified flight instructor in the right seat, in an FAA-certified training aircraft (Diamond DA20-C1) maintained by our in-house FAA-certified A&P mechanics.
This is the same level of safety oversight your child receives in a college aviation program — except they’re getting it in high school, at no cost to your family, and getting a head start on an aviation career that would otherwise begin at age 22 with $20,000+ in training debt.
Questions? Reach out to fly@takeflightoc.com — we’re happy to talk with parents about the program, safety oversight, and career pathways.
Enrollment
The BOCES Aviation Program is delivered through Orange-Ulster BOCES C-TECH (Career and Technical Education Center). Enrollment is handled through your high school guidance counselor — they’ll connect you with the BOCES application process and confirm seat availability.
Step 1: Talk to your guidance counselor about the BOCES Aviation Program.
Step 2: Apply through Orange-Ulster BOCES (your guidance counselor handles the paperwork).
Step 3: Once accepted, schedule your FAA medical certificate exam.
Step 4: Begin program junior year.
Common questions
Do I get my Private Pilot license at the end of the BOCES program?
Not automatically. 40 BOCES hours is meaningful progress, but most students need 60–75 total flight hours to be ready for the FAA Private Pilot checkride. You’ll graduate BOCES with a strong head start — typically 10–25 more flight hours and the FAA written exam stand between you and your PPL
What if I decide aviation isn't for me?
Then you’ve spent two years exploring a career field at no cost — that’s exactly what BOCES career exploration programs are designed to do. The skills you build (decision-making under pressure, systematic thinking, attention to detail) transfer to many other fields.
Can I fly solo during the program?
Possibly during senior year if you’ve made enough progress. Solo flight requires a student pilot certificate (separate from regular driver’s license), endorsements from your instructor, and that you’re at least 16 years old. Most BOCES students do not solo within the 40-hour program; some do.
What if there's bad weather on my scheduled flight day?
Flight lessons are rescheduled when weather doesn’t permit flying. Bad weather days may include ground school review or aircraft systems instruction. Lost flight time is generally made up through scheduling adjustments.
My family can't afford continued flight training after BOCES. Now what?
Several options: (1) Financing through Sallie Mae’s Smart Option Student Loan® for Flight School for the remaining PPL hours; (2) Continuing through a college aviation program with federal financial aid; (3) Working as a line technician at an airport while building hours slowly; (4) Military pilot programs (Air Force ROTC, Civil Air Patrol pathway). Talk to us — we’ll help you think through realistic options.
Can I enroll if I attend a different high school district?
The program is specifically delivered through Orange-Ulster BOCES. Students at member districts of Orange-Ulster BOCES are eligible; students at other districts (Westchester BOCES, Dutchess BOCES, etc.) would need to apply through their local BOCES — those have separate flight training partnerships. Check with your home district’s guidance counselor.
Is there a girls' aviation program at TFA?
The BOCES Aviation Program is open to all eligible BOCES students regardless of gender. Aviation has historically been male-dominated but is rapidly diversifying — Take Flight Aviation actively welcomes female students and has trained many successful female pilots, including current TFA Chief Pilots Hannah and Laura Mezzetta.
Talk to your high school guidance counselor about applying through Orange-Ulster BOCES.
49 Hangar Road, Hangar D
Montgomery, NY 12549
845-457-4188
Open 7 days · 8 AM – 6 PM