I've had an overwhelmingly positive experience with Coast Flight Training. With so many flight schools to choose from in Southern California, I did extensive research and toured multiple schools. Coast Flight Training stood out immediately with the nicest facilities by far. Coast operates a fleet of 17 well-maintained aircraft, three free desktop simulators, and an FAA approved simulator. What truly sold me, however, was the customer service and maintenance staff. Anytime I had a question or concern about an aircraft, the on-site maintenance team was readily available to assess and address it, which provided a great deal of confidence and safety. Scheduling was also very flexible and accommodating, allowing me to efficiently complete my training within the projected timeframe. Additionally, Coast's location in San Diego at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport provided invaluable experience training at one of the busiest Class D Airports in the country. Training in this complex airspace helped build real-world confidence, and I now feel comfortable navigating any airspace nationwide. I would highly recommend Coast Flight Training to anyone looking to earn their private pilot license recreationally or to those pursuing a career in the airlines. read more

I've had an amazing experience at Coast Flight Training, and have been able to receive my PPL, IFR, CSEL, CFI, and soon to be CFII rating. The instructors are knowledgeable, patient, and truly care about your progress as an individual and as a student. I can't say enough positive things about the instructors I've met and had the privilege of learning from. The aircrafts are well maintained and the admins makes scheduling a smooth process. Overall, this school has helped me gain confidence as a pilot and has always created a welcoming and supportive environment to learn and grow. read more

Great maintenance, CFI standardization and supplemental published checklists and maneuver guides. The training is student focused and emphasizes safety. Overall a welcoming environment with solid aircraft and Instructors. read more

Coast Flight Training has an excellent team. The staff is very friendly, communicates clearly, and is always willing to help. The environment is welcoming, professional, and highly productive, which makes it clear they genuinely care about student success and maintaining a positive training culture. read more

My wife and I have a combined 40 years experience in aviation. This flight school has Unrealistic and excessive standards. They will stretch out flight training to charge more money. Stage checks are designed for failure in order to charge more for remedial training. At first I thought it was my child but after talking to other students and flight instructors, I found out otherwise. Many students and instructors have left due to the due to this. Scheduling and instruction are a nightmare and very disorganized at best. They are more concerned about money than the quality of instruction. If you don't believe me, start asking around Montgomery and other airports. read more

This place is a joke. I came in with around 60 hours and my solo was constantly denied, I did nothing but fly in the pattern. Young flight instructors late and on their phone checking the fantasy football score. I had constant issues with every single instructor. It's pass/fail so they only let the passing people stay in the program. By the way I'm still thinking of a way to sue them. F this place. read more

Great planes. Great instructors. Even better they have maintenence on site and schedulers so I actually got to fly when I wanted to!

Review for a single "discovery" flight only: I'm a student pilot from Buffalo, NY and was driving through San Diego and wanted to rent a plane and take an aerial scope of the area. I searched on Yelp and Coast Flight Training came up, I gave them a call at 1pm that day to see if they had any availability for a flight later that day. Lucky me --- they had a holiday special going on where for $99 you get a one-hour flight with an instructor in a Warrior (or $149 for an hour in a Cirrus). I made an appointment for 4pm that same day. We arrived at the airport 5 minutes before 4pm and the flight instructor (Jordan) was waiting, while the receptionist took care of some minor paperwork and my wife and I helped ourselves to a cup of coffee. We made a quick plan for the flight: we would try to enter Class B airspace and fly through the bay adjacent to the downtown area right along the water. We then went to the field and I pre-flighted the plane. It was a 2000 Piper Archer II -- a beautiful airplane in remarkable condition. I'm used to flying a '72 Cherokee locally, so you can imagine this plane was like night and day. Traffic alerts, cylinder head temperatures, no ignition key (everything was done with switches up above); I was totally geeking out with how smooth the plane flew in comparison to what I'm used to. Jordan (the instructor) was very personable and did well to gauge my workload and let me fly the plane. When I needed an extra challenge, he threw extra tasks at me and when I was feeling overwhelmed he would take the radio and let me concentrate on aviating. My wife was also in the backseat taking photos and videos and got some wonderful shots of San Diego and the coastline. Our original plan to head toward the downtown area was foiled when we weren't cleared to enter Class B VFR, but we headed North up the coast and enjoyed spectacular views while doing a few touch and go's. It was a perfect experience. If I lived locally, I wouldn't hesitate to give Coast Flight Training a shot for Cirrus training (which they specialize in) or to get my instrument rating. read more

See all

There are multiple students suing this organization for various reasons. As a student, you are the last priority of this school. It's a money pit. There are zero instructors with actual job experience, all young, hate their jobs and their number one priority over anything is to build their hours, at your cost. The staff tells you all sorts of lies to get you to register and then changes their word. Just avoid this place. read more

I took my FAA Part 107 exam here and they were very professional. Ms. Inki Welch was very helpful with helping me with the required steps that I needed to take prior to taking the test and she took care of my scheduling. She was also the test administrator. I am very happy with the excellent service I received. read more

If you have any interest in aviation at all - be it figuring out if you're interested in pursuing aviation as a career or hobby, getting your private pilots license for personal use or starting a career as an airline pilot - this is the place to start. They are absolutely fantastic! Every single person associated with Coast is spectacular - they are helpful and accommodating and truly want the very best for each and every person who walks through their doors. Ariana is awesome and is always willing to listen and accommodate your needs and schedule; every single flight instructor I've met has been friendly, professional and passionate about aviation and their students. The school is willing to work around your availability and schedule - I work full time and have a family and am able to train weekends only - at my own pace - during the hours that work best for me. My flight instructor, Nick, is what legends are made of. He's passionate, calm, understanding, professional, charismatic, friendly and he's a phenomenal instructor. If you have any interest in obtaining your PPL (or beyond), this is the place to call. read more

Best flight training facility I've visited and trained at. All the instructors are hand picked and super knowledgeable. Every instructor is personally willing to motivate you and teach you along the way of your flight training journey. I've been to a lot of flight schools in the country to spend my money at and this one by far exceeds my expectations for flight school. Not to mention they treat veterans really well. The school is even owned and run by Marine Corps veterans! Love this place! Highly recommend! read more

Coast Flight Training - Flight Instruction Near Me - San Diego, California

This place is a shame. It's not what you think, they don't care about their students. I was a student at coast flight training San Diego when something very sad happened in my family. Dad lost his job and grandmas sickness was severe. I was not able to continue so I paused my training. When I wanted to come back I explained everything that was going on in my life.. they didn't care at all. They basically said that's your problem bye. And told me I was not able to be there again. Not only that but they told be they sent my loan money back without even letting me know before. read more

Being a San Diego young executive, finding time to complete my private pilot license was challenging to say the least. I had been through 3 flight schools, 4-5 instructors in 3 years and acquired over 80 hours of flight time. After meeting Will, he crafted a plan that enabled me to finish my private pilot license in one week. The most amazing part, he recommended a completely different school which blew my mind and earned my trust! At the time, Coast did not offer an 'accelerated' finish up course in the plane I was most familiar, a wonderful plane which was older than me, a 1974 Cessna with steam guages! Will said it made more sense (dollars and cents) to finish up in the aircraft I was most familiar with. You should consultant with Coast before you invest another dime in your education & safety - he is guaranteed to put you and your family first. He has gained my trust, and lifelong business. read more

Coast Flight Training - Flight Instruction Near Me - San Diego, California

This facility is not interested in perspective students at all. If you are looking for a place to take a flight training look for something else. I'm working not really far from this place and during my break time just walked in to shop around, take a look at the prices and programs that they can offer. Spent about 10 minutes at front desk and trying then to find someone to greet me at the front. No one seems interested in that, everyone was deeply working on their computers. That's fine, I'm not shy to ask for assistance if you guys are so busy. So, I did, but they were not able to find the person responsible for the flight training at a time of my visit. That was kind a weird for me: no one taking care of walking-in people, no one can talk to me about training at all. Then why this place has a pretty sign: Learn to fly here??? The cherry on top was the thing that they asked for my email address to contact me back when the right person would be able to. As you can guess I've never been contacted. If this is the model of flight school - screw you guys, I will never recommend this kind of flight training facility to any of my friends. read more

By far... THEE best place to go to for fight training. Well maintained aircraft. Extremely well versed instructors. Friendly staff. And flexible schedules. If you want to learn to fly. Stop looking and go here. I got my instrument rating here Part 141 and I am going to keep coming back. Also they are putting students through the American Airlines program and will setup interviews with Skywest. Also Wednesday December 11, 2019 from 11:00am to 1:00pm Skywest is holding an event there if you want to learn more. read more

First off, the staff are incredible. They're professional and knowledgable, clearly a plus when it comes to flight school. Will the owner is truly a great guy. He's personable, and makes everyone feel at home. Their facilities is top notch, clean and orderly. He aircraft are the same. I'm looking forward to continuing my flight training with them. read more

I'm writing this review as a previous student who went through Coast Flight Training's private pilot program (Part 61). Flying is something I thoroughly enjoy and went into Coast wanting to get my private pilot's license to further the hobby. Just this past Friday, I received my private pilot certificate after passing my checkride with the FAA. The education and hands-on training I received while at Coast was unparalleled to any other flight school in the area that I researched. I decided to train in one of their Piper Archer III's with my instructor for the course being Jordan. Jordan was a great instructor, both in the air and on the ground. He has an uncanny ability to convey his knowledge about flying as well as the material out of the book, which is what makes him such an able instructor. One neat part about Coast is that while I did 99% of my training with Jordan, I was able to schedule flight lessons with the other instructors, like Kristen and Dustin on his days off, which sometimes helped give a different perspective or teaching method to various training concepts. Every single instructor at Coast is not only an awesome pilot, but an extremely professional and competent teacher. I would not have hesitated to go through the program with any of their instructors had I not been paired up with Jordan. One of the best parts about Coast (compared to stories I heard from friends of mine going through PPL training in various other parts of the country) is their rigidity. The training to get to where I am today was extremely challenging and they will expect your absolute best. When you consider the fact that your training in a field like this can literally mean the difference between life and death, it makes sense. I hit a few roadblocks that required me to buckle down and really get into the nitty-gritty in areas I wasn't excelling at, both in the airplane and out of the textbook. At times, it was frustrating, but nothing brought more gratitude than the willingness of the entire training team to dedicate their days to helping you, the student, succeed. By the end of the course, the anxiety I felt going into my checkride subsided significantly. It went from a feeling of "I have no idea how I am going to do this" to "I'm ready to pass with flying colors". The syllabus really is designed to make you go into that checkride with a sense of real confidence because the depth in which Coast tests actually went much deeper than the checkride itself. Again, it felt really reassuring to be "overprepared". All in all, if you're looking for a flight school and don't just want to be a pilot -- but a very well trained, safe, and able pilot -- then this is the best school in San Diego. Even though I do not plan on going commercial, I feel the training prepared me for me to be that caliber of a pilot. As far as a new private pilot is concerned, I am extremely comfortable flying solo and now taking passengers on many journeys to come. I look forward to my future in general aviation and can thank Coast for giving me a strong foundation upon which I can build and further any additional training I so choose. PS - I cannot think of a SINGLE staff member at Coast to say something poorly about (except Ronnie, keep your eyes on him). Just kidding, love you Ronnie. Will, the owner, is an extremely personable and friendly guy as well. You will see him in and out of the facilities, but he won't hesitate to stop and talk to you about your training, your progress, or any issues you might have. All of the ladies that work the front desk are amazing as well. Shoutouts to Amanda, Alex, and Caitlin -- y'all are great. Before I ramble too much, just know that every single employee at Coast is there to help you in any way possible. Success is the end goal, and they all want to see it happen. I'm going to miss Coast! read more

Was in town for vacation and wanted to keep my flying skills from going rusty. Kristen was my instructor. I couldn't have asked for a better teacher. She was not only an incredible pilot, but also a skilled and patient teacher. In my experience the two don't usually go together. My experience at Coast was very satisfying. Even though I only took 2 lessons there, I learned an incredible amount, Thanks Coast and Kristen! read more

Thank you for the excellent Cirrus Transition Flight training experience! Once I completed private pilot re-certification in early 2013 (35 years after receiving my FAA private pilots license), I looked seriously into the next step on my aviation journey. I perused; Flying, AOPA, Plane & Pilot, Sport Aviation and Flight Training magazines and read numerous articles! I went to seminars, spoke with many in the aviation community and several mentioned Cirrus Aircraft! The avionics, technology and the integrated parachute system. I then inquired about transition training, called and spoke with Will Dryden, President & Founder of Coast Flight Training in San Diego! Although two hours drive from Los Angeles, I visited their offices, examined the clean, regularly serviced and well-equipped training aircraft, the high quality simulator, the overall environment and was highly impressed! They informed me of the process toward my goal, I ordered the training kit and began! The scenario based training was outstanding and not just repetitive and boring loops around the airport flight pattern. Looking back on the process, I can honestly say that it was well worth the time, effort and cost whereas I feel that I am not only a more proficient pilot, I have proudly added "Coast Flight" trained "Cirrus Pilot" to my list of credentials! Discover the freedom known only to a select few! Call & Schedule an Introductory Flight with Coast and you'll see for yourself! Best Regards, Pastor Kenneth Earl read more

Firstly i want to start of by saying that this is by far the "BEST FLIGHT SCHOOL IN SAN DIEGO". I came to San Diego in 2010 and joined a flight school. I thought it was a great school until i was introduced to Coast Flight Training and just fell in love with it. I changed schools and ever since have been with coast flight training.I have completed 2 ratings and am currently working towards getting my CFI initial rating. Becoming a pilot is not a easy task. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication. Many students think they have what it takes to make it until the end. However, I have seen many students give up and blame the school or their instructors because they fall back in their training. In my experience the instructors have been extremely accommodating and willing to work with any student when they fall back and the only expectation is that the students remain dedicated to the program that they agreed to follow. A lot of students think that the amount of money they spend is directly correlated to the licenses that they will obtain. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Many of the students get so excited with the thrill of flying their own courses that they forget that there is a syllabus and spend more money outside of the program to fulfil their own flight desires. In doing so students associate that extra spending as time fulfilling the syllabus. When they get told that their extra flying does nothing but add flight hours and is not completing the syllabus they blame the school for charging them extra money. Just like in traditional schools some student are more adept at a specific topic and are able to complete the program in an expedited manner while others may take additional time and instruction. When students begin to struggle and don't understand it is extremely common for that student to blame the instructor and challenge his credentials. Before i joined coast i was a complete mess and did not know how and where my life in the aviation industry would take me. From the beginning of my enrolment the staff and the owner Will Dryden guided me and ensured i got what i paid for. The instructors here are very up to date with their material and are continuously evolving their instructional skills with the growing aviation technology. FOR ALL FOREIGN STUDENTS. I myself am a foreign student and to the contrary of what other students may say, they are completely accepting of everybody and will give you the same treatment as anybody else. I highly recommend that all foreign students introduce themselves to the Foreign student coordinator Denise Parker. She is extremely helpful and knowlegeble and will take any measure to ensure the satisfaction of the student as long as they understand and commit the dedication and responsibility required by the program. The school has met all of my expectations that i have had for a flight school. GOOD JOB AND KUDOS TO COAST FLIGHT TRAINING!!!! read more

See all

I had to take the UAG Remote Pilot exam on short notice. I walked in on Friday and was very appreciative of everyone I encountered -- Each staff member wore big smiles and were professional. When employees act this way, it is usually an indication of a good work environment and management style. read more

This has been an extremely hard and long review to write, and I hope that it will shed some light on the training practices used at this school. I started at Coast around March 2013 with 0 hours, I wanted (and still want) to finish off all my ratings up to CFI (certified flight instructor). I did an intro flight with them months earlier, and after touring some other flight schools, liked that the offices were updated and professional with really awesome flight pictures from their students' trips, and that Will (the owner & a master CFI) seemed to be very accessible and willing to take on some pretty awesome flight projects. The syllabus also seemed to be more in line with what I had envisioned: instead of taking repetitive flights locally, it was more interested in doing scenario based long distance flights in order to simulate real-world flying. The fleet was made up of fairly new Cirrus SR-20s and an SR-22. Unfortunately, things started off on the wrong foot. Instead of the long distance flights, I ended up in the pattern at Brown Field for my first 40 or so flight hours. I did learn a lot about flying in those 40 hours; however, it was completely not within what I was hoping to do. When my 1st check ride came around the Chief CFI just waved everything off as being fine, even though I was sure that it wasn't. My confidence was further shaken when I had a runway incident at takeoff at KMYF during a solo flight shortly after the check ride. I can laugh about it now (I've heard just about every 'asian girl driving' joke in the world now) but it scared me from flying for quite some time. I was placed with a new instructor and finally got to do those long-distance flights I was promised in the beginning. Things were going swimmingly and I was finally starting to have fun on my trips until said instructor took a much better paying position elsewhere, and from then on it went mostly downhill. I had a hodgepodge of brand new instructors who, I honestly felt, couldn't find their way from an airplane to their own a$$ and were completely not worth the $65-75/hr. There were also huge management changes brewing in the background, and they were adding planes to their fleet that were even older and had more airframe time than their current ones. It seemed super backwards. Will, the owner, now had satellite office and no longer was involved with day-to-day operations (one of the main points for me attending Coast because it made it seem like they were very grounded with their students). The new general manager was pretty awesome though so it seemed like a fair trade off at the time. Towards the end of my stay there, there were more and more people in management and less and less actual CFIs. I started to not know or recognize staff members because they were burgeoning in numbers. Paperwork for flying was increasing, solo forms used to be a single page, and now they were 4-5 pages long, and sometimes inconsistent from one day to the other & mostly repetitive. Anyway, at the end of my stay, I finally got an awesome instructor (their first female one, too! which was really awesome for me) but I felt like as a student pilot with over 130 flight hours I was just an embarrassment to their school. She often got scheduled off my flights and into other ones, even though I was pretty much at my end of course. I got sick of everything at this school and, from a previous instructor during the hodgepodge stage, managed to develop a fear of stalls. The thought of going to school made me sick, and my instructor often fought to keep on my flights. Unfortunately, I had finally had it, and just never returned. Finally- If you think I am the only one with high hours and no certificate, I am not. My husband started roughly at the same time I did, has over 200+ hours and over $100k in the school and still does not have all his reqs to take the FAA practical exam (something that I at least have). Foreign Students- BEWARE. The f-student coordinator, Denise, seems intent on working herself out of a job by trying to kick all foreign students out through various means. I myself am not a foreign student but it's pretty clear that she has initiated an atmosphere of fear. I am sure management will have a different version of events, but the things they cannot refute and have even acknowledged to me in the past are that I had indeed been placed with a couple incredibly inept flight instructors. Unfortunately for me, that is time and money I have wasted and cannot get back. Also, I guess I was enough of an embarrassment that when I pulled my deposit, no one even asked why or anything. I suppose the management just wants to book in more new students instead of focusing on keeping their old ones. TL;DR: After $50k, 140+ flight hours, and over a year, I have no ratings and have developed a fear of flying. Mostly a miserable experience. read more

Used a groupon for taking a one hour flying lesson and all I can say is wow. The instructor knew what he was doing, I did ten years in the airforce and worked as an aircraft maint technician so I already knew instruments and such. They really go the extra mile in order to make sure you know what needs to happen before and during take off and landing. My landing was decent, wish I could have had more tries. The plane I flew was brand spanking new with top notch integrated avionics and a built in parachute. If only I had more money to get my license : / read more

I can only give them 2 stars due to the horrible follow up on emails and phone calls. It just surprises me how businesses like that can survive. read more

Highly motivated staff that is going to do what it takes to get you to your goal. Will, personally took it upon him self to make sure I was taken care. This has still left an impact on me that an owner of a business over seeing a high volume of students, fulfilling his thoughts and ideas in the school, and can still take time to meet with me personally. Coast never took no for an answer when it came to launching there VA program when a couple schools said they were ready for the challenge and backed out last minute. They ended up making it happen and they're still growing! A top of the line fleet with top of the line instructors that are going to make sure you are trained safely, properly, and in a comfortable fashion. How does an airplane fly? With cash. This is the place to spend it. The time I was there I felt like this was the hub for networking. With out a doubt if you put in the effort, Coast is going to get you where you want to go and further. read more

Great school. They are really on top of it. I just got to my first solo flight and it was great! The planes are new and instructors are great! Really happy to be flying. read more

Hello My name is Mr. Moril. I've Transferred to coast flight a little over two weeks ago. I came in with about 30 hours towards my private pilot license. I met the CEO Will Dryden and within seconds i knew i had made the right choice. I've attended and researched most of the flight school in the area and seriously folks they should be your first and last stop. they are EXTREMELY professional and Knowledgeable. within my first two lesson I've gained a more in tune sense of the aircraft than i have in my last 30 hours. sounds Crazy but you can't fake truth. go see for yourself. I'm willing to bet you'll be amazed at what they do and the opportunity they have to match along with your training. read more

Hello my name is Roger Da Silva. I am currently a Coast Flight Student and i really wanted to come on here and write a post for anyone that is thinking about learning how to fly at Coast. Its very simple I 110% Recommend it. I have been learning how to fly for a year now and i have not received my private pilot license yet. I strongly believe the reason is that i didn't follow my gut initially and train at Coast. Instead i decided to try other flight schools to try and save money. BOY WHAT A MISTAKE. I had the best intro flight experience with Coast flight training and really wanted to learn with them but all these other flight schools tried to "WARN ME" that i was just throwing away money if i learned in a Cirrus and how there 1979 Cessna would teach me the same thing. Boy where they wrong. Any one that tells you that is a Liar. And they know that there is no way they can compete with Coast. One flight in a Cessna and one flight in a Cirrus will prove those schools wrong. If you don't believe me go on youtube and look up all the safety features in a Cirrus. As a father of two daughters i would never again fly with my family unless its in a Cirrus. To make a long story short. i ended up coming back to Coast Flight Training after switching flight schools 5 times and training with 7 different flight instructors and almost 65 hours of flight training and within the first month back I'm about to solo soon and I'm scheduled to take my check ride before August 24, 2014. Going back to Coast was the best decision i have ever made in my flying Career. And if i can go back and start again i would never have went anywhere else. Oh and by the way Coast Owner Will Dryden is a man of his word. He is Kind, Patient, and thinks outside of the box. Not only did Coast receive me back with arms wide open but they also helped me reach my dreams. Thanks to Will Dryden and ALL the staff at Coast Flight i have completed their ACT program prerequisites and have interviewed with SkyWest Airline and have received a conditional offer of employment with flight and employee privileges as a student pilot who didn't even pass my private pilot check ride. Who else in the whole world would be able to do that? Only Coast Flight training. before i leave i also want to make sure i brag a little about Ronnie Greathouse, Bryan Simmons, John Sutherland, Amanda Rose, Jordan Golding, and my current instructor Brian Maloney, they have been amazing and each one of them has helped me achieve me dream of learning how to fly and also getting in the door as a soon to be Sky West Airline pilot. Words can't describe how grateful i am for the impact each one of you has had on the future of my family and generations to come. You all Rock and i want to give honor where honor is due. i hope this review has helped you to finalize your decision on where you should learn to fly at coast flight. if you read any bad reviews i can personally tell you that these people have other issues like not studying, not preparing, or maybe even spacing out their flights to far apart. the program that coast has to offer is best in class. trust me I've visited and actually enrolled in many of the local schools around san diego. No one compares to Coast!!!!!! if you are serious about flying and looking to learn from the best.... Coast flight training is the school for you if not theres always the rest... read more

First and foremost, I want to start off with a little bit of my story. As an aspiring pilot since I was 7, I knew there was nothing else I wanted to do in my life and when it came time to find a flight school that fit me for who I am it was a tough road. I went through two flight school programs that were both horrible. After I left those programs, I did some researching and was determined to find the right one for me. I found Coast Flight training on the internet and requested info about their program and within an hour I had the General Manager calling me. The entire phone call was about me and what I wanted not about what they wanted. They took their time with me and insisted I came in for a tour. Needless to say , the minute I walked through the door at Coast Flight Training the decision was simple. I was meant to be at Coast. This is where I was supposed to train and start my pilot career. From the second I walked through that door there weren't any judgements made or anyone who was better than another. We were all there and we all love one thing and that is to fly! The opportunities at coast have been endless and they as a whole group have made sure that I was doing fine and I was having fun. At Coast Flight Training you're not just a student or an employee , you are now apart of the Coast family and that's something that is honestly rare to find now a days. The best decision I ever made for my life and career was to choosing to fly and train at Coast Flight Training. read more

I started my training at another airfield and I can't tell you how happy I am to have found Coast Flight Training. I was doing my flight training mainly in 172's and had never even been in a Cirrus before Coast Flight took me up in one. I have flown about 7 different airplanes (all Cirrus) Coast Flight has and they are very well equipped! It seems like aviation is going more and more to glass cockpits and multi-functional displays and is another reason I love these guys. I have not seen an old round gauge (except the backup's) in over a year. The staff has been encouraging when I needed them to be and always helpful. It is also the nicest looking flight school I have ever been in. I can't speak to other comments and experiences I have seen here... I can tell you, the oldest plane I have seen or flown here is a 2003. In fact, the oldest airplane at Coast Flight Training is newer, nicer, and better equipped than the BEST airplane my last two flight schools had in there hangers. I can say much, much more. You will not be sorry with these guys. read more

By far the most professional and focused school out there. The instructors are focused driven individuals that stick to airline standards to give each and every student the absolute highest quality of training. From next level flight training to pristine maintenance the aircraft are top notch. With special reference to their unrivaled Cirrus training program, any individual seeking training in technologically advanced aircraft simply must visit this school wether it be for private or professional use there is simply no better place to fly. Located in the heart of the San Diego airspace at Montgomery Field no other flight school can provide training in such high density airspace occupying the most phenomenal landscape in the country. As an aspiring professional pilot I look no further than Coast Flight for the most up to date reliable training in the aviation industry. read more

I waited a long time to come on here and post a review of this school. I wanted to make sure that it wasn't just influenced by my experience there at the time. Just over a year later, I still feel the same way about my time training there so I feel I can post about it now. First off, very nice school. Very nice facility. Very nice planes. Will, the owner, is extremely friendly. Bit pricey, but I knew that going in. But the reason for dropping 2 stars has to do completely with my instructor. Young guy and out of respect I'm not going to put his name on here. He was often late showing up to my lessons. 5, maybe 10 minutes doesn't seem like the end of the world, but when the plane is booked for a certain amount of time, you want to make sure that you get to use it and not have to rush back because someone else has it reserved after you. Granted he would call me when he would be running late, but it was still bothersome. The thing that really upset me though was something he said one day while we were flying. One week, he was showing me how to stall and recover the airplane. Took me a few tries to get the hang of it but by the end of the lesson, I felt pretty comfortable. Fast forward to the following weekend and after flying up the coast and performing a few other maneuvers, he asks me to show him slow flight, stall and recovery. I stop and think about it, and I begin to set the plane up. Somewhere along the line I forget a step and ask him to help me out. He says to me, "I've already shown you this before, I shouldn't have to show you again." I'm sorry. I don't have a plane at my disposal 24/7 to practice all these things. I can't throw my car in to slow flight and stall it just to keep practicing between lessons. I can't walk through it like when I learned a new martial art technique to keep practicing, where the only thing I needed was to have my feet on the ground. I love flying, but sadly I lost a bit of interest because of this instructor. I stuck with him for a few more weeks, until one day he called me to say he was really ill, and that he'd call me when he was better. He never did call me back, and I'm kinda glad. read more

Went to San Diego for a vacation and decided to take an into flight with Coast. I have flown in a Cessna a few times, but as I am more financially secure, I wanted to step up and fly a Cirrus. We had a great weather day (almost every day). I was lucky to have the most competent friendly instructor I have ever met. Kristen is tiny, but boy is there a lot of skill and knowledge there. She took me flying over the city, pointing out different landmarks and showing off her beautiful plane. It ended too quickly, but I now know why learning to fly in a Cirrus is worth the $$$. Great school, Great plane, Fantastic instructor. What a professional. Thanks all. Fly Safe. read more

I was a former student with the ACT program. Although the ground education is great the flight portion I feel is a little rushed. I do not believe that they allotted enough hours in the course as it is a little shy of the national average. Another frustrating issue not directly the fault of coast I waited for a long time for my check-ride. Although from what I hear Coast is working with the students on that that is great since our VA benefits depend on it. I also think the flight school is getting to be a little too big for the number of planes in the fleet. There is alot of times that you are waiting on planes sometimes over and hour. The ACT program is great in the fact that the VA covers most if not all the course for you. The most frustrating part as a VA student it seems you are not as privileged as the part 61 flyers. You aren't allowed to check out planes even though you are rated in the aircraft but there are people who come in all the time and check out the pipers to go fly around in. I mean they trained me in those planes shouldn't they trust me in them? I feel as if the quality of the education is going down with the start of the group grounds and the loss of open grounds that the students had available to them a couple months ago. read more