We train students from all over the Nashville area out of our main hangar at Shelbyville Municipal Airport (KSYI). We chose Shelbyville because it is just a short drive from Nashville but lets you avoid the massive delays and traffic congestion of controlled airspace. If you want to see our full programs and get directions, head over to our dedicated Nashville pilot training page.

Do not commit to a full course without flying first. We recommend taking a single Discovery Flight. It is a hands-on, 30-minute lesson where you take the controls, see how our team instructs, and test the fit of our glass-cockpit RV-12s before you make a larger financial decision.

Not at all. We train plenty of pilots who are learning purely for the fun, freedom, or utility of personal travel. If that is you, we will focus entirely on your Private Pilot license. If you do want to turn flying into a career, we offer a complete, structured pipeline that takes you all the way through your commercial and CFI certificates.

Look beyond the closest map pin. When you visit schools, ask three hard questions: Are the planes modern and well-maintained? Is the pricing fully transparent, or are there hidden fees? And is there a structured syllabus, or are you just going up to burn gas? We built Hawkins to provide clean, glass-cockpit aircraft and absolute clarity on every milestone.

The complete investment depends on the license you want and how consistently you can train. To keep things honest and clear, we use structured, package-based pricing for our main courses. That means we outline aircraft rentals, instructor hours, materials, and testing fees upfront so you can budget realistically without surprise bills later on.

Yes. A discovery flight is the best way for us to meet and for you to experience what flying a modern RV-12 is actually like. You can book yours directly on our Discovery Flight page, and we will handle the rest.

You do not need a medical certificate to start flying with an instructor on day one. However, because you must have one before your first solo flight, we always recommend getting your FAA medical exam scheduled during your first couple of weeks so a slow-moving medical application never stalls your progress.

Absolutely. We understand you have a job, a family, and other commitments. While training consistently is key to keeping momentum, we can tailor a part-time schedule that fits your life. Just bring us your availability before you enroll, and we will build a realistic training block together.

If you want to fly for a living, you should check out our Professional Pilot Program. It is a highly structured, back-to-back track designed to take you from a beginner all the way to a certified flight instructor as efficiently as your proficiency allows.

To make the most of your research, start with our Nashville training page. Then, review our training programs, examine our financing options, and read our new-to-flying guide. Once you have a handle on those, let's talk. You will have a much clearer idea of what you actually need.