Image
Image
Image

  • What payment methods do you accept?
    We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, and Apple Pay. You'll be asked to provide payment details during checkout.

  • Do I need to create an account to order?
    No account is required to place an order through the FlightGest Academy Pilot Shop.

  • Are there any additional fees or taxes?
    All orders are subject to North Carolina sales tax and a 3% handling fee. The complete price of your purchase, including applicable taxes and fees, will be presented at checkout.

  • Can I make changes to my order after it’s placed?
    If you need to modify your order, please call us at (919) 840-4444 or email info@flightgestacademy.com as soon as possible. We'll do our best to accommodate your request.

Start your flying adventure!

Take the Controls, Feel the Freedom, and See the World from a Whole New Perspective

A Discovery Flight is more than just a ride. It’s your first step into the pilot’s seat. With a certified flight instructor by your side, you’ll experience the thrill of flight firsthand as you taxi, take off, and even try your hand at the controls. Whether you're dreaming of becoming a pilot or just checking an item off your bucket list, this is your chance to explore aviation in a fun, safe, and unforgettable way.

You'll soar above the Raleigh area in one of our modern training aircraft, getting a front-row view of what pilot life is really like. It’s an exciting, no-pressure introduction to flight training and the perfect gift for adventurers of all ages.

If you’ve ever looked up and wondered what it’s like to fly, your adventure starts here.

BOOK A DISCOVERY FLIGHT
Image

Choosing a flight school is a

 big decision.

With the increased demand for pilots, efficiency is important like never before. But without a professional educator next to you, it means nothing.

READ MORE
JOIN TODAY

LEARN MORE ABOUT US

Our mission at FlightGest Academy is to create an experience of a lifetime for our students by offering an exceptional team, a safe environment, and exemplary programs. Each student-pilot interaction will create training opportunities by immersing the students in a structured and fun learning environment while developing their skills to be safe and professional pilots.

Image

DON'T JUST TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT. 

Whether you want a new hobby or a flying career, FlightGest will get you there. Top-notch aircraft, a great learning environment, and instructors who truly go the extra mile. I've been flying with FlightGest since 2006 and made great friends along the way. Thank you for helping me earn my wings.

- JOSH SMITH

Commercial Pilot
JOSH SMITH
I stopped by FlightGest on a road trip from Ohio to Florida. Just a random 30-minute visit. Kirk gave me a tour, showed me the planes, and answered every question I had. His passion for aviation was obvious from the start. I was sold. Five months later, after passing my PPL checkride, I packed up and moved from Ohio to train here full time.

- JORDAN YORK

Commercial Pilot
JORDAN YORK
After 10 years out of the cockpit, CURRENT AGAIN! Thank you Joe Lerro for taking the time to teach this old dog new tricks! We are never too old to learn new things from the young, bright people in our lives! Best of luck in the majors. Hopefully our paths will cross in the future.

- TIM SALAPEK, PIC

Commercial Pilot
TIM SALAPEK, PIC
My son first caught the flying bug in high school, inspired by his grandfather, an instrument-rated pilot. After searching airports near RTP, we found FlightGest and met Dr. Gozzo, an accomplished pilot and owner who took the time to understand Jon's situation. Jon eventually found his match in instructor Owen Chase. Together they logged over 50 hours and flew cross-countries to Asheville, Kitty Hawk, and Williamsburg before Jon's muscular dystrophy made it impossible to continue. FlightGest even purchased an electric cart to get him to and from the planes. Flying gave Jon a new perspective on life, and Owen and Frank gave him every opportunity to succeed. We are eternally grateful. The staff, the operation — it is all first class.

- DR. RAYMOND A. HUML, FATHER OF JONATHAN R. HUML

Private Pilot
DR. RAYMOND A. HUML, FATHER OF JONATHAN R. HUML
On a Thursday I decided I wanted to fly. By Friday I was in the left seat of a Cessna 172 at RDU. Best decision I ever made. FlightGest worked around my full-time schedule. Early mornings, late afternoons, back-to-back weekends. Training at a Class C airport built confidence I couldn't have developed anywhere smaller. I started in my late 40s, so that mattered. The joy of flying took over from there. I earned my Private and Instrument ratings, learned tailwheel in a Husky, took aerobatics lessons from a world-class instructor, bought my own plane, and now coordinate a formation flying team. Next up: my commercial rating with a FlightGest CFI, of course. After that, who knows? But the FlightGest team will be part of whatever comes next.

- Wanda Jackson

Commercial Pilot
Wanda Jackson
After 20 years in the Army, I was ready to turn my passion for aviation into a career. GoJet Airlines offered to fund my ratings. I just had to find the right school. After researching Part 61 schools in the area, FlightGest stood out: the right fleet size, the right number of CFIs, and the right environment. I drove 80 minutes each way to train at RDU. Worth every mile. In just four months I earned my Instrument, Commercial, and Multi-Engine ratings. That kind of progress takes a team, and the ownership, instructors, and maintenance crew at FlightGest functioned like exactly that. I couldn't have done it without my FlightGest family.

- Morgan Stanley

Commercial Pilot
Morgan Stanley
I'd always wanted to fly. I'd been in GA airplanes before, but I never truly understood flight until FlightGest. The CFIs were invested in me, not in building their own hours. They took standardized lessons and shaped them to how I learned, as fast as I could absorb and own each concept. I never left a lesson wondering why we'd done it. (Though I'm sure they occasionally wondered if I'd gotten it.) I earned my Private, Instrument, Commercial, and CFI certificates through FlightGest. I'm certain the CFI wouldn't have happened without the encouragement and professionalism I experienced throughout. Desire gets you to the airport. Professionalism and tailored training get you airborne. FlightGest does it right.

- Ron Banks

Private Pilot
Ron Banks
    Whether you want a new hobby or a flying career, FlightGest will get you there. Top-notch aircraft, a great learning environment, and instructors who truly go the extra mile. I've been flying with FlightGest since 2006 and made great friends along the way. Thank you for helping me earn my wings.

    - JOSH SMITH

    Commercial Pilot
    I stopped by FlightGest on a road trip from Ohio to Florida. Just a random 30-minute visit. Kirk gave me a tour, showed me the planes, and answered every question I had. His passion for aviation was obvious from the start. I was sold. Five months later, after passing my PPL checkride, I packed up and moved from Ohio to train here full time.

    - JORDAN YORK

    Commercial Pilot
    After 10 years out of the cockpit, CURRENT AGAIN! Thank you Joe Lerro for taking the time to teach this old dog new tricks! We are never too old to learn new things from the young, bright people in our lives! Best of luck in the majors. Hopefully our paths will cross in the future.

    - TIM SALAPEK, PIC

    Commercial Pilot
    My son first caught the flying bug in high school, inspired by his grandfather, an instrument-rated pilot. After searching airports near RTP, we found FlightGest and met Dr. Gozzo, an accomplished pilot and owner who took the time to understand Jon's situation. Jon eventually found his match in instructor Owen Chase. Together they logged over 50 hours and flew cross-countries to Asheville, Kitty Hawk, and Williamsburg before Jon's muscular dystrophy made it impossible to continue. FlightGest even purchased an electric cart to get him to and from the planes. Flying gave Jon a new perspective on life, and Owen and Frank gave him every opportunity to succeed. We are eternally grateful. The staff, the operation — it is all first class.

    - DR. RAYMOND A. HUML, FATHER OF JONATHAN R. HUML

    Private Pilot
    On a Thursday I decided I wanted to fly. By Friday I was in the left seat of a Cessna 172 at RDU. Best decision I ever made. FlightGest worked around my full-time schedule. Early mornings, late afternoons, back-to-back weekends. Training at a Class C airport built confidence I couldn't have developed anywhere smaller. I started in my late 40s, so that mattered. The joy of flying took over from there. I earned my Private and Instrument ratings, learned tailwheel in a Husky, took aerobatics lessons from a world-class instructor, bought my own plane, and now coordinate a formation flying team. Next up: my commercial rating with a FlightGest CFI, of course. After that, who knows? But the FlightGest team will be part of whatever comes next.

    - Wanda Jackson

    Commercial Pilot
    After 20 years in the Army, I was ready to turn my passion for aviation into a career. GoJet Airlines offered to fund my ratings. I just had to find the right school. After researching Part 61 schools in the area, FlightGest stood out: the right fleet size, the right number of CFIs, and the right environment. I drove 80 minutes each way to train at RDU. Worth every mile. In just four months I earned my Instrument, Commercial, and Multi-Engine ratings. That kind of progress takes a team, and the ownership, instructors, and maintenance crew at FlightGest functioned like exactly that. I couldn't have done it without my FlightGest family.

    - Morgan Stanley

    Commercial Pilot
    I'd always wanted to fly. I'd been in GA airplanes before, but I never truly understood flight until FlightGest. The CFIs were invested in me, not in building their own hours. They took standardized lessons and shaped them to how I learned, as fast as I could absorb and own each concept. I never left a lesson wondering why we'd done it. (Though I'm sure they occasionally wondered if I'd gotten it.) I earned my Private, Instrument, Commercial, and CFI certificates through FlightGest. I'm certain the CFI wouldn't have happened without the encouragement and professionalism I experienced throughout. Desire gets you to the airport. Professionalism and tailored training get you airborne. FlightGest does it right.

    - Ron Banks

    Private Pilot

      Current Weather

      Image
      US Airnet
      aviation weather center
      area forecast discussion