Fly There LLC - Wheeling, Illinois

Jason K.

Fly There and all the instructors I worked with were incredible getting me to and through my check ride! I worked with Brian as my main CFI but was able to fly with Jake and Elliot as need for my schedule as well. Fly There is very flexible with scheduling and that was a huge help as my schedule changes a lot. I was very prepared for all steps of training and will continue to fly the well maintained planes as a private pilot as well as start my next rating!

Marlon M.

UPDATE: My son received his PPL last year when he turned 17 - and will now be pursuing a degree in Professional Flight at Purdue University this fall. It's a very selective program - and as he continues to maintain his flight hours at Fly There, I'm very appreciative of the training he received at this facility!
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My teen son has attended Fly There for the last year, working towards his PPL is April. Brian Sheridan has been an excellent instructor and mentor for him. The facilities are top notch and the planes are newer and safe. We shopped several schools in the area before choosing Fly There - and we have no regrets in our choice.

My son is on his way to a university program, for an aviation degree next year, and has compared notes with campus tour ambassadors at these schools. They're impressed with the training he has received so far, so we believe he has received a very solid foundation from the great team at Fly There - and he may even be coming in with an advantage, as he applies for these competitive programs. We highly recommend this school!

Max P.

Recently got my PPL after training with Fly There and the entire team is nothing but professional. Great team and planes. The instructors and support team care about your progress and due so in a safe and regimented way. Plane/instructor availability is great and I always felt that the instructors truly cared about your progression and goals. Brian, Chris, Jake, Jared, Jason,
and Donna have been spectacular.

Tazer T.

I had a tremendous experience with my instructor getting my PPL. I was at Windy City Flyers before they imploded and Fly There was 10x better experience from an instructor and aircraft basis. However, after my instructor left, I reached out to the owner about getting a new instructor to which they responded by saying they would put me on a waitlist and proceeded to remove my access to their online portal and began ghosting my emails. After spending thousands of dollars and months of training with the school just to be put on a waitlist and have my training halted because their instructor left was so beyond ridiculous. Thankfully I switched over to Synergy, which has been a fantastic experience.

Everyone there seems so nice, and you will probably have a fine experience; however, the only thing that made my experience fine was my awesome instructor and modern fleet. I absolutely would not recommend this school, and I would be very cautious if you are a current customer as to not be screwed over by the management like myself.

Cyrus A.

I almost "NEVER" give Five stars to any business unless they really earn it. Fly there LLC was the fourth school I attended in Chicago local area. Two of them in Midway and PWK were just a nightmare, and as soon as they realized I have the money to pay, the whole disaster started. Short story, with so many hours with them, I couldn't even trim the plane appropriately when I decided to quit and come to Fly There LLC, just exhausted and on the verge of quitting permanently.

Fly There LLC holds very high standards, and they show that immediately by providing the best of the best, like brand new fleets (All G1000). Getting a private pilot license requires hard work and frankly, one of the most challenging degrees I ever earned, but it is worth every minute and penny I spent. I can't say enough about the dedication and commitment of the professional team running this school.

Don't joke around, and if you are serious, this is the school without any usual games other schools play with you. If you expect the best of the best like me, your only available option in Illinois is only Fly There LLC. Even though, as an executive, I was very busy with work and family, my CFI (Jared), always accommodated with me and worked really really hard so I could get my wings. The expectations are high, and I can't sugar quote it, but guess what? You are flying a plane, what do you expect

Those schools that just try to put you up there, don't care much about the safety of anyone. Jared worked hard to make sure I had enough confidence to handle many situations, and every time I fly nowadays, I just thank him and understand why he was so serious about every task.

Toward the end of the training, I had the pleasure to work with amazing other CFI's, Johan and Jacob, to make sure I'm beyond perfect in-ground and checkride. Even Jason (The owner), with so much impressive experiences, also ensured I knew everything before the handoff to the examiner. They won't joke around and make sure you WILL pass all official exams the "FIRST TIME".

The result for going to Fly There LLC: I got 95% in the ground and first-time pass in almost IMC conditions on my checkride day, which was not normal (Yes, i wasn't lucky that day). Thank you, the team of Fly There, and I can't say enough for what you did for me. Not only did I get my private pilot license, but every time I fly, I feel I'm one of the safest pilots around because of them and with so much confidence. Even my passengers (family and friends) feel so comfortable. Fly There is the only place I will continue my training for IFR or anything else needed. Stop wasting your time in other local schools and only pick them if you really dream of flying. They well deserve my 5 Stars. Have Fun Flying, and Don't Stop Learning For Safe Flying ...

Sam W.

I did my private pilot training at Fly There this past winter. I spent time researching all the local flight schools at PWK beforehand and I’m extremely glad I made the choice I did. Fly There is hands down the best place to take flying lessons in the Chicago area.

Jared was my primary instructor, and I had a fantastic experience learning from him. Beyond simply having lots of flight hours, it’s clear that Jared cares greatly about teaching and has a wealth of experience doing so. I was able to make continual progress and never felt like I was “stuck” on anything during my training. When I found myself struggling with something, he was able to carefully dissect and explain what I was doing incorrectly, why it was leading to the undesired result, and how I could fix it. Not only does this sort of “root cause analysis” ease frustration, but I’m confident that it has made me safer and more proficient overall.

The owner Jason cares deeply about student success and views safety and effective learning as first principles to running a flight school. You’ll be provided with a comprehensive syllabus that describes in detail the knowledge and milestones you will achieve during your lessons. At the same time, the exact course of your training will be tailored based on what you excel at and face difficulty with so that you aren’t left with any gaps by the time you’ve got your license. Fly There embodies the attitudes that will make you a safe and capable pilot.

As for the aircraft, funny enough when I took my checkride the examiner couldn’t stop complimenting how well-maintained the planes are compared to the other local schools she’s experienced. “You picked the right place,” she told me.

Dennis W.

Donna and Jason Unger run a first class operation. The moment you walk into the hangar you will know you are at the right place. Chris Nguyen was my primary instructor. His skill, knowledge, teaching style and temperament are exactly what you want in your CFII. I also had the pleasure to fly with Jake, Brian and Elliot. These exceptional aviators helped me achieve my IFR rating.

Fly There's three near identical 172s also makes a big difference. They are modern and well maintained. At other flight schools getting bumped from the plane you are used to to one with different avionics or engine type is a drag.

If you don't want to make a stupid YouTube video titled "what I wish I did differently in my flight training" then I recommend Fly There 100%.

Chris W.

I came to Fly There a week after completing my Private Pilot Certificate. I was one of the final students at the school I finished with and I was already looking for another school on the field that I could rent from and continue my aviation education. I was thrilled to learn that all of Fly There’s 172s were G1000, and that they had an SR20 in the fleet. Everyone at Fly There is friendly, enthusiastic, and genuinely want the best education, experience, and rental experience for everyone that comes in. From communicating with Donna and Jason, to working with the CFI’s, everyone has a fantastic attitude and want you to succeed. The fleet are the absolute cleanest planes I’ve ever seen in a school/rental fleet. Chris was great during my check out flight to clear me for rentals, and I very often see him on the ramp, always ready to lend a hand or discuss current conditions. Aidan was a fantastic instructor who took me through completing my High Performance endorsement as well as my Cirrus Transition Training. I continue to enjoy renting at Fly There and I look forward to completing all of my future certificates and endorsement with them.