Kenai Aviation Training Academy
The Joy of Flight
The first time you step into an airplane, seated in the left seat, hands on the yoke and feet on the rudder, you’ll get it.
“The feeling of the plane speeding up on the runway and lifting into the air for the first time was exhilarating. Pure freedom.”
There is no way around it, getting your pilot’s license can be tough. It’s a little less tough with a team of dedicated instructors guiding you on the journey. After learning the fundamentals and armed with an understanding of aeronautical knowledge, you will be ready to “solo” in no time.
“As I came in for my final landing on my first solo flight, the tower radioed me to congratulate me, for I was ‘now an aviator’. Seconds later, planes that I couldn’t see started welcoming me to the exclusive club of flight. As I taxied back, all of my instructors and my wife were there to greet me. I couldn’t help but feel I just accomplished the most important thing in my life.”
-Jon Taylor, Student 2020
If you have the itch to fly or want to take your life to new heights, it all starts with a discovery flight. Let’s take off.
From first flight to advanced ratings
As all pilots know, the pilots license is a “License to Learn”. If you already have your Private Pilot License and want to progress, we have the highly rated CFIs ready to take you there.
- Read and interpret weather briefings
- Preflight your aircraft
- Airport operations, taxiing, and radio procedures
- Takeoff, landing, and the fundamentals of flight
- Slow flights, turns, and stalls
- Steep turns and ground reference maneuvers
- Airport pattern work
- Basic instrument flying
- Night flying
- Landings
- Emergency procedures
- Cross country planning
- Advanced landings and takeoffs
- Check Ride Prep
- Specific preflight procedures
- Attitude instrument flying
- Unusual flight attitudes
- Reading magnetic compasses
- Timed and compass turns
- Instrument Procedures
- VOR and ILS approaches
- Holding patterns
- Missed approaches
- Partial instrument panel flying
- IFR Aeromedical factors
- Glass Panel Procedures
- Privileges and limitations
- Advanced weather
- Complex aircraft operation
- Aeromedical Factors
- Advanced cross country planning
- Approach and landings in power off 180s
- Steep turns and spirals
- Chandelles, lazy eights, and eights on pylons
- Accelerated stalls
- Advanced emergency procedures
- Multi-Engine Training
- Multi preflight procedures
- VMC demos
- Drag Demos
- Approaches on one engine
- Performance maneuvers
- High altitude operations
- Requirements and expectations from the checkride
- Ground prep of required systems
- Required flight time
- Castoff and Taxiing
- Reading Wind and Water
- Glassy/Rough Water Landings
- Sailing, Docking, Beaching, Ramping, and Mooring
- Confined area Takeoff and Landings
- Short field/Soft field take off and landing
- Reading natural wind indicators
- Canyon turns
- Mountain weather
- Canyon flight procedures
- Fundamentals of instruction
- Right seat flying
- Lesson planning
- Practical ins and outs of instructing
Our Training Fleet
Piper Tripacer (PA-22)
A classic plane known for inherent stability, easy takeoff and landing performance, and simplistic controls. It’s an iconic plane that’s virtually made for students. As the old saying goes, “Your dog could fly a pacer”. We have both glass panel and classic round gauge equipped aircraft.
N3263Z
N5913D
N8119D
Piper Apache Geronimo (PA-23)
For students seeking the next level, our Geronimo is our twin engine trainer. Certified for instrument, multi, complex, and commercial training, as well as a blast to fly. The Geronimo features a classic round gauge panel with a Garmin 430W GPS, an autopilot system, and electronic engine monitoring equipment.
N4429P
Our Chief Instructors
Keith Ham (Chief Instructor)
With his 25 year history in Alaskan bush aviation, as well as his tendency to “mentor the mentors” from his over 15,000 flight hours; Keith keeps our instructors on their toes. With over 5000 hours of instruction given since 1997, with much of that as a trainer in the demanding commercial environment, Keith is a deep well of knowledge. Every student performs stage checks with him and benefits from everything that Keith brings to the table.
