Questions about Pilot Training and OK3 Air Flight School

Q: What is a private pilot license?

A: It is the minimum aviation training required to independently operate as the pilot of a single engine aircraft. It is the first step in your flight training to become a private pilot, whether your goal is to receive aviation schooling for eventually becoming a military pilot, commercial pilot, charter pilot, bush pilot, or simply a local aviation hobbyist. Earning this license to fly is your ticket to a fun, excitement, convenience, travel, and the upper levels of aviation training, to include an instrument rating, commercial license, CFI, CFII, MEI, and ATP. You'll be able to use it to take your friends and family on exotic weekend getaways, avoiding the inconvenience of layovers at major airports by flying direct to your destination at any time you wish. While you may start your training in the OK3 Air Cessna 172 Skyhawk, this initial step will allow you to move on to bigger, faster aircraft, to include (but certainly not limited to) the Cessna 206 Stationair, the Beechcraft King Air, the Pilatus PC-12, Gulfstream jets, vintage warbirds, and much more!

Q: What do I need to get going?

A: The enrollment requirements include being able to read, speak, and understand the English language, passing a simple medical examination, and being 17 years old on the day you pass your check ride. In addition to this, you’ll need at least three months’ time, a willingness to learn in and out of the cockpit, and a yearning for the excitement of general aviation flight training!

Q: What will it take to obtain my private pilot license?

A: You can expect to spend approximately 40-60 hours flying in one of our training aircraft (a Cessna 172 with a full glass Garmin G1000 cockpit) and about the same time of either in classroom work or specially designed home training courses. Graduation consists of passing a written test with a score of 70% or better, then successfully completing an oral examination and a flight test, often called a checkride. We bring in an FAA designee for this checkride, who will take you through the test step by step. With OK3 Air’s private pilot flight training program, there’s nothing to fear; the checkride will seem like nothing more than an extended flying lesson which covers basic maneuvers, navigation, different types of landings, and emergency procedures.

Q: How long will it take to complete the private pilot training course?

A: Whether you are doing ground school classes or in-flight training in our Cessna 172, the time it takes to complete the training and obtain the private pilot certificate depends on the student and how much time that he/she can dedicate to it. The more frequently you are able to schedule flight training at OK3 Air, the faster you will progress towards your private pilot license. For example, if a student takes one or two lessons a week, completing the course may take four to six months. If a student can come to the airport three or four times a week to fly, the training can be completed in as little as three months. Keep in mind that there is no FAA or OK3 AIR training requirement, in terms of frequency, for the private pilot certificate. You can fly as frequently or infrequently as you wish. However, in the long run, training frequently often means inexpensive flight training, as you’ll better retain information from lesson to lesson.

Q: What are the requirements to become an instrument rated pilot?

A: Our school is an FAA Part 61 flight school. The requirements are:

• Private Pilot
  • 40 hours flight time, to include time with the instructor, cross country flying, night flying, and solo flying.
  • 37 hours ground instruction, based on a structured, easy-to-use King Schools DVD training system which you can watch at home before your lessons.
• Instrument
  • 40 hours flight time, to include VFR and IFR cross country flying, as well as the option to get some simulator training through OK3 Air’s certified PCATD simulator, which is significantly cheaper than doing flight training in our Cessna 172.
  • 35 hours ground instruction, based on a structured, easy-to-use King Schools DVD training system which you can watch at home before your lessons.

Q: What additional optional training do you offer?

A: We currently offer:

• Aerobatic and Spin Training – Learn aerobatics maneuvers in an Extra 300 with a former airshow pilot and Naval Fighter Weapons School instructor. You will receive training in stalls, spins, and a wide variety of aerobatic maneuvers. Check out the “Aerobatic Training” page for more information!
• Mountain Flying – Have you ever wanted to fly into remote, mountainous areas, but felt unsure of how to make it a safe, enjoyable pursuit for you and your passengers? Have you ever wondered if there is a school where you could specifically learn the skills required for backcountry aviation in the mountains? OK3 Air is your mountain and backcountry training solution! Our professional flight school staff with almost a dozen years of experience of flying in the mountains can get you on the way to becoming a solid backcountry pilot. With our fleet of Cessna training aircraft, ranging from our basic Cessna 172, to our powerful Cessna 206 to our challenging Cessna 185, we’ll start refining your stick and rudder skills at our home airport to give you the finesse required of all backcountry pilots. After this portion of the backcountry flight training program, we’ll start putting your mountain flying skills to work in the field. As an FAR Part 135 backcountry charter company, we know some of the best spots in Utah to try your first off-field landings, whether on grass or dirt strips. Check out the mountain training tab for more information!
• Tailwheel Endorsement – OK3 Air recently acquired and completely refurbished a Cessna 185. Now we want you to learn how to fly it! Our instructors can take you through the basics of tailwheel flying all the way to proficiency in three point and wheel landings. If you need that tailwheel endorsement, OK3 Air is the place to get it!

Q: How new are your aircraft?

A: We own and operate one of the most modern fleet of new training aircraft in Utah. Our primary flight training aircraft, the Cessna 172SP, was manufactured in 2005. In the world of aircraft, this is brand new! Our Cessna 206 is similarly new and even has undergone specialized modifications in our FAR Part 145 maintenance repair facility to make it one of the top performing aircraft of its kind.

Q: Will I be able to rent your aircraft after attaining my Private Pilot License so I can keep building my hours or take trips with friends and family?

A: Yes, we are one of the few flight schools that offer aircraft rentals to students. If you receive a checkout flight in the aircraft with the appropriate instructor, you can rent the aircraft! If you need to build time and get hours for ratings through another flight school or college program, we’d love to have you out to the field to fly! Some restrictions apply regarding the distance and duration of flights away from our home base at the Heber City Municipal Airport.

Q: Are you affiliated with a 4 year college degree program?

A: No, we are not. While we are more than willing to provide you with flight training which you will easily be able to carry into a university flight program, we cannot award you credit for doing so. However, many of our students are enrolled in such programs and build time at OK3 Air’s flight school, knowing that when they rent from us, they will have a top-notch, safe aircraft to fly.

Q: Are there certain times I can start or may I begin my training anytime?

A: You may begin your training in our flight school at any time! Give us a call at (435) 654-3962 and ask to speak with our chief flight instructor. From there, he or she will book you a “Discovery Flight”. This initial training flight will acquaint you with small aircraft and small airport operations while dispelling any last-minute uncertainty you may have about learning to fly! After this training flight, you can go to our in-house pilot shop to purchase your ground school training program, a headset, laminated checklists and any other materials you might to successfully start and complete your private pilot license training at OK3 Air.

Program Cost Breakdown