The Hawkins Method
A proven, structured path from your first discovery flight to a professional pilot career. Every step is intentional, every milestone is clear.
Your Path to the Cockpit
The Step-by-Step Enrollment Process
Getting started in aviation can feel overwhelming, but the enrollment process at Hawkins is designed to remove every barrier. Whether you are coming from Nashville, Murfreesboro, Tupelo, or Shelbyville, you move through three clear steps, and each one is built to make sure you feel confident before moving to the next.
Take a Discovery Flight
Your first real experience in the cockpit. A 1 to 1.5 hour session that includes a pre-flight briefing, 30 to 45 minutes of hands-on flight time, and a post-flight debrief. No prior experience needed.
Meet the Team
Sit down with your instructors to discuss your aviation goals, evaluate training timelines, and map out a schedule that works with your life.
Formal Enrollment
Lock in your seat, finalize your training schedule, and receive your student pilot materials so you are fully prepared for day one.
Requirements to Start
To enroll in Private Pilot training, you must be at least 17 years old and pass a written knowledge exam. You will also need a medical certificate: a 3rd class medical for Private Pilot or a 2nd class medical for Commercial Pilot training.
Your Foundation in the Sky
Foundational Flight Paths
Every professional pilot career starts with a strong foundation. Students from Franklin, Shelbyville, Huntsville, and Oxford build their careers on these certificates and ratings, each one expanding your privileges and preparing you for the next milestone.
Private Pilot License (PPL)
The foundational certificate that opens the door to the sky. Requires a minimum of 40 flight hours and qualifies you to carry passengers day or night under Visual Flight Rules.
Accelerated Ground School
A 14-week, in-person course taught by a Certified Flight Instructor for $499.99. You build the aeronautical knowledge required to pass your FAA written exam and enter the cockpit fully prepared.
Instrument Rating (IR)
An essential add-on for serious pilots. Requires 40 hours of instrument time and trains you to fly confidently in clouds, low visibility conditions, and under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR).
Career-Ready Training
Professional and Career Pathways
Once your foundation is solid, Hawkins provides a direct line from certified pilot to working professional. Each of these pathways is designed to stack on the previous one, building your qualifications, your hours, and your earning potential in the most efficient way possible. Students from Columbia, Spring Hill, Manchester, Starkville, and Columbus are already on this path.
Commercial Pilot License (CPL)
Qualifies you to fly for compensation. Requires 250 total flight hours, including 100 as pilot-in-command and 50 hours of cross-country time. This is the credential that turns your passion into a paycheck.
Multi-Engine Rating
Hands-on training in our six-seat Piper Aztec. You learn to operate complex twin-engine aircraft, adding a powerful credential to your logbook and expanding the types of jobs available to you.
Certified Flight Instructor (CFI)
Turn your commercial license into a teaching career. Build your own flight hours while earning income as an instructor. Typically completed in 3 to 6 weeks after passing the FOI and FIA written exams.
Accelerated Professional Pilot Program
Our flagship "zero to hero" track, designed for completion in under 10 months with over 400 hours of training. Two packages available: Package 1 (Private Pilot through Multi-Engine) at $74,995, or Package 2 (adds CFI, CFII, and MEI instructor ratings) at $89,995.
Invest in Your Aviation Career
Funding and Training Support
Flight training is a significant investment, and we make sure you have the resources to fund it smartly. Hawkins partners with Stratus Financial for custom aviation loans and AOPA Finance, which offers lines of credit up to $100,000. Flexible repayment plans mean you can get started without waiting years to save. Students from Fayetteville, Lewisburg, Tullahoma, and Winchester use these options to fund their training.
To build your theoretical knowledge from the ground up, we offer a 14-week, in-person ground school taught by a Certified Flight Instructor for just $499.99. You walk into the cockpit fully prepared instead of guessing your way through checklists. Aspiring pilots from Florence, Pontotoc, and New Albany are taking advantage of this structured classroom experience.
Our Redbird flight simulators let you practice procedures safely and at a fraction of the cost of flight time. The FAA allows students to log up to 2.5 simulator hours toward a Private Pilot License and up to 10 hours toward an Instrument Rating. Students traveling from Amory, Baldwyn, Fulton, and West Point save real money and gain real skills before they leave the ground.
Enroll Now
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Let's Get You In The Air
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