Learning how to fly an aircraft is the dream of many people today, and there are lots of ways to be able to learn how to fly. Flight schools that offer high-quality pilot training and instruction are available all across the country, but which one you choose will probably depend on what kind of pilot you want to be.

Many people just want to get their private pilot's license to be able to fly recreationally, and to do this you have a wide range of schools to choose from including local flight schools, usually available at a nearby airport, and mail order training schools, such as the King Flight School and Sporty's Flight Training that can help you learn the academic part of getting a private pilot's license before you actually start flying.

However, if your goal is to actually make a living as a pilot in the aviation industry, there are other schools that you can consider as well. Several flight training schools have been set up across the country where you can receive a commercial pilot's license that will allow you to fly even the largest passenger jets for the major airlines.

So as you can see, there are several ways to go about getting your flight training. You can start off small and learn a lot on your own by one of the mail order courses that were mentioned above before you actually start flying. Or you can get a private pilot's license by enrolling in a flight school at a nearby airport, where qualified instructors will oversee your training from the beginning all the way to qualifying for your private license. And if you wish, many of these local flight schools can also offer more advanced training including instrument flying and multi-engine certification.

And for those who want to be on the fast track to a career as an airline pilot, the dedicated pilot schools can take you all the way from knowing nothing about aviation to getting your commercial pilot's license in one fell swoop.

But regardless of which flight training program you choose there are certain identifying marks of a quality flight school. One of these is that the instructors need to be fully proficient in the training that you wish to receive. The school should also have all the tools and lesson plans needed to help you reach the pilot's license that is your goal.

You should also take a good look at the aircraft that the flight school has for training. They should all be properly maintained and well taken care of, and there should be enough aircraft to be able to support all of the students that are currently in their program.

Before signing up with any flight school, it's a good idea to visit the school personally and make notes on everything that you see there. Determine if the staff and instructors are friendly and helpful, and whether they honestly answer all the questions that you have. If they are not helpful at this stage, they will most likely not be very helpful when you are a student either.

It's also a good idea to talk to former students of the school, as they can give you a lot of practical information about the quality of the program and how well their training went.

By choosing the right flight school you can begin an exciting new chapter of your life as an aircraft pilot either just for pure enjoyment or as a rewarding and lucrative career.

Steadman Issenburg writes on many consumer related topics including education. You can find an flight training schools and flight attendant schools and more by visiting our education website.