Stanford Flying Club - Flight School: Flight School in Palo Alto, California

Stanford Flying Club - Flight School in Palo Alto, photo 1

Stanford Flying Club - Flight School in Palo Alto, photo 2

Stanford Flying Club - Flight School in Palo Alto, photo 3

Photos via Google Maps; they belong to their authors.

Location: Palo Alto, California
School Type: Local flight school
Training Focus: Pilot training
Home Airport: Palo Alto Airport (KPAO)
Google Rating: 4.5 (15 reviews)

Call (650) 858-2200 Get Directions Visit Website

Listing data is maintained editorially and confirmed with schools over time. Programs and pricing change; verify details directly before enrolling.

Hours

Monday: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

See It on the Map

What Students and Pilots Say

★★★★★ 2 years ago

I got an introductory lesson by one of the Sr flight instructors for my 40th birthday. I was taken me up in a two seater. We flew over the peninsula direction Pilar Point and back on a spectacular day. This was a fun experience that I will never for get. The flying club, is a non-profit organization. It caters to folks who become members and are interested in learning to fly and earn their pilot license. This is on…
Frederick Dolan via Google

★★★★★ 1 year ago

Stanford flying club is a very good aviation school. The instructors are strict, patient and friendly. I have a very good learning experience with my instructors. They all have solid aviation skills and knowledge. Highly recommend this club!
Tong Wu via Google

★★★★★ 9 years ago

Great instructors and modern planes to fly. Bert is great and provides a helpful website to make plane and training reservations. This is a great option to learn to fly at your own pace, whether it's five lessons a week or one lesson a month. Thanks for the great experience! (Luis rocks!!!)
John Drdek via Google

★☆☆☆☆ 4 years ago

As both a USAF veteran and civil pilot for 23 years now I was seeking a club with a great fleet convenient to the West Bay area and from their website SFC seems to be a great fit to stay current. However, upon requesting information, 2 days later I get a call back from someone that seems like his wings have seen some better days. Upon telling him what I’m looking for he tells me that I “probably won’t be a good fit…
Keegan Leahy via Google

Reviews via Google Maps; they belong to their authors and are not our endorsement.

Planning Your Training Here

Planning training at a local school like Stanford Flying Club - Flight School trades the academy's speed for flexibility and often meaningfully lower total cost. The pay-as-you-fly model keeps your money in your control, and training two to three lessons weekly around work is the proven rhythm, enough frequency to retain skills without the academy's all-in schedule. The variable to manage is momentum: local-school students who succeed book standing lesson slots, fly year-round, and treat ground study as homework rather than something that happens at the airport. Ask about aircraft scheduling depth, instructor availability on your target days, and examiner wait times in Palo Alto, the three friction points that stretch part-time timelines.

What Flying in California Teaches You

California training compresses experience: the Los Angeles basin's stacked Class B, coastal marine layers, mountain passes, and desert density altitude all sit within an hour of each other. Students who learn here learn to talk fast, plan thoroughly, and fly precisely, and the weather cooperates most of the year.

How to Evaluate Stanford Flying Club - Flight School on Your Tour

Every school on this directory gets the same advice from us, because the fundamentals don't move. Walk the ramp and count how many aircraft are down for maintenance. Ask how many lessons a week they can actually schedule you, and how far out the booking calendar runs. Ask for first-attempt checkride pass rates and how long students wait for an examiner. And keep your money in your control: pay as you fly, or in small blocks with clear refund terms.

Then weigh the location itself. Training in Palo Alto means building your early hours in California weather and airspace, and both become part of your airmanship. Our school-selection guide covers the full vetting checklist, and the financing page maps scholarships and loans that apply at schools like this one.

Common Questions About Training at Stanford Flying Club - Flight School

How long would my training take here?

Part-time students flying two to three lessons weekly typically earn a private certificate in six to twelve months and a commercial certificate in two to three years, with pace set by your calendar and the weather. Consistency decides everything: standing lesson slots beat sporadic bursts by months.

What will it cost, and can I get help paying?

Get Stanford Flying Club - Flight School's current rates directly; published numbers age fast in this industry. Nationally, plan on $80,000 to $120,000 from zero time to commercial certificates before instructing pay starts offsetting costs. Our financing guide maps the loans, scholarships, and airline cadet programs that apply here, and several scholarship cycles go undersubscribed every single year.

How should I arrange a visit?

Call ahead and ask for a tour on a normal training day, not a quiet one. Use the directions button above to plan the drive to Palo Alto, arrive early enough to watch ramp operations, and bring the vetting checklist from this page. A school proud of its operation will show you everything; hesitation is itself an answer.

Get Matched

Considering Stanford Flying Club - Flight School? Tell us your goal and timeline and we'll line this school up against comparable options near you, with the financing routes and scholarship deadlines that fit. One form, no spam, a real reply within a business day.