San Carlos Flight Center

San Carlos Flight Center is the best flight center I have ever seen! They have a very friendly and helpful environment that helps me as a student to feel support and confidence. I see people around me who are in love with aviation. They are not only members of the aviation community - they are a family. I very appreciate an opportunity to take flight classes at San Carlos Flight Center. Every class makes sense for me. Before doing anything in the air I receive appropriate knowledge at ground school. Comparing to my previous experience at another flight school, this center much better. Quality of their education is outstanding!

Don’t be fooled when they tell you there’s a waitlist because people are chomping at the bit to learn here. Rather it’s because the school has had a hard time keeping experienced CFIs. They keep leaving to work for the airlines ….and I can imagine for good reason.

I found the owner Dan to be difficult and unnecessarily combative. Also, if you’re an experienced student pilot I’d move onto somewhere else. SCFC and their syllabuses with their ‘necessary’ ground school time (@ $85/hr) make this school geared primarily towards high school aged students and their parents who will rationalize spending extra in the name of safety.

That being said; if you’re brand new and don’t mind paying extra $$$ to have someone tutor you with information (that at every other school considers self paced learning) this is the spot for you.

Ground School/Flights Lessons: Long overdue review. I’ve received instructions from different instructors/schools, and San Carlos Flight Center is a flight School of it’s own kind.

I took Herb’s Private Pilot Ground School course back in 2019 at the old location next to Hiller Aviation Museum, and it’s a course I recommend to anyone interested in flying. At the time it was $300, you can come back anytime within two years to complete the course (if you stop attending for any reason). One class a week (two days to pick from…Tuesday night?/Thursday morning?). 12 weeks at three (four?) hour sessions (OR you can pay an individual instructor 36 hours @ regular instructor rate of at least $80/hour)…you do the math…there aren’t that many flights schools anywhere that offer a Private, and or Instrument Ground School for a fix rate.

If you pass the weekly exams/final practice test, you can get your endorsement to take the knowledge/written exam. The course wasn’t easy, lots of reading and studying, but well worth the money.

I’ve met private students at an accelerated program where no one preps you for the written exam, and fraction of the ground class. I wish I would have taken the Instrument Ground School, and finished my private/instrument certificate through SCFC.

I visited this flight school several years back when I was in the process of renewing my Flight Instructor certificate. I met with a man named Dan Dyer. As a flight instructor with over 4000 hours of instruction / 1500 Turbine PIC and airline experience I've never been treated so poorly by anyone in the aviation Industry. He was rude, condescending, arrogant and in general very unpleasant.

He was upset that I stopped by unannounced after speaking with him on the phone...a real jerk!!

This Flight School has the very best Instructors! If you're interested in flying or you want to gift some loved one the incredible feeling of flight. This is it. Professional but friendly attitudes from all the staff. The owner Dan Dyer is incredibly passionate about flying while focusing on safety and comfortability which shows. My flight journey has started here and I couldn't be more impressed and excited.

Very friendly staff and instructors. I came in from out of state and had a very good experience trying to schedule some flight time with SCFC.

Obviously at no fault of the school, San Carlos ATC is incredibly rude, so be warned :)

Dennis was courteous and very helpful. He guided my byfriend and I every step of the way and answered our newbie questions about air traffic control and the onboard instruments. Would go again for a different route (did the short peninsula route yesterday) and definitely would recommend to a friend.

I got my private pilot certificate with the SCFC 3 years ago. Have been flying with them ever since then once a week on average.

Top notch instruction, went through tailwheel and high performance endorsements, and now about to start instrument training.

Enjoy the high quality bi-weekly safety seminars.

Very well maintained fleet.

Not the cheapest around but well worth it.