Custom Flight Training
Most pilots who started training and stalled out don't need to start over. They need a flight school that can evaluate where they actually are and build a structured path to the finish line. We've been doing that for years.
License Completion Program
Many pilots start training for a certificate or rating and, for one reason or another, don’t finish. Bad instructor pairing. School closed. Job relocation. Life got busy. Hit a wall on a particular maneuver. Ran out of cash. Whatever the reason, the hours you’ve flown and the knowledge you’ve built are real — and they shouldn’t be discarded just because you’re starting fresh somewhere else.
TFA’s License Completion Program exists for exactly this situation. Through our proprietary transfer evaluation system, we pinpoint where you actually are in our structured curriculum, then build a focused training plan to get you to the checkride. You can fast-track with our accelerated training format, finishing in days to a few weeks depending on your prior experience and skill retention. Or you can take a more measured approach and fly a couple times per week. The decision is yours.
How it works
Before we write you a training plan, we figure out exactly where you are. Our process is structured, repeatable, and built around real assessment rather than guesswork.
Step 1
Submit your logbook, prior training records, and any endorsements from previous schools. We review what you've completed and identify gaps.
Step 2
An oral evaluation with a TFA instructor to gauge knowledge retention, regulatory familiarity, and aeronautical decision-making.
Step 3
A flight check to assess current skill level. Where are you proficient? Where do you need work? This drives the rest of the plan.
Step 4
A structured path to your checkride, with specific milestones, an estimated timeline, and a quote for the training portion.
Other custom training programs
License Completion is the most common reason pilots come to us for custom training. But it's not the only one. Here are six other ways our standard programs flex to meet pilots whose path doesn't fit a default syllabus.
Equipment transition
For pilots moving from steam-gauge to glass-cockpit avionics. Structured ground and flight training to bring you up to proficiency in the Garmin G1000 NXi.
● Combined Redbird FMX sim and DA40 NG flight time
● Full systems, normal ops, and emergency procedures
● Tailored to your prior experience level
Best for: pilots upgrading aircraft, buying a Diamond, or transitioning from a legacy fleet to a G1000-equipped trainer.
Foreign credential conversion
For pilots holding a foreign-issued certificate (Canadian, EU, ICAO contracting state) who want to add an FAA Private, Instrument, or Commercial certificate.
● FAA Verification of Foreign License process support
● Bridge training to FAA standards
● FAA examiner scheduling for your add-on checkride
Best for: foreign-rated pilots adding FAA certificates. (For non-U.S. citizens, see Flight Training for International Students below.)
Currency & recurrent
Flight Reviews (BFR), Instrument Proficiency Checks (IPC), and currency recovery for pilots who've lapsed on flight time or recent experience requirements.
● Flight Reviews and IPCs scheduled as needed
● Currency-restoration training for lapsed pilots
● 14 CFR §61.56 and §61.57 compliance
Best for: certificated pilots returning to flight after time away, or maintaining annual currency requirements.
Aircraft-specific
Transition training for pilots moving into the Diamond fleet — DA20, DA40 NG, DA42 NG. Aircraft owners and renters welcome.
● Type-specific systems and operations training
● Factory-authorized Diamond instructional staff
● Insurance-required checkout supported
Best for: new Diamond aircraft owners, pilots renting at TFA, and pilots upgrading from simpler aircraft to the DA42 NG twin.
Schedule flexibility
For pilots with full-time work commitments who can't sustain the 4-lessons-per-week pace of the Professional Pilot Program. We'll build a schedule that fits real life.
● Evening and weekend lesson availability
● Part 61 enrollment (timeline is yours)
● Same instructors, same fleet, different cadence
Best for: Best for: working professionals, parents, and pilots who can't commit to full-time accelerated training but want to make steady progress.
Sim-only
Standalone Redbird FMX simulator time — IFR procedure practice, approach work, scenario-based training, or just staying sharp between flights.
● FAA-approved AATD, full-motion
● With or without a TFA instructor
● Logbook entries when instructor-led
Best for: active pilots maintaining proficiency, students supplementing their training between lessons, and pilots prepping for a specific checkride or procedure.
A note on our operational discipline
Every custom training program at TFA runs under the same operational structure as our Part 141 programs. Once we evaluate your starting point and build your plan, you’re held to the same standards as a new student: scheduled lessons, defined milestones, instructor accountability, and a clear path to your checkride.
This matters because most “custom” training stalls for the same reason original training stalled. No structure, no accountability, no checkpoints. We avoid that by treating custom training as a structured program with a different starting point, not as informal lessons until something happens.
What we'll need to start your evaluation
● Your pilot logbook (paper or digital)
● Records from prior flight school(s), if available
● Existing FAA-issued endorsements or certificates
● Current FAA Medical Certificate (or willingness to obtain one)
● A reasonable description of where you got stuck or what changed
For non-U.S. citizens
Foreign nationals training in the United States must complete the TSA Flight Training Security Program (FTSP, formerly AFSP) before flight training can begin. We've supported many international students through this process. The details — fingerprinting, fees, timelines, documentation — live on our dedicated Flight Training for International Students page.
Common questions
Will my prior flight hours count?
Yes — flight hours are FAA-recognized regardless of where they were logged. The question is more about your proficiency and knowledge retention. Our evaluation determines where in our curriculum you actually fit, which may be different from where you left off at your prior school.
Why can't I just continue where I left off?
Sometimes you can. More often, skills atrophy if there’s been a significant gap, and the curriculum at your prior school may have been structured differently than ours. The evaluation step exists to find the right starting point — which is sometimes exactly where you left off, sometimes earlier, sometimes further along than you thought.
How long will the evaluation take?
The records review and oral evaluation can be done in a single day. The flight evaluation is typically scheduled separately. From your first call to a written training plan and quote is usually 1–2 weeks, depending on scheduling and complexity.
Is there a charge for the evaluation?
The records review and initial conversation are no charge. The flight evaluation is billed at our standard instruction and aircraft rates, since it’s instructor time and airplane time. We’ll explain the cost structure upfront before scheduling the flight portion.
What if my prior school just used a totally different airplane?
That’s common, and it’s not a problem. Switching to Diamond aircraft from Cessnas, Pipers, or other trainers is a normal transition we handle regularly. Your prior hours still count — you’ll just need some type-specific training to get proficient in our fleet.
Can I do part of my training under Part 141 and part under Part 61?
Generally no — once you’re on a Part 141 syllabus, you complete it under Part 141 or transition fully to Part 61. The evaluation will help us determine which track makes sense for your situation. Many transfer students land in Part 61 because their prior training doesn’t map cleanly to our Part 141 syllabus, but this is a case-by-case decision.
Related programs
Private Pilot
If you're completing a Private Pilot certificate — our structured program and what you'll fold into.
Learn more →Instrument Rating
Completing an Instrument Rating — the IFR curriculum and Redbird FMX usage.
Learn more →Commercial Pilot
Finishing a Commercial certificate — the four-tier program structure and what fits your situation.
Learn more →Reach out and we'll schedule your evaluation. No commitment — just a conversation about where you are and what it would take to finish.
49 Hangar Road, Hangar D
Montgomery, NY 12549
845-457-4188
Open 7 days · 8 AM – 6 PM