Accelerated Career Pilot Training In Florida

Applicants should turn 17 years of age in the same year they start the PAC program. Applicants under age 18 must have legal guardian or parent approval to enroll. Students must be citizens or permanent alien residents of the United States with no history of felony criminal convictions. Excessive use of alcohol or use of most prescription drugs, all illegal drugs, marijuana or any cannabis-derived products (including CBD in any form) is strictly prohibited. Substance use violations are grounds for immediate expulsion.

Applicants must possess a valid class 1 FAA medical certificate at the time of application, and they are expected to maintain their medical status throughout the duration of the program. Some medical certificates may be deferred 6 to 12 months or more, and students with deferred medicals will be admitted to PAC on a case-by-case basis. For more information on applying for an FAA medical certificate, please contact us. 

Most PAC students complete their Commercial Pilot License (CPL) within 12-16 months while training part-time. Full-time students can finish in 6-9 months, and all graduates finish with approximately 250-300 total flight hours.

Airline eligibility requires building additional flight time to meet the 1,500-hour ATP minimum, which takes 18-24 months of full time flying.

This is one of the strongest hiring cycles in aviation history, driven by mandatory retirements at age 65 and sustained travel demand that has created a workforce shortage that is projected to last 10-20 years, resulting in higher starting pay, faster upgrades, and long term career stability.

Graduates typically either work for private or charter operators or as instructor pilots to build the 1500 hours required to earn an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) license. An ATP license is required to work for most airlines, major cargo operators and corporate flight departments that operate jet aircraft. Flight instructors and new commercial pilots can expect to earn $40,000-$60,000 per year, and after 15-20 months of experience / hour-building, graduates typically move on to be First Officers at regional airlines or captains at charter flight departments, earning $80,000-$150,000 per year. Career airline pilots enjoy competitive salaries with comprehensive benefits packages, annual raises, union representation and travel perks for themselves and friends and family, and they can earn salaries over $500,000 within 10-12 years of joining a major air carrier such as Delta, American, United, FedEx, or UPS whose most senior Captains work only 10-13 days per month.

US Airlines no longer require a four-year degree. Hiring decisions are primarily based on FAA certifications, total flight time, training quality and professional performance.

PAC provides a direct path to airline eligibility without requiring a traditional degree program.

A commercial pilot license (CPL) allows a pilot to be paid for flying services such as charter/cargo, instruction or corporate aviation.

An Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) license is required for airline employment and requires 1,500 total flight hours under FAA regulations.

• Airlines no longer require a college degree
• PAC is a faster, lower cost path to airline eligibility
• Government Workforce Pell Program is anticipated in late 2026
• Ideal for career changers or those who already hold degrees
• Hiring is based on FAA licenses and flight hours, not aviation degrees

Ground school will meet one evening per week for 3 hours, and each student will be assigned a flight block on a first-come first-served basis. Students will be expected to be at the airport every other day 15 minutes BEFORE the start of their flight block. The 8 flight block times are: Mon, Wed, and Fri (MWF) or Tues, Thurs, and Sat…early morning, late morning, early afternoon and late afternoon. 

To promote successful program completion, students are expected to arrive 15 minutes prior to the scheduled flight time and to be 100% committed to flying whenever the opportunity arises. Students unable to make their scheduled flight time are expected to notify their instructor at least 24 hours in advance. Failure to attend scheduled appointments may result in penalty fees. Make-up flights may be conducted on Sundays and whenever aircraft and instructor availability allows.

PAC graduates will typically enter the aviation workforce as certified flight (CFIs) instructors eligible to be hired by Boca Pilot Flight Training and at other flight schools in Florida and around the United States. Flight instructors typically spend 15-20 months teaching private, instrument, and commercial students, building flight time and gaining valuable experience required to qualify for commercial pilot jobs with corporate flight departments, air freight operators, regional/national commercial airlines, or other professional aviation careers. This program is designed to progress students from zero experience to a six-figure salary as a first officer in about 40 months.

The PAC program is not currently GI Bill eligible. Students should CONTACT US regarding future eligibility and other financing options.

This program is built to maintain 9-12 hours of contact learning with instructors each week, and it is expected that students will spend at least another 6-8 hours of personal home study and flight preparation, for an estimated 15-20 hours per week on average. Students will spend three (3) hours in class one day per week. Additionally, students will be scheduled for three (3) 2.5-hour flight lessons each week. Ground school courses are scheduled according to the academic calendar: PPL in fall of year 1, IFR in spring of year 1, CPL in fall of year 2, and CFI / CFII in spring of year 2, but flight training is not as rigid. Flight training can start anytime, and PAC coordinators will work with your schedule to build a program that fits. Students will coordinate closely with their instructor on scheduling, and staying on track will require commitment to work around scheduling interruptions caused by weather and aircraft maintenance. Students should be prepared to make up cancelled flight lessons on any day of the week, including Sundays if required. Other outside commitments will need to be scheduled accordingly, and students must be flexible and ready to fly when the weather and aircraft availability allows.

Private financing is available to qualified borrowers (CONTACT US) and the US Department of Education is launching its Workforce Pell Program in late 2026. Many scholarships and grants are available to qualified applicants, and these websites each list dozens of opportunities.

Scholarships and grants are also available at www.FlightScholarship.info, https://www.aopa.org/training-and-safety/learn-to-fly/aviation-scholarships, and https://www.natafoundation.org/education/scholarships/. 

Students must carry $50,000.00 renter's insurance, available through AOPA who offers free 3-month student membership.

Students must obtain a First-Class medical certificate prior to enrollment to ensure future ATP eligibility. We strongly recommend students (and parents) CONTACT US before scheduling an exam to avoid common disqualifying issues.