Professional Pilot Program

The Professional Pilot Program is built for cadets who are serious about a pilot career, not just a license. Whether you're starting from zero or already hold a Private Pilot Certificate, this program is designed to move you efficiently from training to Certified Flight Instructor and into the next stage of your aviation career.

This program is the right fit if you:

• Want a team that guides you through every step of the journey, from financing and housing, to ground school and flight training, with a plan built around your success
• Want a structured, accelerated route to becoming a professional pilot
• Are starting with no flight time or already hold a Private Pilot Certificate
• Want to become an airline pilot, or train toward cargo, charter, corporate, or business aviation opportunities
• Want a clear path to Certified Flight Instructor so you can begin building paid flight hours
• Want to choose a completion track that reflects your long-term career goals
• Want to train year-round in Florida, with 300+ flyable days and active, airline-style airspace

Train for a pilot career, not just the license.

The Professional Pilot Program takes cadets from beginner or PPL entry through the certifications required for commercial flying and flight instruction. All training takes place at the Orlando-Sanford International Airport, Florida, in an FAA Part 141 training environment with shared commercial airspace and 300+ flyable days per year.

• Type: Commercial Pilot Certificate
• Location: Sanford, Florida
• Required experience: None or PPL
• Duration: 12–15 months

Certifications you'll earn:

• Private Pilot Certificate (or skip if you already hold a PPL)
• Instrument Rating
• Commercial Single-Engine Certificate
• Certified Flight Instructor
• Plus one of: Commercial Multi-Engine Add-On (Track 1) or Certified Flight Instructor - Instrument (Track 2)

High-performing students may also qualify for the EXCEL Scholarship, which can cover the cost of advanced training.

The Professional Pilot Program is an accelerated FAA Part 141 path that takes cadets from enrollment to Certified Flight Instructor in 12 to 15 months. Every phase is structured to help you ensure you reach your flight deck goals. 

Cadets who already hold a Private Pilot Certificate may enter at the Instrument Rating phase, reducing both training time and total cost.

All cadets complete phases 1 to 4:

• Phase 1 - Private Pilot: 4 to 5 months. Begin here if you have no prior flight experience. PPL holders skip to Phase 2.
• Phase 2 - Instrument Rating: 2 to 3 months. Build the instrument flying skills required for professional operations.
• Phase 3 - Commercial Single-Engine: 3 to 4 months. Develop the technical proficiency required for paid flying.
• Phase 4 - Certified Flight Instructor: 2 months. A key milestone - CFI gives you a path to building flight hours in a paid role.

Then choose your completion track:

The structured pace is designed to help cadets maintain momentum and avoid the delays that commonly extend flight training timelines.

Admission to the Professional Pilot Program is open to cadets starting with no flight experience or those who already hold a Private Pilot License. To enroll, you must meet the following requirements:

• Apply using the link below, identifying your preferred start date.
• Submit your high school diploma or GED.
• Obtain an FAA medical certificate.
• Secure your funding privately or through one of our preferred partner lenders.

Becoming a professional pilot demands more than ambition. It demands precision, structure, and a training environment built to reflect the realities of the flight deck, not just the requirements of a checkride.

At Acron Aviation Academy, you'll train at the largest flight academy campus in the world, with more than 40 years of experience producing pilots who are immediately employable.

You'll fly a modern fleet of 85+ aircraft with Garmin glass cockpits, train in active Florida airspace alongside commercial traffic, and follow a structured FAA Part 141 pathway, all supported by a dedicated team invested in getting you to the next stage of your career.

Students in the Professional Pilot Program benefit from:

• A 3:1 student-to-instructor ratio because your progress is personal, not batch-processed
• A Pilot Performance Pack valued at $5,000, including a Bose headset, iPad, and pilot uniform
• FAA Part 141-certified flight school  eligible for VA benefits and structured to the FAA-approved syllabi
• Access to a fleet of  more than 85 aircraft, all with Garmin  glass cockpits avionics, and Flight Data Monitoring safety equipment, and flight simulators
• Purpose-built training facilities that mirror professional airline environments
• Training at the Orlando-Sanford International Airport,one of Florida's most active aviation hubs, with extensive runway infrastructure and shared commercial airspace
• More than 300 flyable days per year in Central Florida
• More than 10 airline career pathways to the  airlines, including Envoy and SkyWest
• Academic Advisor support from training through to your first airline interview

Every part of the program is built around one outcome: getting you hired by a commercial airline.

The goal isn't just to pass your checkrides. It's to build the flight hours and credentials that lead to an airline pilot career.

After earning your CFI through the PPP, you may have the opportunity to build hours in a paid instructor role and prepare for airline pathway opportunities with the support of Acron Aviation Academy's Academic Advisor team.

For cadets pursuing the airline path, the long-term progression is generally:

1. Complete the PPP and earn a Certified Flight Instructor certificate.
2. Prepare your resume and schedule your initial instructor interview with support from your Academic Advisor.
3. Meet hiring airline partners that regularly visit and recruit cadets at the Sanford campus.
4. Join a Pilot Pathway and transition into a regional airline opportunity, many of which may offer tuition reimbursement, sign-on bonuses, or training-related incentives. 

From cadet to instructor. From instructor to airline. This is the path Acron Aviation Academy builds for every graduate.

You must be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen to work at Acron Aviation Academy.

The Professional Pilot Program includes two completion-track price points:

• Track 1 - $95,000 with Commercial Multi-Engine Add On - 1 month
• Track 2 - $93,500 with Certified Flight Instructor - Instrument - 1 month

Cadets who already possess a Private Pilot License may be eligible for reduced training costs based on the program entry point.

Each track includes:

• A deposit of $10,000 followed by five equal installments
• Installment plans that allow students to spread payments across program milestones
• Ground school costs, prepware, ACR fees, and DPE flight tests
• Private Pilot training if needed
• Instrument Rating
• Commercial Single-Engine training plus either the Multi-Engine Add-On or CFI-I rating
• A Pilot Performance Pack valued at $5,000
  

Most students pay for flight training through a combination of family support, aviation scholarships, and loans. At Acron Aviation Academy, we work with lenders such as:

• Sallie Mae
• Stratus Financial
• Veteran GI Bill benefits

Qualifying students may also be considered for the EXCEL Scholarship, which can cover the cost of advanced training for top performers. 

The program includes hours required to exceed the minimum FAA hours required for each rating. Extra hours are built in to assist with gaining proficiency; however, flight training is a skill, and time to train and cost are based on individual progress. Additional hours beyond those included may be required. Please speak with student finance advisors regarding suggested loan terms and amounts for course completion.

High-end luxury apartments are available for those who require Academy accommodations during their training. All of our housing locations are conveniently located a short drive from the campus. Off-campus housing features top-notch amenities to help cadets decompress from the rigors of training. All housing accommodations offer shuttle services with over 25 scheduled routes between the apartments and campus. 

Below are examples of the kind of housing cadets typically choose during training.