Choosing a flight school: 7 questions most students skip
Most PPL students choose their flight school based on two criteria: price and distance. Understandable, but incomplete. Choosing the wrong school costs you an average of 10–20 extra flight hours and months of waiting time. Here are the seven questions you must ask before you sign.
1. What is the average number of flight hours per graduating student?
The EASA minimum is 45 flight hours, but reality is higher. Ask the school for their average: an honest answer is 50–60 hours for good schools; 70+ hours can indicate poor instruction quality, bad flying weather or inefficient scheduling.
Schools that claim "most students finish in 45 hours" are either lying or highly selective in their intake. Be critical.
2. What aircraft type do you use, and how old is the fleet?
Cessna 152, 172, DA20, PA28 — it matters. An ageing fleet with frequent maintenance issues means more cancelled lessons and a slower trajectory. Ask about average fleet age and availability (how many aircraft per student).
Also ask whether you always fly the same aircraft. Consistency speeds up your learning curve considerably.
3. What are the typical waiting times for lessons?
During busy periods (summer, weekends), waiting times at popular schools can run to 2–3 weeks per lesson. That is 2–3 weeks per lesson × 10 lessons = 5–7 months of pure waiting time. Factor this into your planning.
Ask the school for the average waiting time per lesson in peak season. Honest schools give honest answers.
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4. Who gives the lessons, and what is their background?
Flight instructors vary widely in experience and quality. A young instructor with 300 hours and a fresh FI rating gives a very different lesson from someone with 2,000 hours and 10 years of instruction experience.
Ask about the instructor pool and whether you can follow the same instructor consistently. Rotating instructors significantly slow your learning curve.
5. What theory support do they offer?
Most flight schools focus on the practical side and leave theory entirely to the student. But EASA theory is 9 subjects and 200–300 hours of self-study — without support, many students stumble.
Ask whether the school offers theory lessons, guidance or practice exams. If not, arrange external support — such as UP Aviation subject specialists.
6. Can I build hours abroad?
Some schools allow you to build practical hours abroad (e.g. Spain or Portugal) and then take your final exam in the Netherlands. This can save you thousands of euros.
Ask explicitly whether the school has experience with foreign flight hours and whether they support the administration (flight log, endorsements). Not all schools are flexible about this.
7. What are the total costs including hidden extras?
Advertised rates rarely reflect the real cost. Ask for a detailed cost estimate including: landing fees, fuel surcharge, fleet maintenance, exam fees, medical, R/T certificate and extension if you run over schedule.
The real cost is on average 20–30% higher than the advertised price. Use the UP Aviation Cost Calculator to compare across 5 countries and get an honest total.
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