Become a <b>Professional Airplane</b> Pilot

Become a Professional Airplane Pilot

Become a Professional Airplane Pilot

Being a professional pilot is one of the most rewarding jobs in the world. Imagine incredible office views with a new city or country to regularly discover. Not to mention the fantastic retirement benefits and simple enjoyment of being a professional pilot and flying for a living.

Being a professional pilot is one of the most rewarding jobs in the world. Imagine incredible office views with a new city or country to regularly discover. Not to mention the fantastic retirement benefits and simple enjoyment of being a professional pilot and flying for a living.

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Become a <b>Recreational Airplane</b> Pilot

Become a Recreational Airplane Pilot

Become a Recreational Airplane Pilot

Experience more freedom working, playing, and living with recreational and Cirrus flight training. As a recreational pilot, your next adventure is always within reach, no matter how far you have to go. Save time and avoid the crowds by making the pilot’s seat your new normal. 

Experience more freedom working, playing, and living with recreational and Cirrus flight training. As a recreational pilot, your next adventure is always within reach, no matter how far you have to go. Save time and avoid the crowds by making the pilot’s seat your new normal. 

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We empower students to elevate their careers and lives through practical, professional airplane training.

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Rentals & Flight Reviews

Use our fleet to achieve your goals! Leading Edge Flight Academy can handle aircraft rentals and biennial flight reviews for pilots already licensed to fly.

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Rotor Transition Program

For helicopter pilots who want to pivot into an airline career, the Rotor Transition Program (RTP) can help you translate your skills to fixed-wing flying. 

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Airplane Training Program Add-Ons

Take your airplane training program to the next level and support your aviation career goals with additional fixed-wing program add-ons. 

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Rentals & Flight Reviews
Rotor Transition Program
Airplane Training Program Add-Ons
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Rentals & Flight Reviews

Use our fleet to achieve your goals! Leading Edge Flight Academy can handle aircraft rentals and biennial flight reviews for pilots already licensed to fly.

LEARN MORE
Rentals & Flight Reviews
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Rotor Transition Program

For helicopter pilots who want to pivot into an airline career, the Rotor Transition Program (RTP) can help you translate your skills to fixed-wing flying. 

LEARN MORE
Rotor Transition Program
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Airplane Training Program Add-Ons

Take your airplane training program to the next level and support your aviation career goals with additional fixed-wing program add-ons. 

LEARN MORE
Airplane Training Program Add-Ons

Chart Your Course

Becoming an Airplane Pilot

AIRPLANE PROGRAM PRICING

See The Difference

Leading Edge Flight Academy vs. Other Flight Schools

Leading Edge Flight SchoolOther Flight Schools
PROGRAMPart 141 programnon-professional pilot program at a Part 61 flight school
HOURS TO REACH COMMERCIAL PILOT POSITION200 HOURS250 HOURS
FLIGHT HOURS PER MONTH AS AN INSTRUCTOR 70 hours per month30 hours per month
START A CAREER
 AT THE AIRLINESin 2.5 to 3 yearsin 5 YEARS
GET STARTED
Garrett Ross career opportunities; airplane training program

Flight Career Development Opportunities

Elevate Your Career

At Leading Edge Flight Academy, we don’t just train students to be great pilots. We coach them on how to be great employees. We’ll work with you and our industry partners to provide job placement opportunities that match your interests and abilities.

CAREER PATHS

Aviation Partners

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FEATURED FLIGHT STUDENT

JACOB EDGERLY

COCC Leading Edge Graduate

When Jacob first started his flight training with Leading Edge Flight Academy, he wasn’t sure where that training would take him. Four years later, he was to begin an exciting new career with Horizon Airlines. Jacob’s journey from working line and fueling airplanes to flying commercial jets began with the support he received from our program’s expert team. Working with his COCC advisor and flight provider, Jacob was able to lay out a plan that supported his goals and helped him to get to where he wanted to go: commercial airlines.
“When I started flying, the college and the flight provider laid out a plan for me—where I was gonna start and where I wanted to end up… 3.5 years later, I’m going to the airlines, which is exactly where I wanted to be when I started.” — Jacob

FAQs

Airplane Flight Training and Career Development

Download Training Information
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WHAT TYPE OF AIRPLANE PILOT TRAINING DOES LEADING EDGE FLIGHT ACADEMY OFFER?

Leading Edge Flight Academy provides both professional and recreational airplane pilot training. Students can pursue a full Part 141 professional pilot program or earn their private pilot certificate for personal flying. Training includes Private, Instrument, Commercial, Certified Flight Instructor Instrument, and Multi-Engine training.

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HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO BECOME A PROFESSIONAL AIRPLANE PILOT?

Typical program completion takes 18 to 24 months, depending on student availability and rate of progression. Students who commit to regular training, five days per week with multiple flight events, advance most efficiently. Those who go on to instruct can accumulate the required hours to transition into airline or corporate aviation careers in roughly 2.5 to 3 years.

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CAN HELICOPTER PILOTS TRANSITION INTO AIRPLANE CAREERS?

Yes. Through the Rotor Transition Program (RTP), helicopter pilots can translate their rotorcraft experience into fixed-wing flight. This program helps pilots earn the additional ratings needed to qualify for airline and commercial aviation roles.

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DOES LEADING EDGE FLIGHT ACADEMY OFFER AIRPLANE RENTALS AND FLIGHT REVIEWS?

Yes. Licensed pilots can rent aircraft from LEFA’s Cessna 172 fleet and complete biennial flight reviews with a certified instructor to maintain proficiency and FAA currency.

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Instructing at LEFA for 2.5 years not only got me the flight hours and experience necessary to make the next step in my career, but made the transition to flying bigger/faster aircraft easier. LEFA’s safety oriented, fast paced and professional program helped me sharpen valuable skills that have been necessary to meet the high safety and punctuality standards in the corporate pilot industry.

Cullen Foss

Cullen Foss
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“Best thing about training? Passing Checkride but other than that, I would say flying solo. Knowing that for the first time, you are the sole manipulator and no one else can help you fly and land safely. It’s all on you and if you fly well, you did it through hard work and training.”

Tyler Wright

Tyler Wright
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“My instructors really helped me be prepared for checkride as they challenged my ground knowledge and flight skills.”

Gavin Christian

Gavin Christian
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“My peers as well as the instructors and staff at LEFA and COCC were very important creating a fun learning environment throughout my training.”

Andrew Swanson

Andrew Swanson
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“Starting flight training which was a completely new endeavor, in a completely new state can be quite the challenge. Leading Edge Flight Academy, however made that transition a breeze. At Leading Edge Flight Academy everyone is treated like family and they thoroughly ensure every student such as myself was prepared for our futures in Aviation, from every preflight to check ride, no matter where it took us. From being Deputy operating as a Sheriffs Department Tactical Flight Officer, to being dual qualified on the Beechcraft 99 and the 120 LEFA paved the way.”

Katani Best – First Officer FreightRunners Express

Katani Best – First Officer FreightRunners Express
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“The cross country was a huge confidence boost! And, of course, taking my foggles off at the DA and seeing that there’s an actual runway right in front of me!I am appreciative of my instructor and his true professionalism. He was always on time for our lessons and he found me an answer to every single question that I had. This rating was difficult for me, and I wouldn’t have been able to do without the reliability of a great CFII!”

Nicole Mulligan – Instrument Pilot

Nicole Mulligan – Instrument Pilot
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Becoming an airline pilot has always been my ultimate goal, and Leading Edge provided the best opportunity to build my flight experience up to the minimums required by the airlines. I grew up watching airplanes fly into the Bend airport, and flying over my hometown on a daily basis is one of the highlights of my career so far. As a SkyWest pilot, I now find myself flying into many of the same airports I first visited during my time at Leading Edge!

Garrett Ross

Garrett Ross
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“Leading Edge provided me with the exceptional training that prepared me for an awesome career as a professional aviator. The kicker is that you get to train in the dynamic and gorgeous area that is central Oregon! I couldn’t be happier with my decision to fly at Leading Edge and choose aviation as my career!”

Adam Mitchell

Adam Mitchell
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“After instructing I got the opportunity to work in Alaska, delivering parts and supplies to a remote gold mine. It helped pave the way to land my current job at a 135 operation. I fly C207s into the local villages delivering cargo and passengers in the Yukon Delta where driving is not always an option. It’s always good to maintain relationships in the aviation community because you never know who’s going to help you get to the next step in your career– or who you may help!”

Dayne Schafer

Dayne Schafer
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“As a First Officer, I assist Captains in the operation of our CRJ fleet; we get to fly the 200, 700, and 900 variants to all parts of the country! As a Procedures Instructor, I teach new hires how to apply what they learn from Ground School to successfully accomplish a regular gate to gate flight. The foremost impact of my time at Leading Edge was getting to train and work alongside some of the sharpest and kindest individuals one could&#8230;I learned a staggering amount both personally and professionally. They are all inspiring and motivating to keep oneself improving and growing, which is arguably the most important habit any pilot can develop.”

Steven Crowe

Steven Crowe
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“I moved to Bend, OR after I retired from the Navy to pursue my passion of becoming a professional pilot.  Even though I was a relatively junior instructor with just a handful of CFI experience, I was hired by Leading Edge Flight Academy. Over the past two years, I’ve had the opportunity to grow and hone my skills as a pilot and ultimately assume the title and responsibilities of Lead CFI and Check Instructor. Flying in Central Oregon presents unique challenges and opportunities for young students and their instructors. Pilots are presented with real-world flying scenarios that can teach them valuable lessons about flying safely while executing sound decision making skills.  I had the pleasure of having Nick as one of my first students when I started teaching at Leading Edge. It has been very rewarding to see him (and others) earn their pilot wings and become instructors as well! As I move on to a career in the airlines I reflect on my time at Leading Edge and am thankful for the amazing people I have had the opportunity to work with.”

Andrew Reischauer

Andrew Reischauer