Riggin Flight Service: Flight School in Madison, North Dakota

Riggin Flight Service in Madison, photo 1

Riggin Flight Service in Madison, photo 2

Riggin Flight Service in Madison, photo 3

Photos via Google Maps; they belong to their authors.

Location: Madison, North Dakota
School Type: Local flight school
Training Focus: Pilot training
Google Rating: 4.7 (46 reviews)

Call (605) 256-9774 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: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

See It on the Map

What Students and Pilots Say

★★★★★ 3 weeks ago

I came here for my Multi-Engine rating and got done in just a few days. Honestly, I wish I had found this place earlier. The instructors and staff are incredibly knowledgeable and helpful, making it a great place to get top-tier instruction and get done quickly. Morris is also a fantastic DPE—he makes the environment enjoyable and the checkride stress-free. If you want efficient, professional training and a smooth …
Ethan Sy via Google

★★★★★ 1 month ago

I came to Riggin to finish up! I pretty much was solo in all decades since 1982,always ran out of money! this time I went to where I could immerse my self in aviation, WELL I WAS ABLE TO DO EXACTLY THAT. flying two times a day, and studying in between flights in Madison SD. after 15 flights, including a solo cross country because I was .3 short of the required time. My instructor Griffin signed me off check ride was …
William Long via Google

★☆☆☆☆ 11 months ago

I had all my requirements met flight wise and just needed to knock out the ground weaknesses I had. I spent a week here and was given little direction, in that time spent 2 hours on the ground with an instructor. The instructors are kind, but they’re not given a whole lot of structure to go off of and lessons etc are nonexistent. It’s advertised as a “go at your own pace” school, but if you ask for more ground they…
Roland Pederson via Google

★★★★★ 3 years ago

Was the best we have toured and plan on our son becoming a pilot here. Greg was such a great instructor, Mr. Riggin is such a down to earth, humble, and brilliant pilot. Hands down what a great place....like family!
Grant Anderson 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 Riggin Flight Service 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 Madison, the three friction points that stretch part-time timelines.

What Flying in North Dakota Teaches You

North Dakota flying is honest flying: flat horizon-to-horizon terrain, quiet airspace, and winters that make aircraft systems knowledge and icing awareness non-negotiable. Students who train through a Grand Forks winter graduate with cold-weather judgment most professional pilots take years to build, and the state's empty practice areas mean more maneuvers per lesson hour than crowded metros can deliver.

How to Evaluate Riggin Flight Service 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 Madison means building your early hours in North Dakota 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 Riggin Flight Service

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 Riggin Flight Service'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 Madison, 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 Riggin Flight Service? 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.