SELECTING A FLIGHT ACADEMY

Selecting a flight school is a very important decision; don't limit your survey to advertised promises of lowest rates, unrealistic guaranteed courses, or by the implied promises and claims with no substantiation.

We want you to make the best choice for yourself, so with our many years in the industry we offer this school checklist that will hopefully help you in your decision-making. When shopping for a flight academy, take a scrutinizing look at each one and consider the following questions in the checklist below.

We recommend that you take, if possible, an introductory flight lesson with the top schools on your list. Visit the facilities if you can. This will help you see how well the organization is run and how the flight instructors relate to you. Make a decision and go with the school that gives you the most "yes" scores on this checklist.

The decision you make is the most important first step. Be the best by associating and training with the best!

Reputation and educational standing

• Is the school ’s reputation over 25 years or more?
• Is the school approved by the FAA as an FAR Part 141 Training Institution?
• Does the school have graduates placed in major air carriers or in key aviation positions around the world and in the USA?
• Is the school authorized by the Immigration and Naturalization Services to sponsor foreign students?
• Does the school offer its students an internship program to help the best jump start their careers?

A Strong Safety Attitude

• Does the school have a strong safety record?
• Is safety an obvious issue for all staff and training personnel (i.e., signage up in the school, mandatory use of checklists, safety briefings, free FAA safety seminars, etc.)?
• Is the maintenance on the fleet done by longtime qualified professionals under strict school supervision?
• Are flight instructors subject to mandatory 90-day checks by the Chief Pilot?
• Does management conduct frequent spot audits for safety compliance?
• Does the school offer specific Emergency Recovery Training for all its students?

Capabilities and the Learning Environment

• Does the school follow a specific training syllabus for every license to be attained, and for every professional course?
• Are single and twin-engine flight simulators available for fixed-wing ground support training?
• Does the school offer a full spectrum of ground school courses?
• Does the school offer a thorough and complete audio and video library?
• Does the school offer computerized self-study stations?
• Does the airspace environment provide both low-density training areas (for beginning pilots) as well as high-volume operations for the pilots seeking valuable high-density air-space experience?

The Aircraft Fleet

• Is the fleet modern and standardized for training?
• Are the aircraft on the fleet equipped with good and modern avionics?
• Is the fleet of aircraft large enough to provide ample scheduling availability?

Customer Needs

• Does the training location offer ample tourism attractions?
• Does the school have a Student Liaison Officer in the USA and in key international countries?

Management, Professionalism and Training Standards

• Is the school managed by long time aviation professionals?
• Are detailed and thorough written records kept on each student?
• Does each student follow a specific, FAA -approved syllabus?
• Do instructors have strong teaching skills, solid experience, major ratings, Part141standardization and academic background in Part 141 schools?
• Is all flight training structured and monitored for quality training as well as flight standards compliance?
• Are the Chief Flight Instructor and the Assistant Chiefs checked by the FAA?
• Is there an examiner on-site and always available to be scheduled?
• Does the school have the capability to provide training from twin-turboprops, light turbojets (e.g., Citation, Learjet) to heavy transports?

Service Level

• Does the school adopt a proactive attitude toward its customers?
• Does the school provide transportation between housing and school?
• Is the support staff professional yet personable and trained to be attentive to customer needs?
• Does the school offer “One price all inclusive professional courses” with no surprises. Giving students and families the ability to establish a budget for the duration of the course?
• Does the school offer 15-20 year undergraduate student financing at privileged low rates?

Financial Stability

• Does the school give students the option to pay-as-you-fly?
• Is there an ongoing record and log of each student’s financial transactions with the school, accounting for all monies deposited, used and available?
• Does the school offer a fair and secure refund policy?

Rainbow Air Academy is proud to be a training institution, which answers,
“ YES” to all of the above questions in this checklist.