A Discovery Flight is an “Introductory Flight Lesson.” LFTC offers two discovery flight options found here. It is a great way to introduce one to aviation and flying an airplane. It also makes for a great gift!

Yes! Your instructor will log your flight time for you. While you may not complete an entire lesson, you will be introduced to certain maneuvers, and even practice them yourself, with instructor guidance of course!

To schedule your discovery flight, you would call Lunken Flight Training Center at (513) 321-3211. A representative will work with you to find a time that can work with your schedule. If you have a gift certificate, please have the gift certificate number ready.

LFTC Policy stipulates that passengers are not allowed on training flights, and this includes the discovery flight. Friends and family are welcome to come along and wait in the lobby for the duration of the discovery flight.

It is highly recommended that lessons are scheduled at least 2 to 3 times per week. Flying is a perishable skill and significant time off between lessons is disadvantageous to your progress. The more you fly per week, a less amount of calendar time as well as flight time will be needed for you to complete your certificate.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) mandates that a student seeking Private Pilot Certification have a minimum of 40 hours of flight time (a combination of flights with your instructor and solo flight).  This is the “legal minimum” and is not realistic in most cases.  Note that the individual student’s proficiency plays a major role in the total number of hours.  The national average of total hours varies depending on which publication you read, but typically the range is 60 to 70 hours.  Therefore LFTC, or any other flight school, cannot “quote” you a cost.  LFTC does provide minimum course costs based on our syllabus.  It is not guaranteed that any student will obtain Private Pilot Certification within a certain number of hours or within a certain budget.  Results have shown that many students flying a minimum of three lessons per week obtain their Private Pilot Certification at or below the national average number of hours which means an overall cost savings.  

Yes! LFTC has instructors that will be able to work with you if you would like to fly 5-6 days per week. This program is very beneficial to those pursuing aviation as a career and can achieve all the required certificates in a shorter timeframe.

Typically, a lesson is 1.0 to 1.5 hours of flight time and 0.5 to 1 hours of pre/post-flight briefings with your instructor.  An average lesson may range from $300 to $400. Certain lessons, cross country flying for example, will cost more.  Ask an LFTC representative for more details.  

Yes!  We offer financing through Flight Training Finance LLC.  You may visit their website at www.flighttrainingfinancellc.com for more information. Applications for financing are available on their website. If you have any questions, you can ask an LFTC representative, and they can direct you.

LFTC offers flight training under both Part 61 and Part 141. Part 141 is an FAA approved training course and must use a structured curriculum that teaches skills in a specific order. This ensures an effective, efficient use of your training time. Part 61, however, provides for a little more flexibility in the order that things are completed. The quality of training provided at LFTC does not differ whether it is conducted under part 61 or part 141.  

To enroll in a course at LFTC you will first need to schedule an onboarding meeting. This meeting will be with an onboarding specialist. You will fill out all the necessary paperwork and answer some questions. After this meeting, the Chief Flight Instructor or their designee will assign you a flight instructor and you can start flying!

To be prepared for your onboarding meeting you need to bring the following items:

• Government Issued Photo ID
• Proof of US Citizenship (Birth Certificate or Passport)
• Pilot Logbook
• FAA Medical Certificate (If Applicable)
• Any FAA Certificates (If Applicable)

Yes. An international student will need specific TSA approval through the TSA. Instructions on how to apply will be given in the Onboarding Meeting. This TSA requirement is applicable for all students seeking Private Pilot Certification, Light Sport Pilot Certification, Recreational Pilot Certification, Instrument Rating, Multi-engine rating, or training in any aircraft in excess of 12,500 pounds gross weight.

While there is no minimum age limit to take lessons, LFTC’s policy is a minimum age of 15 (with parent or legal guardian permission and information on file).  Please keep in mind that: 

• The minimum age to solo an aircraft is 16 
• The minimum age to obtain your Private Pilot Certificate is 17 

Many factors are used to determine the rental rate of an aircraft.  Some of these factors are: 

• Make and Model 
• Maintenance Costs 
• Insurance Costs 
• Fuel Costs 
• Installed Equipment (GPS, Autopilots, etc.) 

Yes!  This is called a “wet” rate.  Some companies quote a “dry” rate which does not include fuel.  Make sure to ask if you are comparing rental rates. 

No. LFTC does not accept money on account currently.  All flights are pay-as-you-go.

LFTC accepts cash, credit cards, and debit cards, but checks are not accepted.

The credit and debit cards accepted are as follows:

• Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover

Yes, Ohio sales tax is applicable on aircraft rental and the sale of products.  There is also a City of Cincinnati airport tax on all products and services.  Instruction time and some other services are not subject to Ohio sales tax but are subject to the airport tax. 

Flight time is tracked by a meter in the aircraft called a “Hobbs Meter”.  This is the industry standard for tracking flight time and is simply a device that keeps time in tenths of hours.  Aircraft billing and dual-instruction time is calculated by using this meter. 

Your instructor will keep track of ground time billed by using a clock.  After each lesson, you will be billed in tenths of hours for ground instruction at our posted rates. 

Prior to beginning your first flight lesson (excluding the discovery flight) you will need to purchase the Gleim Private Pilot Kit and pay the course enrollment fee. The pilot kit has all the books and materials that will be necessary for you to be successful in your flight training. The kit also includes a basic headset.

A one-time course enrollment fee is charged to students seeking any certificate or rating.  This fee helps support our online scheduling system and helps pay for other resources available to students and instructors at our school. 

Lunken Flight Training Center utilizes the Gleim Aviation Syllabus. The syllabus is included in the appropriate pilot kit.

Items required to be purchased in addition to the pilot kit are the Aircraft Information Manual and aeronautical charts.  Aeronautical charts and publications are not in the kit because they expire periodically and must be purchased each time a revised version is released.  Ask your instructor for more details. 

Yes.  The FAA requires that a student must obtain a 3^rd class medical certificate from an Aviation Medical Examiner prior to soloing an aircraft. However, LFTC policy stipulates that you obtain a medical certificate prior to beginning flight training. If you cannot obtain a medical certificate, you cannot solo. A list of approved AMEs in our area is available at our office. 

Call first!  Never assume a lesson is cancelled.  If your instructor determines the weather is not suitable for flying (which of course is part of what you learn to determine as well!), you still may be able to accomplish some ground training. 

All LFTC aircraft are maintained by FlightLogix, a Lunken Airport based company which has the same ownership as LFTC.  For more information about FlightLogix, visit www.flightlogix.com.

Yes. Lunken Flight Training Center offers VA benefits for both the Instrument Rating Course and the Commercial Pilot Course. The Private Pilot Course is not covered by the VA, however. If you have any questions regarding VA benefits, please contact an LFTC Representative.

LFTC is a partner with Purdue University Global. Purdue University Global offers an online Bachelor of Science in Professional Flight. LFTC conducts the flight training aspect of that degree path. For more information regarding the program, please visit www.flylftc.purdueglobal.edu

Yes! There are some aircraft that are designated as training aircraft only, but there are several type aircraft that we do rent. For information regarding the aircraft available to rent please contact an LFTC representative.

To rent aircraft at LFTC you will first need to complete an Onboarding Meeting (See question regarding what to bring to an onboarding meeting). After that meeting you will then come in for a rental checkout flight. There is a written exam that will need to be reviewed with an instructor and then you will need to demonstrate the ability to fly the aircraft.

The aircraft checkout must be completed annually. However, in order to stay current in LFTC aircraft, you must fly at least once every 60 days in each aircraft type in which you are checked out.

No. LFTC does not require its renters to carry a rental insurance policy. For more information regarding insurance please speak to an LFTC representative.