The Fast, Affordable Path to an Airline Career
We're a Des Moines flight school built around a single idea: becoming an airline pilot shouldn't require a four-year degree or a fortune. It should require great instruction, a clear plan, and an aircraft on the ramp when you're ready to fly.
Built to Shorten the Path to the Flight Deck
US Flight Co was founded in Des Moines, Iowa by pilots and aviation professionals who saw too many talented people priced out of, or slowed down by, the traditional route to the airlines. The old model said you needed a four-year degree, years of waiting, and a maze of schools to get there. We disagreed.
So we built a flight school around the modern airline hiring reality: airlines need pilots, and the fastest legitimate path is a focused, structured training pipeline that takes you from your very first lesson all the way to a Certified Flight Instructor and beyond. Our Fast Track Airline Program does exactly that: a complete, professional pilot pathway for $94,995.
Today we train from our facility at Des Moines International Airport (KDSM), where students fly in Class C airspace and talk to real air traffic controllers on every flight, the same radio confidence they'll carry into an airline career.
Make the airline-pilot career path faster, more affordable, and within reach, no four-year degree required.
We measure success by the careers we launch: students who walk in with a dream and walk out with the certificates, ratings, and confidence to fly for a living.
Core Values
The principles behind every lesson, checkride, and career we help launch.
Career-First Mindset
Every program is built around one goal: getting you into an airline cockpit safely, quickly, and without a four-year degree.
Real Accountability
Structured stage checks, transparent progress tracking, and one-on-one instruction so nothing slips through the cracks.
Honest Pricing
Clear program costs and flexible financing. We help you understand exactly what your training will cost before you start.
Standards That Stick
From 2 FAA Gold Seal CFIs to a fleet maintained by certified A&P mechanics, we hold ourselves to airline-grade standards.
A School Students Recommend
A Fleet Built for Training
Modern, well-maintained aircraft matched to every stage of your training, plus a simulator that keeps costs down.
Pipistrel Alpha Trainer
A modern glass-cockpit primary trainer with remarkably low operating costs. The smart, affordable way to build your early hours.
Cessna 172 Skyhawk
The world's most trusted trainer, in both traditional six-pack and glass-cockpit variants. Classic fundamentals plus the avionics airlines expect.
Beechcraft Travel Air
Our multi-engine trainer from the Baron family, with docile handling and honest engine-out characteristics for multi-engine and MEI training.
AATD Flight Simulator
An FAA-approved simulator matching our fleet's avionics. Log hours toward your ratings while saving significantly on aircraft rental.
Based at Des Moines International (KDSM)
Our facility sits right on the field at Des Moines International, giving students Class C airspace experience from their very first flights. That's a real training advantage:
- Real ATC from day one. You'll talk to Des Moines Approach and Tower on every flight, radio skills many pilots don't develop until years into their flying.
- Fly alongside the airlines. Sharing a field with airline traffic builds professional habits and checkride-ready communication.
- Big-airport experience without the wait. KDSM sees a fraction of the congestion of a major hub, so your Hobbs time is spent flying, not holding short.
- Real-world weather. Four-season Midwest flying builds genuine instrument experience and decision-making.
- Address 6213 SW 28th St, Des Moines, IA 50321
- Phone (515) 650-5558
- Email admissions@usflightco.com
In the Middle of Everything
Central Iowa puts real destinations within easy reach. The cross-country flights you log in training are trips to real cities, and once you're certificated, a weekend getaway is closer than you think: Omaha in under an hour, Kansas City and Minneapolis well inside two, Chicago in time for lunch.
| Destination | Cessna 172 | Travel Air |
|---|---|---|
| Omaha | 55 min | 35 min |
| Kansas City | 1 hr 15 min | 50 min |
| Sioux Falls | 1 hr 35 min | 1 hr 5 min |
| Minneapolis | 1 hr 45 min | 1 hr 15 min |
| St. Louis | About 2 hr | 1 hr 20 min |
| Chicago | 2 hr 15 min | 1 hr 35 min |
No-wind estimates at typical cruise speeds: about 115 knots in the Cessna 172 and 165 knots in the Beechcraft Travel Air. Actual times vary with winds and routing.
Flight times shown for the Cessna 172. Rings mark one and two hours of flying.
Ready to Start Flying?
Take a discovery flight or talk with our admissions team about the fastest path to your airline career.