Flight Training - FLY8MA Online Flight Training

FLY8MA Flight Training

What Flight Training is Available?

We offer standard flight training programs for those pilots wishing to train with us here in Alaska and further develop their piloting skills in a structured and challenging environment. We also offer custom flight training packages that can be arranged with our office staff via phone. Below you will find some of our standard flight training packages. Due to high demand, we are unable to offer hourly flight instruction or "quick local flights". Our instructors prefer to spend a minimum of several hours with our students to ensure the training is not rushed.

Cessna 206

High Performance Endorsement ($800)
Commercial Pilot Training ($600/hr with instructor)

Cessna 172

Private Pilot Training
Instrument Training
Commercial Pilot Training
CFI Training

J-3 / Cessna 140

Tailwheel Instruction
Private Pilot Training
Commercial Pilot Training

Pricing

Private Pilot Training

$27,000

Includes up to 60 hours of flight time
Includes 20 hours of ground time
Includes Online Groundschool
Includes 60 nights at the Lodge
Includes 3rd class medical exam
Includes cost of written exam
Expect flying 1 to 2 times per day
Expect studying 4-6 hours per day

Book Now

Instrument Pilot Training

$19,800

Includes up to 50 hours of flight and simulator time
Includes 20 hours ground time
Includes Online Groundschool
Includes 40 nights at the Lodge
Includes cost of written exam
Expect flying once per day
Expect studying 4-6 hours per day

Book Now

Commercial Pilot Training

$6,800

Includes up to 10 hours of flight time
Includes up to 8 hours ground time
Includes Online Groundschool
Includes 10 nights at the Lodge
Includes cost of written exam
Expect flying once per day
Expect studying 6-8hrs per day

Book Now

CFI Initial Training

$12,300

Includes up to 10 hours of flight time
Includes 40 hours ground time
Includes Online Groundschool
Includes 24 nights at the Lodge
Includes cost of written exam
Expect flying twice per week
Expect studying 6-8hrs per day

Book Now

Effective 8/15/22 there is a 12% fuel surcharge added to all training packages.

Meet Your Flight Instructors

Jon Kotwicki CFI | CFII | MEI | AGI | ATP

Jon began flying at age 19 working towards his Private Pilot Certificate. It only took one flight for Jon to discover his passion for aviation, and just two years after his first flight he became a Flight Instructor. Jon has spent thousands of hours flying everything from bush planes to airline jets. He now spends his time teaching flight students from Private Pilots to Airline Pilots, and making videos for FLY8MA. Jon's #1 goal, to make the safest, smartest pilots out there, and make a lot of them!

Steph Blanchard CFI | CFII | AGI

Steph learned to fly in Alaska out of necessity (living in a town with no roads makes flying an almost daily requirement). After years of flying in the bush, Steph now instructs Private Pilot students in Alaska on her days off. In the winter you'll find her flying freight to small Alaskan villages, and in the summer you see her landing planes on the beaches taking tourists to see the massive Alaskan Brown Bears.

Is there on-site housing at the pilot lodge?

Yes! Housing is included in our flight training packages. We encourage students to stay on-site with us as it makes it much easier to adjust schedules if needed for weather changes. It's also a lot of fun! We have weekly pizza social night by the fire pit to tell flying stories and enjoy good company!

Do I need to buy any books?

What about weather cancelations?

The weather in Alaska is famously unpredictable and ferocious. We take this into account when designing our flight training packages and always include extra time on the front and backend of your trip to allow for some wiggle room if there are weather delays in your training.

If the weather is exceptionally bad and we cannot complete the entire flight program you had reserved, we will refund the cost of the unused flight time only (you will be refunded only for the hours that were not flown at the hourly rental rate for that aircraft).

What is the cancellation policy?

If you need to cancel a reservation let us know as far in advance as possible. Deposits for training are non-refundable. You may apply the balance of your deposit to future dates if you cancel your initial training date more than 90 days in advance of the scheduled start date. Full payment for your training is due within 30 days of your scheduled start date or your reservation may be canceled (deposits cannot be refunded in this case).

Cancel more than 90 days prior to the scheduled start date: you will be refunded up to half of the full price cost of your scheduled training (50% deposits are not refundable).

Cancel more than 30 days prior to the scheduled start date: you will be billed half of the cost of the scheduled training, any additional funds on account can be applied towards future training or forfeited.

Cancel 30 days or less prior to the scheduled start date: you will be billed the full amount of your training and cannot apply those funds towards future training.

Exceptions cannot be made for circumstances not directly under the control of FLY8MA Flight Training.

What are the prerequisites?

Private Pilot Training: US Citizen, 3rd Class FAA Medical, Private Pilot Written Test Completed, FLY8MA Private Pilot Ground School Completed all prior to arrival. Your training will not begin unless these criteria are met and you may forfeit your deposit.

Instrument Training: Hold a valid FAA Private Pilot Certificate, valid 3rd class medical or basic med, have completed the FLY8MA IFR ground school and written prep courses, have completed the FAA IFR written test, have flown at least 50 hours in the past 12 months, 10 hours in past 90 days. Must meet requirements of 14CFR61.65(d). Your training will not begin unless these criteria are met and you may forfeit your deposit. Additional costs may be incurred if you do not meet these criteria.

Commercial Pilot Training: Hold a valid FAA Private Pilot Certificate, valid 3rd class medical or basic med, have completed the FLY8MA CPL ground school and written prep courses, have completed the FAA CPL written test, have flown at least 50 hours in the past 12 months, 10 hours in past 90 days. Must meet criteria of 14CFR61.129(a). Your training will not begin unless these criteria are met and you may forfeit your deposit. Additional costs may be incurred if you do not meet these criteria.

Flight Instructor Training: Hold a valid FAA Private Pilot Certificate, valid 3rd class medical or basic med, have completed the FLY8MA CFI ground school and written prep courses, have completed the FAA FOI and FIA written tests, have flown at least 50 hours in the past 12 months, 10 hours in past 90 days from the right seat. Your training will not begin unless these criteria are met and you may forfeit your deposit. Additional costs may be incurred if you do not meet these criteria.

Can I bring a friend along?

Do you offer standard flight training?

Aircraft Rates

Where We FLY

The answer is EVERYWHERE! While we have a few favorite special spots to take students to, Alaska is huge! We do have specific routes we try to adhere to for each flight training package, weather and seasonal changes play a large role in the destinations we choose for our students, as well as the student's current skill level.

If there is a specific place or area of Alaska you would like to fly to let us know at the time of booking and we can go over your options with you at that time.

Click an image below to find out more information about that area.