It is our intent to have our students start flying as soon as possible. There are many factors that enter into when they will or can start flying. Our primary concern is that they will succeed when they do start flying. A new student just beginning the program will start flying at the same time they are attending the Private Pilot ground school (AVN 104). A student who wishes to being flight training in the Instrument flight course (AVN 209) will need to have begun their ground school course (AVN 208) prior to any flight training. A student who wishes to begin flight training in the Commercial flight course (AVN 212) will need to have begun their ground school course (AVN 211) prior to any flight training. We have about 25 new students each fall, some of these choose not to fly their first semester wanting to acclimate to college life and some will not meet the Aviation Department's pre-requisites or co-requisites. If a student wants to begin flight training after the semester has started and meets the requirements they may have the opportunity to begin flight training mid-semester, schedule permitting, or they may to elect to defer their flight training until the next academic semester.

Information on tuition and fees can be found at the Student Accounts Office
Aviation Department flight costs and fees can be found here

Requirements for in-state tuition may be found at the Student Accounts website.

Flight training fees are in addition to college tuition and fees. The cost of training in each course is based on several factors including Federal Aviation Administration mandated minimum requirements. It is our intent to provide each student every opportunity to complete a flight training course during one calendar year, and often within one semester. A student's ability, illness, personal considerations, weather, finances and their own motivation are only a few of the factors that determine the length of time necessary to complete a flight course. The costs shown here are based on the minimum cost of completion for each course of training offered at Farmingdale State College.

There are several federally subsidized programs available to assist you or your child in obtaining a college education. In addition to the federal programs there are a number of commercial sources available to cover those unmet needs. The College has a listing of a large number of scholarships available at the Financial Aid Office. Please go to this website to view information regarding the financial aid and scholarships available at Farmingdale State College.

Once funds are secured money for flight training is deposited directly into the student's Aero Fee Account via Student Accounts. That account is used as a debit account for all Flight, Simulator, & Ground Training activities at the Aviation Center. The cost for flight training is $9,000 per academic semester. A fee of $9,000 will automatically be charged to your tuition by the Office of Student Accounts at the beginning of each semester you are enrolled in the Pro-Pilot program. Each academic semester a deposit of $9,000 is made to the Aero Fee Account. In the event your flight fees exceed this amount you will need to deposit additional funds during the semester to continue flight training. If a balance remains on your Aero Fee account at the end of the semester it will be "rolled over" and you will be able to use these funds toward flight training for the next semester, and for advanced flight certification. You will be charged the $9,000 flight fees each semester, regardless of what your left over Aero Fee balance is. At the completion of flight training or upon withdrawal from the program, a refund is made for any unused funds remaining in your Aero Fee account.

Students are required to sign up for a Flight Block through student registration just as they would for any other academic class. Registration may be accomplished online via OASIS on a space available basis. When space is limited, registration will take place by consultation with the Director of Operations. Flight blocks meet three times per week for the duration of the semester. During the semester the Aviation Center operates six days per week from 0700 - 2000 local time. Students are expected to arrive at least 30 minutes prior to their scheduled Flight Block time to complete the necessary preflight preparation in anticipation of their upcoming flight activity. Since daylight is required to accomplish many VFR maneuvers, students in AVN 105, 106, 212, 310, or 412 are strongly encouraged to pick Blocks 1-4. Students enrolled in the Instrument flight course (AVN 209) are encouraged to select Block 5. Flight Blocks are listed as Aviation Course AVN 094 and are as follows:

Your flying needs to be completed prior to the end of the twelfth (12th) calendar month in which you registered for that flight course. Completed means that a Practical Test was completed and a certificate or rating was received from the FAA or Designated Pilot Examiner, if applicable.

Yes, you may enter the Professional Pilot Program having previously earned a pilot certificate. However, entry to the program will be limited to students who have earned only their private pilot certificate. If you have earned your instrument rating or commercial pilot certificate, you will not be eligible for admission to the Pro-Pilot program but you may continue flight training at the Aviation Center. The Farmingdale State College Aviation Department bases its flight education philosophy on a four-year college degree. Consequently, students who have obtained flight certificates/ratings, with or without college credit, may not have satisfied the academic and flight requirements contained within the aviation major that they are pursuing at Farmingdale State College. All aviation courses subject to being transferred to FSC, flight or non-flight, are reviewed by the Aviation Department for transferability. It is the responsibility of the student to initiate a review process of transfer courses. For questions about the transferability of courses, please contact the Aviation Department. Students may e-mail the Aviation Department Interim Chairperson, Dr. Kamal Shahrabi at kamal.shahrabi@farmingdale.edu. Please refer to: Admissions at Farmingdale.edu for more information on departmental and transfer policies. Once a student has received appropriate academic credit for flight certificates held, they will still need an evaluation conducted by the Chief or Assistant Chief Flight Instructor to ensure the student meets the minimum requirements set forth in the FAA Practical Test Standards for the certificate held. This Evaluation is accomplished by enrolling in AVN112. Contact the Aviation Center for more information.

The Aviation Center at Farmingdale State College provides all of the flight training. The aircraft are owned by Farmingdale State College and the instructors are employees of the College. Over 60% of our Instructors are graduates of the Pro-Pilot program at Farmingdale State College. All the aircraft are maintained by an in-house maintenance department and are employees of Farmingdale State College.

Proof of US Citizenship is required prior to initiating any flight training in the form of an unexpired US Passport, US Naturalization Certificate, or an ORIGINAL US or Territory Birth Certificate with raised seal. Resident Aliens should contact the Aviation Center for requirements. Non US citizens are required to fill out an application with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) prior to flight training. Students will not be allowed to fly until clearance is provided. IT MAY TAKE UP TO 6 WEEKS FOR CLEARANCE. Information can be found at www.flightschoolcandidates.gov.

Yes, a medical exam administered by an FAA Aviation Medical Examiner is required prior to flight training. Students must be able to obtain and maintain a 1st, 2nd or 3rd class FAA medical certificate. For students pursuing flight as a career choice the department strongly recommends students obtain a 1st class medical certificate. The requirements for medical standards are listed in the Code of Federal Regulations Title 14 Part 67 and can be found here. To locate an Aviation Medical Examiner in your area visit http://www.faa.gov/pilots/amelocator Students wishing to enroll in a flight course are required to have at least a third class medical prior to beginning their flight training at Farmingdale State College.

Aviation medical examiners (AME's) are designated by the FAA to issue these certificates, following completion of an application and a physical examination. For names and addresses of AME's go to this website.

There are several reasons for which you could be denied a medical certificate even if you feel you are in good health. These reasons have to do with medical and/or legal problems you have had, and should be evaluated before beginning your education for an aviation-related career. If any of these problems need to be processed to obtain your certificate, delays might occur. Therefore, we advise you to obtain a FAA medical certificate before coming to Farmingdale State College. You are required to possess a medical certificate prior to flight training, so get your medical certificate early to avoid delays. If you have no known medical issues, the entire process to receive a FAA medical is relatively straightforward and should be accomplished within a few hours. If you have a complicated medical history or any potentially disqualifying conditions we recommend that you apply at least 3 months prior to beginning your flight class. See denial of a medical certificate below for more information.

No, a third class medical certificate is adequate to begin training. If you intend to make flying your career or profession it would be wise to ensure you can qualify for a first class medical prior to investing time or money in your flight training.

Certain medical conditions and behavior problems can result in denial of your medical certificate. If you have significant medical and/or legal problems, you should have copies of medical and/or court records for your examiner.

Each flight training syllabus allows for various ground and/or simulator activities to be accomplished during the course. Normally, training will still be accomplished if the weather doesn't permit a flight. The Maintenance department does an excellent job of maintaining a high reliability rate on all the aircraft so it would be unusal to be delayed more than a flight or two due to a maintenence occurence. Each student's progress is continuously monitored and changes may be made based on unusual circumstances.

One of the unique features about choosing Farmingdale State College and flight training on Long Island is that students learn to fly in complex airspace, four seasons and many different weather environments. The Aviation Center is located at KFRG -Republic Airport, a Class Delta airport underlying the New York Class Bravo Airspace fifteen miles west of the Long Island MacArthur Class Charlie Airspace offering our students the opportunity to experience various aspects of the interacting with Air Traffic Control and the National Airspace System. When able, students are exposed to as much flying in "actual" weather conditions as possible during their instrument training. This training helps them prepare for their professional careers. In addition, there are plenty of ground and simulator activities integrated in the training syllabus to allow for those days when flights are not possible.

The flight and ground Training Course Outlines (TCOs) at Farmingdale State College are approved by the FAA under FAR Part 141 and require that each student pass each stage of training with an 80% or better grade prior to moving to the next stage. In addition, our courses require that an overall grade of an 80% or higher be maintained in the course.

Normally, no. The flight courses at Farmingdale State College are treated as courses and you will register for a Flight Block just as you would register for any other class on campus (see above). Our flight courses/classes are approved by the Federal Aviation Administration and attendance in each class session is a requirement. Missing class is also not economical nor efficient to your training. On certain occasions, an FAA checkride for example, you might be required to miss a class.

The Aviation Center strongly encourages all prospective flight students either enroll in AVN 110 - Intro to Flight or locate a flight school near their home where they can take an introductory flight lesson. If you have the passion and desire for flight, you probably will love the experience. However, some people do realize that although they have a passion for aviation, being inside a small airplane may cause physical discomfort. It's beneficial to discover that early, before spending thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours flight training.

Due to the intensity of each flight lesson we do not recommend passengers during flight lessons. However, at the discretion of your Flight Instructor, passengers may be allowed to observe your flight training from the back seat of the training aircraft. The requirements to carry passengers are available at the Aviation Center and require that the pilot and passenger attend a briefing prior to carrying passengers. Any Farmingdale State College student with a current RAM ID is eligible as an observer. Immediate family members are allowed as observers on a case by case basis.

The Aviation Center is able to offer FAA Written Testing to all students. For Farmingdale State College students, the cost of the written tests is deducted directly from the Aero Fee account and can be scheduled with your flight instructor. Details on the procedure to register for a FAA Written Test can be found here.