Fast-Track Your Way To A High-Flying Pilot Career

TrexAir’s Bay Area flight school takes you from ground training to earning money as a pilot in only 8 months.

Pilot Careers Take Off Quickly At TrexAir

TrexAir is an East Bay aviation academy for committed students who are interested in pursuing a single certificate, rating, or airline career. Either way, we’ll get you there, quickly.

Our proprietary Rapid Certification Program (RCP) was developed to maximize your time, money, and confidence in achieving your aviation goals.

We combine ground training, simulators, and in-the-air learning to make flying lessons a fun, effective, and worthwhile investment.

Golden Gate Bridge seen from airplane

“I struggled to find a program where I could receive personalized instruction at a rapid pace. In addition to moving at a quick pace, TrexAir’s program produces pilot proficiency beyond just the check ride.”

— Jacob F. | TrexAir Student

What to Expect

  • Our Discovery flights count! After your discovery flight around the San Francisco Bay you will receive a complimentary FAA Logbook and we will log 1 hour of ground instruction and 1 hour of flight time!

  • The cost of learning to fly can be anywhere from $25-$35K for a private pilot license, to upwards of $65K for a commercial certificate. There are independent financing options available, as well as scholarships to help you in your journey, and we're happy to point you in the right direction.

  • At TrexAir, after ground school, you set your training times. You book your flights during your availability. Our instructors simply add their name to your reservation.

  • Enrollment & Orientation (2 Hours)

    Online Ground School (1-2 Weeks)*

    One on One Ground School (3 Days)*

    Schedule & Take Knowledge Test

    Start Flying Toward Your Private Pilot Certificate (60 - 80 Hours)*

    COST ESTIMATE: $27,000

    TIME ESTIMATE: 3 months

  • Now that you are a pilot, it’s time to learn to fly in the clouds under instrument flight rules.

    Online Ground School (1-2 Weeks)*

    One on One Ground School (3 Days)*

    Schedule & Take Knowledge Tests*

    Start Flying Toward Instrument Rating (60 - 80 Hours)*

    COST ESTIMATE $24,000

    TIME ESTIMATE: 3 months

  • Start building your flight hours. There are plenty of opportunities to share flights with other students as you progress towards the required 250 flight hours.

    Online Ground School (1-2 Weeks)*

    One on One Ground School (1 Day)*

    Schedule & Take Knowledge Test*

    Start Flying Towards Your Commercial Certificate (need 250 total Hours)*

    COST ESTIMATE: $17,000

    TIME ESTIMATE: 1 month

  • Now that you have your commercial rating you can start earning money as a pilot. One of the most rewarding ways to do that is to become a CFI and teach other aspiring pilots.

    Online Ground School (1 Week)*

    One on One Ground School (10 Days)*

    Schedule & Take Knowledge Tests*

    COST ESTIMATE: $15,000

    TIME ESTIMATE: 6 weeks

  • As a CFI/CFII, TrexAir will help you find a flight instructing job in the bay area while you earn income and work on building flight hours towards your airline transport pilot certificate (ATP).

Your Journey to Becoming a Professional Pilot

*Times based on first time pass and adherence to accelerated curriculum.

Financing Flight School

The cost of becoming a pilot ($85,000-$100,000) is comparable to a 4-year university or MBA. Just like college, you can finance your flight school tuition in several ways. However, unlike the average college graduate salary of $55,000, you can expect to earn nearly 6 figures in your first year as a commercial pilot.

Students must have proof of $80,000 in funding to begin training at TrexAir.

PERSONAL CREDIT LINE

Secure a loan using the equity in your home, a retirement account, or other asset.

SECURED LOAN / HELOC

Some students use personal loans or credit cards to fund their education.

Meritize offers educational lending for people with less-than-ideal credit.

Learn more.

MERITIZE LENDING

Preparing for Your Career

Traditional University

  • 4 years to complete

  • $104,000 average cost-to-attend

  • $55,000 average salary for new grads

Pilots Are In High Demand

vs

Flight School

  • 2 years to complete

  • $85,000-100,000 average tuition

  • $90,000+ average starting salary

  • Earn $ while learning

With the severe pilot shortage expected to persist for the next 20 years, the sky is the limit for those pursuing a pilot career today. Becoming a commercial pilot is a lucrative alternative to trade schools, 4-year universities, or graduate degrees, with many pilots earning $200K+ per year. Whether you are still in high school or looking to change careers later in life, consider becoming a pilot.

The TrexAir Difference

TrexAir Has ❤️

As the son of a school teacher, founder Kevin Trexler is taking his family’s love of teaching to the skies at Trexair.

Learning to fly is not an easy task. We know learners absorb and retain information at different speeds. Our instructors are passionate teachers who strive to create a fun environment that benefits you—the student.

Your success is our goal.

Golden Gate Bridge and fog from the sky

EARN MONEY

After 8 months you can work as a Certified Flight Instructor and offset training costs while accruing flight hours towards commercial certification.

GIVE BACK

Help charities by transferring patients and pets while you gain flying experience.

PLAY TOURIST

Turn practice flights into mini-vacations across California and beyond.

We make flying lessons fun ...and meaningful