High School Flight Programs

There is a severe worldwide pilot shortage. Airlines have responded by raising pay and benefits to record highs, and you no longer need a college degree to get started!

4 Pathways for High School Students

College is no longer required to become an airline pilot. Choose the path that fits your schedule, budget, ambition, and start building your future today. The opportunity has never been bigger!

$200K+
Salary within about 3 years

$450K+
Salary within about 10 years

$590K
Top Captain pay per year

Pathway 1

Join the Club — Fly While Still in School

Start flying as a Club Student at Sling Pilot Academy right now, at your own pace. Fly once a week, twice a week, or more. Pay as you go. Fly on weekends, evenings, or summer break and earn your Private Pilot Certificate before you graduate.

  • Start with your Private Pilot Certificate and pay as you go
  • Fly on your schedule: weekends, evenings, or summer break
  • Must be 16 to solo and 17 to earn your Private Pilot Certificate
  • Personalized instruction from dedicated, experienced instructors

 

Pathway 2

Join the Academy — Full Speed After Graduation

Turn your passion for flying into a full career. Our Accelerated Airline Pilot Program is designed to get you from first flight to Flight Instructor in 12 months, with a clear path to the airlines from there. Instruct at Sling to build your hours, and you could be sitting in a regional cockpit by age 23.

  • 12 month program (9 months with existing PPL)
    Graduate as a Commercial Pilot and Certified Flight Instructor
  • Opportunity to build your hours instructing at Sling
  • Eligible for airline hiring at age 23
  • Career progression: turboprop, regional jets, major airline

Pathway 3

2026 Sling Summer Flight Camp

  • June 22, 2026 to July 31, 2026
  • Monday through Friday, 10AM to 2PM

Join our 6-week Summer Flight Camp and experience real aviation training from the ground up. Log actual flight time in state-of-the-art Sling NGT aircraft, sharpen your skills in advanced flight simulators, and complete ground school aligned with Private Pilot License (PPL) standards.

  • 30 hours of real flight time in Sling NGT aircraft
  • 10 hours in advanced flight simulators
  • Ground school aligned with PPL standards
  • Explore careers from airline pilot to aerospace engineering
  • Open to students ages 14 to 18
  • June 15 to July 29, 2026 | Monday to Friday, 10AM to 2PM
  • Torrance, CA facility
  • Program price: $12,500 per student

View the program flyer, or request more info below and a Sling Pilot Academy advisor will be in touch.

Pathway 4

Apply for Scholarship programs to help fund your training

Sling Pilot Academy provides scholarships to support aspiring pilots. We offer our own annual $20,000 scholarship, awarded each August, to help cover the cost of flight training for a motivated student who demonstrates a passion for aviation.

Beyond our own program, a number of outside organizations offer meaningful funding opportunities. The AOPA Foundation awards over $1 million each year in individual grants ranging from $250 to $14,000, with two application windows annually. Southern California students may also qualify for named awards through Flight Path Museum LAX, including the Clay Lacy Scholarship and the Pete Conrad Jr. Scholarship.

  • Sling Pilot Academy: $20,000 annual scholarship awarded each August
  • AOPA: $250 to $14,000, two application windows per year
  • Flight Path Museum LAX: multiple named awards for Southern California residents
  • Applications and eligibility details vary by program

What Our Graduates Are Saying...

“…I can honestly say that the experience you gain at Sling Pilot Academy is worth its weight in gold. The advanced planes we fly in the complicated LA airspace put me way ahead of my SkyWest classmates. Keep working hard. I look forward to seeing you out on the line…”

Your Dream of Flying is Closer Than You Think

There is a severe worldwide pilot shortage. Airlines have responded by raising pay and benefits to record highs, and you no longer need a college degree to get started.