When we’ve reported on accelerated flight training courses it’s been for someone who already holds a pilot certificate and is adding on a rating. But what about the newcomer to the world of aviation who is eager to become a private pilot-is there an advantage to getting the rating via a full-immersion, accelerated course? If so, what’s involved, what will it cost and how should the prospective student prepare for training?
Our, admittedly arbitrary, definition of “accelerated private pilot course” is one that is completed within a month. We surveyed a number of flight schools that offer such courses and spoke with some pilots who had completed one. Our conclusion is that, for a person who has the time, money and self-discipline to eat, sleep and breathe flying 8-12 hours a day for two or three weeks, an accelerated course is a better way to obtain a private pilot certificate than flying intermittently over the course of a few months or a year and costs about the same.