We train at Lanett Municipal Airport (7A3), 4445 51st Ave SW, Lanett, AL 36863, right on the Alabama and Georgia line. Students drive in from towns on both sides of the state line, from Opelika and Auburn to Columbus and the south Atlanta suburbs. Our post on drive times to Lanett shows typical drives from across the region.

We are about 20 minutes from Opelika, 30 minutes from Auburn, and an hour from Columbus, depending on where you start and traffic. Tuskegee is about 45 to 50 minutes, and Newnan and Peachtree City are about 60 minutes down I-85. Each town has its own page, such as our Auburn flight training page, with more local detail.

Yes, when you plan a schedule around the drive. Students farther away often train in weekend blocks, flying Saturday and Sunday on their days off. Our guide to whether driving to a pilot course adds to your cost shows how to count your trips and keep the drive small.

Yes. We fly 7 days a week, and weekend blocks are one of the easiest ways to fit training around a job or classes. A Saturday lesson and a Sunday lesson meet the low end of the two to three lessons a week we recommend. Right now our weekend schedule has open slots, so you can start without waiting. Read our guide to weekend flight training for a sample plan.

We recommend two to three lessons a week. Steady lessons build retention, so each hour moves you forward instead of going to review. If you fly for fun, two lessons a week is a comfortable rhythm. If you are on a career path, three a week keeps momentum through each certificate. Your instructor helps you set a schedule that fits your week.

Both teach real skills. At a quiet airport like Lanett, with no control tower and uncongested airspace, more of each lesson goes to flying. Private pilot training also includes takeoffs and landings at a towered airport, so you practice with air traffic control either way. Our comparison of quiet and busy airports walks through the tradeoffs.

The easiest first step is a Discovery Flight. You sit in the pilot's seat with a certified instructor and take the controls, and no experience is needed. If you would rather see the school first, you can schedule a visit to tour the facility, meet our instructors, and see the fleet. Our first-visit checklist helps you plan either one.

No. You do not need either one to take lessons with an instructor. You need both before your first solo. A third-class medical is enough for student and private pilot privileges, so book the exam early to keep it from holding up your solo. Our post on your first 30 days shows when each step comes up.

Yes. Financing is available to qualified applicants through our lending partners, with monthly figures as low as $309 on the Full Program. Terms vary by lender and applicant. You can explore your financing options, and we are glad to talk through a plan with you.