Flight Training · Foundation Certificate
Private pilot training, finished on schedule.
Your first FAA pilot certificate, taught using a structured Part 141 syllabus we authored ourselves. The clearest path from no experience to "I'm a pilot."
Program overview
From your first lesson to your checkride, on a path you can see.
The Private Pilot certificate is the foundation everything else in aviation is built on. It’s also the rating most students struggle to finish — not because it’s hard, but because flight schools rarely commit to a structured plan. We’ve spent sixteen years solving that problem. Our Private Pilot syllabus is a Part 141-approved curriculum we wrote ourselves, organized into three phases with measurable stage checks at the boundaries. You’ll always know what you’re working on, what comes next, and what “ready” means.
You’ll fly Diamond DA20 and DA40 NG aircraft — modern, glass-cockpit airplanes with predictable handling, well-suited to early instruction. You’ll be paired with one of our staff CFIs from day one and stay with them through the certificate. And because every airplane in our fleet is maintained by our own factory-authorized service team, you won’t lose lessons to broken aircraft. That’s the operational difference that makes a finishable program possible.
Two paths, your choice
Part 141 or Part 61. Both built to be finished.
The FAA recognizes two routes to the Private Pilot certificate. We offer both, and we'll help you pick the one that fits your situation on the first call.
Part 141
Accelerated, structured.
2 months
From first lesson to checkride
● FAA-approved syllabus in a defined sequence
● Structured progress checks at completion of each stage
● Lower minimum hour requirement than Part 61
● Best for full-time and career-track students
Built to finish in 60 days when you fly five days a week. Most career-track students choose this path.
Part 61
Flexible, on your schedule.
4–8 months
Depending on lesson frequency
● Same instructors, same airplanes, same standard
● Train at your own pace around work and life
● Sequence flexibility — work the syllabus around weather and schedule
● Best for weekend pilots and part-time students
Built for pilots fitting training around a job or a family. Most weekend pilots choose this path.
Curriculum
Three phases, in order.
A Part 141 syllabus we authored — structured, measurable, and the same standard for every student.
Phase 1
Pre-solo, maneuvers & emergencies
Aircraft control, basic maneuvers, traffic patterns, takeoffs and landings to first solo. Performance maneuvers, instrument-reference flying, system failures, and night operations.
Phase 2
Cross-country
Navigation, weather, flight planning, dual and solo cross-country flights to new airports.
Phase 3
Checkride prep
Stage check, oral preparation, mock checkride, and FAA practical exam with a designated examiner.
Aircraft you'll fly
A trainer that's the right size for the job.
Most Private Pilot students at TFA train in the Diamond DA20-C1 — a two-seat, all-composite trainer with predictable handling, excellent visibility, and the lowest hourly cost in our fleet. As you progress, you'll have the option to move to the four-seat DA40 NG with a Garmin G1000 NXi glass cockpit for cross-country and family flying.
DA20-C1 · PHOTO
Who this is for
Three students. One curriculum.
The new pilot
No prior aviation experience. You want to learn to fly, do it right, and earn a real certificate. This is the most common path through our school.
The career-track student
You're aiming at the airlines. Private is your foundation; everything that follows builds on it. Ask us about the Zero-to-Professional pathway.
The transfer / completion student
You started at another school and stalled. Bring your logbook — we'll evaluate where you stand and finish your certificate on a clear plan.
Eligibility
FAA requirements, the short version.
To begin training
● At least 16 years old to solo, 17 to earn the certificate
● Read, speak, and understand English
● FAA medical certificate (we'll point you to a local Aviation Medical Examiner (AME))
● FAA student pilot certificate (free, online)
To earn the certificate
● Pass the FAA written knowledge test
● Complete the required flight hours and training
● Pass an oral and practical exam with a designated examiner
● Hold a current FAA medical at the time of checkride
"Modern fleet, professional instructors, and the schedule actually held. I finished my private in five months and never lost a lesson to a broken airplane."
James M.
Private pilot, 2025
Continue your training
Where Private Pilot leads.
Instrument rating
The natural next step. Fly in real weather, on instruments, on IFR flight plans.
Learn more →Zero-to-Professional
The integrated career pathway. Private through CFI on a single coordinated plan.
Learn more →Discovery flight
Not sure yet? Take a 30-minute introductory flight before you commit to anything.
Learn more →Ready to start?
Reach out and we'll talk through your situation, your goals, and the right path forward — at no cost or commitment.
49 Hangar Road, Hangar D
Montgomery, NY 12549
845-457-4188
Open 7 days · 8 AM – 6 PM