SMAT’s flight program operates as a structured, full-time school with the goal of preparing students for missionary service by placing heavy emphasis on developing discipline, professionalism, precision, and good decision-making skills.
Gainful Employment Information
| Aviation Flight Training | Dual Airplane | Solo/PIC Airplane | Total Flight Hrs | Simulator | Ground School & Briefing Hrs | Aircraft Model | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Module 1 | |||||||
| Private Pilot Certification Course | 48.0 | 17.7* | 65.7 | 1.3 | 185 | C172 | |
| Module 2 | |||||||
| VFR Cross-Country Experience | 10.5 | 7.0 | 17.5 | 1.0 | 40 | C172 | |
| High Performance (HP) Transition | 14.6 | 1.4 | 16.0 | 1.0 | 55 | C206 | |
| Complex (RG) Transition | 14.6 | 1.4 | 16.0 | 1.0 | 55 | C172RG | |
| Module 3 | |||||||
| Tailwheel Transition | 18.5 | 1.5 | 20.0 | 1.0 | 40 | C172 (tailwheel) | |
| High Performance Proficiency | 10.4 | 5.6 | 16.0 | 1.0 | 40 | C206 | |
| Complex Proficiency | 10.0 | 9.0 | 19.0 | 0 | 40 | C172RG | |
| Module 4 | |||||||
| Advanced VFR Cross-Country | 16.0 | 16.0 | 40 | C206/172RG | |||
| Instrument Certification Course | 39.0 | 2.0* | 41.0 | 18.3 | 125 | C172 | |
| Commercial Pilot Certification Course | 11.0 | 16.1 | 27.1 | 35 | C172/206/172RG | ||
| Total | 194.3 | 60.3 | 254.6 | 24.3 | 655 | ||
*Includes FAA check ride at conclusion of specific course. Commercial Pilot check ride not included in total hours
Actual hours flown by students in the past have been within 5% of the program hours, according to the distribution above. Students requiring flight instruction that exceeds the estimated time to meet the minimal standard in the practical courses will be required to pay a per hour fee for the plane and instructor until satisfactory performance is obtained, at the following nominal rates: Instruction - $50 / C172 - $125 / C206 - $215 / 172RG - $150 / Simulator - $25.
Flight Program tuition costs of $54,985 include all necessary course materials for ground school and flight training. The following additional expenses are not included in the program costs, with estimated values provided for each:
Private Pilot Evaluations - Applicants to the program who possess a Private Pilot certificate will undergo knowledge and flight evaluations so that a tailored refresher and standardization course can be designed based on assessed levels of proficiency and acquired knowledge base. These evaluations are scheduled over a 3-day period, including at least 3 hours of ground instruction and 5 hours of flight in a Cessna 172. All students must be present in the orientation sessions at the beginning of the program, regardless of previous evaluation status and standardization needs.
Consultation Flights – SMAT has good relationships with a number of mission organizations with aviation programs around the world. The valuable input and recommendations they give are essential for meeting the objective to provide training to the highest possible standard, tailored for the unique qualities and challenges inherent to this facet of aviation, as well as shaping the professional profile we desire in each of our graduates. Though not required of any student in training, we highly recommend the opportunity to fly with an observer/evaluator from one of these organizations for the purpose of having a helpful external assessment of the individual progress in the technical areas that are of greatest concern for the training departments in missionary aviation agencies. The consultation flights also provide feed-back to the SMAT training department about areas that need to be improved or modified to meet changing realities and field needs, especially as they relate to standards, procedures, and safety culture. These flights, with an average duration of 2 hours, will be arranged through the flight training department, and are conducted prior to the conclusion of the program, according to the availability of a representative from an organization of choice.
The total cost of the flight program ($56,500) is divided into four payments, according to the schedule below. A student with a negative balance will not be scheduled for flights, and must inform the Program Director of any problems that affect the payment deadlines. See Refund Policy for conditions related to early withdrawal from the flight program.
