Central Iowa Air Service (CIAS) in Ames, Iowa, is pleased to announce that Central Iowa Air Service Flight School has become an FAA Part 141 Certified Flight School.
One of only 5 FAA Part 141 Flight Schools in Iowa, CIAS Flight School can now partner with local Universities and Community Colleges to develop Piloting majors and minors. These partnerships will allow students to use financial aid, grants, and utilize the resources of the schools to achieve their career goals.
“The Central Iowa Air Service Flight Training Department has been working toward this goal for 5 years, and I am very proud of this team for their work,” said William R. Kyle, President of Charles City Aeronautics. “Achieving Part 141 Certification takes a tremendous amount of time, work and dedication. This team is more than ready to take the CIAS Flight School to the next level.”
“CIAS’ Flight School is ready to accept new students and continue growing our school,” said Brian Gowen, CIAS Director of Flight Training. “We are currently working with local community colleges, universities, and with local military veteran groups for use of GI Bill funds. This is a very exciting time for aviation in Ames.”
“With the nationwide pilot shortage, adding an FAA Part 141 School in Ames is a great step forward,” said Christopher Schrodt, Charles City Aeronautics’ Flight Training Manager. “Pilots have become the number one hottest job in the country, and this school will allow students of all ages to work towards the career goals of becoming a Pilot. We are excited for what the future is going to bring.”
With the growth of the CIAS Flight School, the school will be moving into their own building at the Ames Airport beginning April 2023. Currently the school has 4 full-time flight instructors and 4 training aircraft.
Realizing your dream of flying may be closer than you think. Call Brian at 515-706-4838 or 515-706-4840. Or Email Us for more information.
FAA Part 141 School – FAQ
What is the difference between a Part 61 and Part 141 flight school?
Training Differences
Part 141 is geared towards those seeking a career in aviation. While both Part 61 and Part 141 schools have the same information, Part 141 schools follow a curriculum approved by the FAA allowing for reduced training time and required hours.
Part 141 schools also provide a published curriculum to follow. Students will always know what they will be covering with their instructor each lesson and what to study for upcoming lessons. This allows for a more efficient training process.
There is also more oversight at Part 141 schools. When a student is coming up on a milestone in their training, they will fly with a lead instructor to evaluate their progress. CIAS’ goal with their Part 141 program is to train professional pilots in the most efficient and cost-effective manner possible.
Cost and Funding
For the private pilot certificate costs are about the same between Part 61 and Part 141. Students will see the greatest cost savings in Part 141 when going for their commercial rating. Part 141 only requires 190 hours of total training time while Part 61 requires 250 hours.
Flight training can be self-funded or done through private loans or scholarships. Part 141 programs are also often partnered with local colleges or universities allowing students to fund training with student loans or through the G.I. bill.
Is CIAS currently partnered with any colleges or universities?
CIAS is currently working with a local community college to build a professional pilot flight training program to take students through the Commercial and Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) ratings.
I started my training at a Part 61 school, can I transfer to a Part 141 program?
Yes, transferring is possible. However, the FAA only allows 25% of a student’s Part 61 training to count towards the completion of the Part 141 program.
Do students have to train under the 141 program if they come to CIAS?
No. Prior to a student beginning training at CIAS, they will sit down with a CIAS Instructor to determine the best fit for them.
