Why usa?

Cost

Flying in the USA can be up to 50% cheaper than in Australia due the following reasons:

1.      lower operational costs

2.      lower fuel prices

3.      shortened training schedules 

4.      less “red tape”

 Facilities

On the ground:

Ground servicing facilities called Fixed Base Operations (FBO) are top of the range. They serve all of the nation’s aviation industry and authorities, including the military, government agencies, etc. most facilities are available 24/7 and offer fueling, pilots lounges, resting rooms, restaurants, complimentary hot/cold drinks, and beverages, service cars for close proximity trips for dining or shopping, planning and briefing rooms including computer and free internet/Wi-Fi.

In the Air:

Air Traffic Control (ATC) and navigational equipment like VOR's, VORTAC's and GPS are widely available across the USA (unlike Australia) which makes your flight much safer and easier for planning and flying. ATC is available 24/7 and will be very helpful on request including providing "Flight Following" services that will give you additional safety measurements for your flights.

 Stronger licenses

FAA licenses are much more widely used, only in the USA there are over 600,00 active certificated pilots (compare to 30,000 in Australia) other than the USA there are countries that recognize or using FAA license as part of their aviation regulatory systems. The FAA is by far the most influential and leading aviation regulatory body in the world, especially since the scope of its activity spreads anywhere from gliders to space shuttles. In addition, all the USA aviation industries, manufacturing, research, and development is based on the FAA's regulatory system, therefore most regulation and standards introduced by the FAA will eventually be adopted by the rest of the world sooner or later. 

Work opportunities

In addition to all other advantages, more potential employers prefer an FAA license pilot, which allows you to fly in North America, South America, Asia, Oceania, and the Middle East.

 Easily maintained

The FAA is doing an effort to keep the sky safe but also to get people flying more, as part of this organisation culture they design a system that allow pilots to self maintain their licenses current without a periodic validity test which creates more bureaucracy and additional costs to the pilots. To maintain your FAA license, you need only perform a bi-annual flight review with a flight instructor. All other requirements can be completed privately.

Night Flying

In the USA, you can fly at night without additional training and licensing requirements, unlike in Australia

Road Trips

The USA is one huge adventure, and when it comes to flying, it’s as easy and inviting as it gets. You can literally drop your marker on the map and go, from the Grand Canyon to Niagara Falls, see the NYC skyline and the Golden Gate Bridge – all you need is a license and a plane

why wifa?

Accommodation and a Service Car

The price includes accommodation and access to a vehicle, which is a significant financial advantage over a long period of time. It would be difficult to find an option like this in the US, and ultimately, will save you a fortune!”

Schedule

WIFA Specializes in students with limited time frames (VISA, budget, return dates, etc.), therefore all the school operations are built around achieving the specific requirements and flying goals of each student, and optimizing their training process according to their time frames. Everything will be done in a One on One mentoring program to support the students in achieving their goals within their set time frames.

One Stop Shop

As an international and State Institute (Maryland), the school understands that in order to attract overseas and interstate students, it recognizes the need to provide a training environment that enables students to focus on their training without having to worry about everything else. This is why the school is built on the One Stop Shop model, which includes accommodation, service cars, self-study computerized stations, dispatch/reception, integrated aircraft maintenance services, classrooms and study rooms, test classes, briefings rooms, restaurant, Red Bird flight simulator, free Wi-Fi, pilot shop, free parking, close to shopping centers and major cities. You literally don’t need to bring anything except yourself (perhaps only a toothbrush and your favorite pillow).

Facilities and Resources

The school has state-of-the-art facilities. All accommodation facilities are fully furnished and equipped with dining and cooking facilities and appliances and are maintained by an external maintenance company, including cleaning and repairs. All service vehicles are modern, and the entire schedule and resource management system are web-based and user-friendly. The airport is equipped with top-of-range facilities including a terminal building with FBO, restaurant, pilot lounge, and the school’s main reception.  The airport is active 24/7 and the runway and taxiways are equipped for day and night operation, as well as for most weather conditions. The school operates 25 modern and well-equipped aircraft that allow students to fly multiple times each day. The school operates its own integrated aircraft maintenance service that allows a rapid response to maintenance issues and minimizes any delays. 

Weather

Weather is one of the most critical aspects when choosing your flight school. The average number of “flyable” days a year has a direct impact on the total cost and duration of your training. WIFA area has around 80%-90% flyable days a year with no extreme weather events in each season. It might be very cold in the winter, and hot and humid in the summer but if you are up for it we definitely are.   

Examiners

WIFA is working with multiple FAA examiners in the area, scheduling a test flight is easy and can be done with a few days’ notice as there is always an examiner available. So, don’t worry about weather delays, examiners’ availability, or not feeling well on the day of the test, these can all be resolved in a few days. And if for some reason the test doesn’t go well, you only need to complete the components which weren’t satisfactory- you do not need to do the entire test again! (like in Australia).

Social

The school has the character of a boarding school, which generates lots of social and professional interactions, gatherings, and friendships among students, making their stay a much more enjoyable and memorable experience. This is one of the best attributes of the school.

Work opportunity

Students who complete their instructor rating with WIFA can stay and become flight instructors as long as their visa is valid.

Once reaching 1450-hours flight time, most regional airlines will offer Australian citizens a pilot position (First Officer) under the E3 VISA which will pave the way for them into airlines all over the world”