It is about an hour each way, so lessons are planned in longer blocks that make every trip count. Coastal flying, one instructor, $40 an hour.
Yes. Lakeland students train one on one with November Foxtrot Aviation, a St. Petersburg based instructor about 58 miles and 65 minutes from downtown Lakeland on I-4 and I-275. Stefan also trains at airports across the Tampa Bay area, which can shorten the trip from Polk County. Because of the drive, lessons are usually scheduled as longer blocks that combine ground school and flying. Instruction is $40 an hour and the 1.5 hour discovery flight is $140.
Take I-4 west to I-275 south and cross the Howard Frankland Bridge into St. Petersburg. Plan on about 65 minutes from downtown Lakeland and a little less from Plant City. An airport on the Tampa side of the bay can trim the drive, so ask Stefan what works. Weekend mornings are the easiest drive, and they are also the smoothest air of the day.
Lakeland is a serious aviation town, home to Lakeland Linder International and the Sun 'n Fun expo every spring, so you have options closer to home. The students who drive to the coast want two things: a dedicated instructor at a low hourly rate, and coastal flying that inland Florida cannot offer.
Your lessons cover Tampa Bay, the Sunshine Skyway, and the Gulf beaches. Later in training, longer flights head inland over the country you know, and Lakeland Linder is a natural destination for a training flight across the state's lake country.
About 58 miles from downtown Lakeland to St. Petersburg, roughly 65 minutes by car on I-4 west and I-275 south across the Howard Frankland Bridge. Airports on the Tampa side of the bay may be closer; ask Stefan.
Yes, if you plan for it. Most Lakeland students come once or twice a week for a longer block that combines ground school and one or two flights, which keeps progress steady with fewer trips.
The rate is the same for everyone: $40 an hour for flight and ground instruction. Aircraft rental is arranged separately. A 1.5 hour discovery flight is $140.
That is the best way to decide. The discovery flight is 1.5 hours for $140, you fly the airplane yourself, and afterward Stefan will lay out an honest plan for training around your schedule and your commute.
Send your details and Stefan will call or text to set up a time. Most flights are scheduled about a week out.
