Answers to common questions.

Aviation Connect is an aviation training consultancy. We help future pilots and helicopter pilots find the right flight school, country and training path for their goals and budget. We work with a growing network of partner schools we have talked to directly, and our school advisory, personal consultations included, is free for students.

Nothing. Our school advisory is free for students. Partner flight schools pay us a fee when a student we helped enrolls.

Going direct works if you already know exactly which school suits you. Most people don't. There are over 1,000 flight schools worldwide with very different costs, training cultures and career outcomes. We have talked to our partner schools directly, know their strengths and weaknesses, and help you compare apples to apples instead of marketing brochures.

Working with us also gives you:

• full visa application assistance
• access to our pre-screening process
• access to our pilot aptitude test
• an unbiased comparison of global flight training schools across all leading training jurisdictions

Book a free video call. We'll talk for 60 minutes about your background, goals, budget, and constraints (timing, visa, family situation). After that we recommend 3-5 schools that genuinely fit. No pressure, no upsell.

Ready to take the next step yourself? Create my profile, and once your profile is complete, Apply now.

We meet students in person across Asia and the Middle East: at our own offices, at offices of partner companies and by appointment. You can find every location with its address on our locations page.

Yes. Most consultations happen by video call, so we work with students globally. Our locations in the region help with in-person meetings and with your documents.

English is our working language. Several of our advisors also speak Mandarin, Cantonese, Bahasa Indonesia, Bahasa Melayu, Thai, Vietnamese, Korean and German. Let us know your preference when booking.

Our school advisory is and stays free. For families who want hands-on support beyond that (arrival logistics, family liaison, ongoing presence during training), we offer an optional Family Care program. Read more on our Family Care page.

Reputable schools quoting "all-in" usually include: ground school, flight hours required for the syllabus, instructor fees, examiner fees, basic ground school materials, and headset hire. Usually NOT included: living expenses, visa fees, Class 1 Medical, books you keep, type ratings, extra flight hours if you take longer than scheduled.

Yes. The most common surprises: extra flight hours if your training takes longer than the syllabus average (very common), type rating costs after CPL (USD 20-50k depending on aircraft), travel home during training, and currency fluctuation if you're paying in a different currency than you earn in.

Honestly: it depends. A first officer at a regional airline earns roughly USD 50k-80k. A long-haul captain at a major airline earns USD 200k-400k+. Payback from CPL to break-even typically takes 5-10 years for those who reach airline jobs. The financial case is much stronger over a full career than over the first few years.

We match you against our partners based on: your budget, your timeline, the type of airline or career you're aiming for, your geographic preference, language, and personal factors like family situation. Then we narrow to 2-3 schools that fit and walk you through their differences honestly.

Each is a different civil aviation authority's license. EASA is European, FAA is US, CASA is Australian, CAA NZ is New Zealand, DGCA is Indonesian. They cover the same general skills but with different syllabi, examinations and validity. Licenses can be converted between authorities, but conversion is rarely seamless. It usually involves theory exams, some flight training, and significant paperwork.

We list only schools we have talked to directly. Each profile shows programs, costs and requirements in one place. In the US, Part 141 or Part 61 describes how a school trains you, not a different license, and to enroll F-1 or M-1 students a school must hold FAA Part 141 or Part 142 certification. Our guide to training paths explains Part 141 and Part 61.

Integrated: one continuous, full-time course at one approved school (ATO) that takes you from no experience to the commercial license with instrument rating and the ATPL theory, the "frozen ATPL". It needs fewer minimum flight hours because every step follows one approved plan. Modular: you take each stage on its own, such as the private license, the ATPL theory, the instrument rating and the commercial license, often at different schools and at your own pace. It can cost less, but it usually takes longer. Each of our partner programs publishes its own length on its program page.

Neither is better for everyone. Integrated is faster and needs fewer minimum hours. Modular spreads the cost and lets you keep working, but it needs more discipline. Both lead to the same license. Our guide to integrated and modular training compares them side by side.

Very important if your goal is airline employment. Schools with structured partnerships (like Australian regional airline cadet schemes) significantly shorten the path from CPL to your first paid flying job. Without such a partnership you'll need to hour-build independently, which is slower and more expensive.

Take a discovery flight first, before committing financially. Most flight schools offer 30-60 minute trial lessons for USD 150-300. Spend at least 2-3 hours flying with different instructors before signing for full training. If possible, take our Aptitude Test. It gives a brief sense of whether the basic skills come naturally.