Add-OnRatings

It's been said that your private pilot ticket is a "license to learn" . You learn something and enhance your skills with every flight but each pilot's goal should be to challenge themselves to learn new skills. It's a fact that those pilots who stop striving to improve are much more likely to become accident statistics. Even if you have no desire or need to fly IFR or for hire, your instrument rating or commercial license will leave you flying like a pro, safer, smarter and with lower insurance rates!

This is the best thing you can ever do for your flying career! If you fly on long cross-country trips or if you fly for business and need to stay on-schedule, you know how lowering ceilings and deteriorating visibility can leave you sitting in the airport or motel staring out at the gray skies. Instrument rated, many of these no-go flights are suddenly and safely possible. Just think of the flight options now open up to you! We offer an organized plan for your instrument training where 40 required hours are 40 hours of real training and real-world IFR experience. First we'll teach you to fly the aircraft solely by reference to instruments, a critical first-step. Once you've mastered that, we'll move on to things like cross-country flying and planning, ATC procedures, FARs, holding, use of NAV equipment, emergency procedures and of course approaches. When we're done with you you'll be a precision instrument pilot that can confidently, safely and efficiently fly real-world IFR "in the system"!! Even if you have no desire or need to ever fly in the clouds, you'll notice your VFR flying is much safer and more precise.

If you own your aircraft and it's adequately equipped for IFR flight and all inspections and equipment are up-to-date, we'll be happy to use it for your training. All of our aircraft are equipped and current for IFR flight and some even feature an IFR approved GPS system with moving map for en-route and approach use.

Instrument flying skills deteriorate rapidly when not exercised, especially when freshly learned. Chances are poor that you will be able to finish an instrument course if it's extended for more than a few months or if there are long periods between training sessions. The BEST way to obtain the instrument ticket is an accelerated, intense course lasting 10 - 14 days. That means flying every day for at least several hours and several hours spent on studying and flight planning. This type of course mandates that the instrument written exam and some instrument flying be completed beforehand plus pre-planning for personal and aircraft scheduling and some luck with weather. Please discuss this with us and we will come up with a plan that will work for you!

If you ever plan to fly for hire, your first step is your commercial license which is a relatively easy ticket to obtain. Many of the required maneuvers are similar to the Private Pilot maneuvers but with tighter tolerances and much more precise flying required. Ag sprayer pilots, freight pilots, flight instructors, charter pilots or anyone flying people or goods for hire or those building experience for an airline career need the commercial license. Even if you have no commercial flying plans, it's a great way to perfect your skills and we can take you there!

With 4 runways, one being 9100 ft long, multiple instrument approaches including an ILS, remote communications outlets for both Houston Center and Flight Service on the ground, close proximity to Bravo and Charlie airspace plus scenic coastal views, it really is a pilot's dream come true! There is a restaurant on the field and motels and shopping are close by. You'll find Victoria a very friendly town located just a couple hour's drive or less from Houston, San Antonio or Corpus Christi. If you're coming from out of town, we'll be glad to help you arrange lodging and transportation.

If you intend to pursue a flying career by attending an aviation university, consider the advantages of entering with your private ticket, instrument rating or even commercial license in hand. Your training for these basic ratings will come at a fraction of the cost at Victoria Flyers and you also may be able to earn your degree much quicker.

Victoria Flyers is an official CATS written test site for pilot written knowledge tests, aviation mechanics plus FCC licensing. No need to travel anywhere else for your written! Call us for information or to schedule a test or visit the CATS website at www.catstest.com