Why should you choose Pelican Flight School for your pilot training?

FAA-certified, limited discount, training on modern aircraft.

Why Pelican Flight Training

Not the cheapest, and not by accident. Here is exactly what stands behind our price, and why students from more than 50 countries choose Pelican.

Flight School › About › Why Pelican

Pelican Flight Training students in uniform in front of a training helicopter in South Florida

Choosing a flight school on price alone is the most expensive mistake a future pilot can make. The lowest sticker price often hides extra fees, aircraft you never get time in, or a school that cannot take you all the way to the airlines.

Our price is competitive because we have run an efficient, family-owned school since 1985, not because we cut corners. If you have looked at our numbers and wondered how they can be lower than the big academies, this page answers that in full.

On This Page

What You Get at Pelican

Six things that a low sticker price alone can never tell you.

Flying and teaching since 1985

We have trained pilots continuously since 1985, and our graduates now fly for airlines and operators around the world. Longevity like this is rare in flight training, and it means proven systems rather than guesswork.

FAA Part 141 and ACCSC accredited

A structured, FAA-approved curriculum plus national ACCSC accreditation. That combination is what lets us issue F-1 and M-1 student visas and holds us to audited standards, not just our own word.

Our own fleet, including helicopters

Cessna 152 and 172, Piper Arrow and Seminole, Schweizer 300C helicopters and an ALSIM ALX simulator, all maintained in-house at North Perry Airport. Very few Florida schools train helicopter pilots at all, and fewer still own the aircraft they teach on.

Instructors who trained here

Many of our flight instructors are our own graduates, several of them holding the FAA Gold Seal, awarded only to instructors whose students consistently pass on the first attempt. They know our aircraft, our airspace and our checkride examiners.

A path to a career, not just a certificate

F-1 visa support with CPT as part of the program and OPT after graduation, plus a US regional airline interview for qualified graduates. We think past the checkride to your first paid seat.

Year-round flying weather

South Florida gives roughly 365 flyable days a year, which means fewer weather cancellations and steadier progress than schools in colder or wetter climates. You finish on schedule, not when the season allows.

Pelican by the Numbers

1985

Training Pilots Since

Four decades, same family ownership

365

Flying Days / Year

Almost no seasonal downtime

141

FAA Part Approved

Plus ACCSC and SEVP certified

50+

Countries Represented

International paperwork is routine here

What Your Program Price Includes

One transparent number, with no surprise fees waiting at the end of your training. Here is where the line sits.

Included in your program price	Budget separately
All certificates and ratings from Private Pilot through CFI, CFII and MEI	FAA written exam fees
Aircraft and ALSIM simulator time built into the program	Examiner fees for your checkrides
One-on-one time with a dedicated flight instructor	FAA medical certificate
Ground school and written exam preparation	Headset, books and supplies
F-1 or M-1 student visa support and your Form I-20	Housing, transport and living costs
A US regional airline interview for qualified graduates	Government visa fees for international students

Are We the Cheapest? No, and That Is the Point

Our full Professional Pilot Program is $68,310, which is efficient rather than cheap. The same path at large national academies can cost tens of thousands more once you add the fees and add-ons that are often quoted separately.

We publish the price openly and do not pad it, so a lower number sometimes reads as lower quality. The opposite is true. We keep the price honest because we run a lean, focused school, own our aircraft, and do not spend a fortune on national advertising. Every dollar goes into training rather than marketing.

See the full side-by-side in our Pelican vs ATP comparison.

Why the Current Offer Is Time-Limited

The discount on the banner is an enrollment incentive for the upcoming monthly class, and seats in each start are limited. It also locks in today's price before the next scheduled increase, so students who enroll now pay less than those who wait.

The countdown has a point beyond urgency. The sooner you start, the sooner you finish and begin building the flight hours that lead to a paid seat. In aviation, time on the calendar is time you are not yet earning, so starting early is worth more than a slightly larger discount later.

Frequently Asked Questions

No. Our price reflects an efficient, family-run Part 141 school that has operated since 1985, not reduced training. We fly Cessna, Piper and Schweizer aircraft, own our fleet, and hold ACCSC accreditation.

Your program price covers all certificates and ratings from Private Pilot through CFI, aircraft and simulator time, instructor time, ground school and exam preparation, plus visa support and your Form I-20. Written exam fees, examiner fees, your medical certificate, gear and living costs are budgeted separately.

The offer is tied to the upcoming class start and to current pricing, and both of those change. Enrolling now locks in today's price and secures a seat in the next monthly start, so waiting usually means paying more and starting later.

Our own fleet including helicopters, in-house Gold Seal instructors, year-round Florida weather, strong F-1 visa support and a transparent price with no hidden add-ons. You are a name to us, not a number in a large intake.

Yes. Pelican is SEVP certified and issues F-1 Forms I-20, with CPT as part of the program and OPT after graduation, plus a US regional airline interview for qualified graduates.

See the Value for Yourself

Book a tour or a discovery flight, meet the fleet and the instructors, and get a clear plan and price with no pressure.

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FAA Flight training programs

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FAA 141 approved & ACCSC accredited
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