LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. –
The Aero Club at Langley Air Force Base, Va., provides individuals the opportunity to avoid the chaos of flying commercial, and allows for speedy travel times without getting a speeding ticket or running into traffic. It's more than just a hub though; the club offers a chance to expand your horizons... literally.
The Aero Club offers three different courses available for base military and civilian personnel to learn how to fly. Individuals can earn three types of licenses at the Aero Club; private, instrument and commercial.
Mike Hartney, Aero Club chief instructor, said people can eliminate some of the inconvenience of flying commercially if they have their license.
"That's where the real benefit is; to get in an airplane and take off from here to go to a small airport to visit family, friends, or for business" explains Hartney, explaining the fastest way around commercial airports, luggage fees and endless security checks. "And save yourself all of that time."
As a Federal Aviation Administration approved part 141 pilot school, the Aero Club has nine instructors, all with military flying experience, and four airplanes used for teaching purposes. Hartney, a former B-52 pilot, said pilots may rent the planes for personal use.
To obtain a private-pilot license, an individual is trained on a Cessna 172 aircraft and must complete 35 hours in the classroom. However, individuals can fly concurrently with the classroom portion. The minimum number of students per class is four, with roughly one class per quarter.
If an individual already has a private and instrument pilot license, and wants to acquire a commercial rating, he will training in a Piper Arrow aircraft. Because of the intricate instructions, these lessons are all done on a one-on-one basis.
Flying lessons don't come cheap though; the private-pilot course costs $8,500, the instrument-pilot course costs $7,300, and the commercial-pilot course costs $19,000. However, if an individual qualifies for the Post 9/11 GI Bill, the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs will reimburse tuition costs up to $10,000 per year.
The Aero Club is located at 308 Emmons Street Langley AFB, Va., 23665. For more information on obtaining a pilot's license or renting an aircraft, can contact the Aero Club at (757) 766-1347/764-7486, or visit their website at
http://www.langleyaeroclub.org/.