Our Planes
Non-Member / Guest Rentals
A key goal of American Flight School is to make Rental Aircraft available to the aviation community. For that reason, American Flight Schools has developed a Non-Member rental program that enables Non-Members to get checked out on our aircraft and safety procedures.
Non-member use examples:
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Mountain Flight Training
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Aerobatic Flight Training
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International and domestic pilots visiting and touring the United States
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Short term Flight Training
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Bi-Annual Flight review clients post Flight Review
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Certificated pilots that only fly occasionally
Non-Member Rental Process:
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Non-Members are required to fill out a membership packet
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The personal / citizen information
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Non-Members are required to pay an insurance premium of $25 prior to each rental.
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Non-Members must bring Flight Certificates, Current Medical and log book
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Non-Members are required to complete an American Flight School aircraft check-out prior to rental
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Non-Members are required to make a deposit of $100 for non instructor reservations.
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Non-Members are required to make a deposit equivalent to the instructors time for reservations with an instructor
International Rentals
International pilots holding a valid pilot certificate from their country or from the United States may enter the U.S. under a tourist visa to build flight time providing the aircraft weighs less than 12,500 pounds and does not require a type rating. These pilots do not have to register with TSA or FAA if they have already converted to an FAA pilot certificate and are not training for additional ratings.
American Flight Schools locations have one of the largest and most diverse fleets available for rental at incredibly reasonable pricing which makes us a popular place for foreign pilots to rent aircraft to build flight time. Our fleet of aircraft includes Cessna 172/182, Piper Warriors and Archers, Cirrus SR-20/SR-22, and twin engine aircraft such as the Tecnam P2006T. You can experience the traditional “6-pack” panel or glass panel cockpits including both Garmin and Avidyne.
Before renting an aircraft from us, you must convert your foreign pilot certificate into a FAA pilot certificate prior to your arrival and complete an aircraft rental checkout and possibly a mountain checkout with an American Flight Schools flight instructor.
Required Pre-departure Training
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Flight review – 4 to 8 hours
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Instrument proficiency check – 4 to 8 hours (if instrument rated)
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Mountain flight training – 8 to 32 hours (varies based on pilot experience)
How do I schedule and complete the pre-departure training?
Our instructors and administrative staff schedule both ground and flight training after you provide the following pre-scheduling documents:
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AFS renter’s insurance policy and payment
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Copy of passport
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Copy of pilot certificate
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Copy of medical certificate
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Contract with pricing and payment details
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Signed document verifying an understanding of policies and the English language
Note: International pilots are non-members and pay non-member rates. We invoice three hours per day minimum, so plan accordingly. Additionally, you must provide the following documents 90 days prior to arrival:
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Copy of pilot logbooks
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Copy of FAA pilot certificate
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Visa(s)
American Flight Schools cannot issue visas. To rent an aircraft from us for the purpose of building flight time, you must possess a green card or a B-1 (business), B-2 (tourist), F-1 (student), J-1 (exchange visitor), M-1 (student) visa or be visiting from one of the 36 countries that participates in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). There is no limit to the amount of time you can fly while your visa is valid in the United States.
How will U.S. flight training help me outside the U.S.?
Flight training and building flight time in the United States can help you become a pilot anywhere in the world. The U.S. has affordable fuel, plenty of open airspace, temperate climates, and no aviation user fees. In addition, the U.S. offers the opportunity to quickly learn English up to the internationally required proficiency level through total English immersion. Most importantly, the well-respected training necessary to earn FAA certificates is recognized by agencies around the world.
How do you handle my payments?
Your money is safe with us. At American Flight Schools, we require international renters to deposit 25% of the estimated cost prior to booking the flight. We charge 100% of the estimated cost prior to departure. All unspent funds on account with our school are 100% refundable unless you cancel less than 14 days prior to your first day of rental. We assess a 10% non-refundable fee if you cancel less than 14 days prior to your first day of rental.
How do your locations differ?
We invite you to visit the web site for each location to learn the differences in the airport, fleet, and weather. The Colorado, Nebraska, and California locations have fewer rainy or cloudy days, while other locations can be quite cloudy especially in the winter. As an international renter, you may choose to fly at any of our locations to get the most valuable experience possible. Colorado, Nebraska, and California offer excellent weather for flying, making flights much less of a hassle than other locations. The variety of locations available through American Flight Schools allow pilots to try out some of the busiest airports in the country while others are slower pace.
Can I take a tour?
Of course you can take a tour! We would love the opportunity to show you around our facilities and explain or services in more detail. You can also meet the staff, instructors, and other students to get a feel for our training environment. Contact us today to set up your tour!
FAA Application Requirements
A person who is applying for a U.S. pilot certificate/rating on the basis of a foreign license must submit a request of Verification of Authenticity of his/her license to the FAA’s Airmen Certification Branch (AFS-760). Once the Airmen’s Certification branch has verified the authenticity and the validity of the person’s foreign pilot license and medical license with the foreign civil aviation authority, a verification of authenticity letter will be issued to the designated Flight Standard District Office and a copy sent to the applicant. All instructions concerning this pre-application may be found on the FAA web site. Additionally, holders of CAA licenses issued by the United Kingdom must submit an additional form to the CAA. You can download the required form from their website. You can use the following contact information to apply for the Verification of Authenticity of your foreign license with the Orlando District:
FAA – Airmen Certification Branch
AFS – 760
P.O. Box 25082
Oklahoma City, OK 73125-0082
USA
http://registry.faa.gov
FV3@FAA.GOV
+1-405-954-3261 (Phone)
+1-405-954-9922 (Fax)
Application AC 8060-71 Verification of Foreign License and Medical Certification
Foreign applicants who require a visit to a FAA Flight Standards District Office or are applying for the issuance or replacement of an airman certificate in accordance with 14 CFR 61.75 must contact their selected Flight Standards District Office upon receipt of this verification letter to schedule an appointment with a FAA Inspector or authorized certifying official. Do not anticipate an appointment earlier than two weeks after this initial contact, due to enhanced security procedures. The verification letter will be valid for six calendar months (unless the license expires prior to that date or a shortened validity period is indicated by the verifying Civil Aviation Authority)
Aircraft Leaseback Program
Put your plane to work for you.
American Flight Schools is expanding and always interested in adding great new aircraft to our rental fleet. Every month we’re adding new club members, creating more and more demand for our aircraft. If you have an airplane and you’d like to start making money with it, we’d like to talk leasebacks.
What is a Leaseback?
A leaseback is basically a marketing agreement. Under this agreement, American Flight Schools serves in the role of asset manager. The aircraft is owned by the individual, while American Flight Schools is responsible for marketing the aircraft, introducing qualified, well trained pilots, managing all financial transactions, coordinating maintenance, and ensuring the aircraft meets all regulatory requirements.
Why leaseback with American Flight Schools?
American Flight Schools is a group of seasoned flight schools and rental clubs with a well established customer base and reach across a wide demographic. American Flight Schools’ philosophy revolves around a basic commitment to excellence. This applies not only to flight instruction but also to all aspects of our business, including our aircraft fleet.
If you’ve done any research into aircraft leasebacks, then you’ve probably heard some horror stories about unscrupulous FBOs, airplanes sitting idle, or outrageous maintenance charges. American Flight Schools is quite different in all three of these areas. We have a well-established reputation for operating with the highest standard of integrity; we have our own in-house parts and maintenance department that not only ensures a high standard of aircraft maintenance, but also offers the lowest costs around.
When does a leaseback make sense?
While everyone’s personal situation is different, here are just some of the reasons to consider putting an airplane on leaseback.
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You want to own an airplane, but you can’t afford to own it outright.
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You are in a position to take advantage of the tax advantages of owning an airplane.
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You own an airplane, but it is not flying enough. Airplanes should be flown regularly to keep them healthy.
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You want to make your aircraft an asset instead of a liability.
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You would like to reduce your flying costs.
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You have some specific training objectives, and would rather pay yourself for training, rather than someone else.
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You have multiple family members that want to learn to fly .
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You want to be in the Aviation Business.
How does a leaseback work?
Again, the leaseback is basically a management agreement involving an aircraft you own. You provide us with your airplane. We collect all the revenue. We pay all the expenses. At the end of each month we cut you a check if revenue exceeds expenses. If expenses exceed revenue, we send you a bill. We take care of everything for you; so you don’t have to worry about all the tedious details of aircraft ownership. In exchange for our services, we charge a modest management fee. Of course, just like all other expenses, the management fee is deducted from the revenue.
While results vary, it is fairly typical for our aircraft owners to receive checks in the range of $1,500 each month. Some aircraft owners are regularly receiving twice or even three times that. Of course there are exceptions. Some airplanes just do not fly as much as others, and some are plagued with maintenance issues that lead to extended down times and unusually high maintenance bills. Additionally, aircraft owners should set aside part of their profits to cover unexpected maintenance “surprises”, as well as the more predictable maintenance expenses such as engine overhauls.
What are the pros and cons of aircraft leaseback?
The Pros:
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Your fixed costs (tie down, insurance) are typically paid for.
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You will gain equity in an aircraft as it works, often paying for an aircraft completely in 4-5 years of service.
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Potential for excellent positive cash flow.
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Significant accelerated depreciation tax credits. (up to $500,000 in the first year, exceeding your actual outlay by a factor of 10)
The Cons:
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Poor airframes may generate maintenance “surprises” to the tune of many thousands of dollars to repair.
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Flight Training service is rigorous and will accelerate wear on the aircraft.
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You’ll have to schedule your flights in the aircraft just like any other renter. You’ll lose the flexibility of flying your airplane whenever you want.
Leasebacks are highly variable investments and are not for everyone. The decision to put an aircraft into a leaseback should be considered carefully. We track the financial performance of all our aircraft, and have detailed historical data to help make informed decisions. If you think a leaseback is something you might consider, please contact us for more details. We’ll be happy to work with you to predict the revenue, expense, and overall performance of your aircraft in our fleet. We can also help you purchase the right aircraft and to set your aircraft’s rental rate to maximize your profits. After all… we cannot be successful as a flying club unless our aircraft owners are successful.