WNC Aviation

★☆☆☆☆ 1 out of 5 a month ago

Several years ago I trained at 3 flight schools, first in Leesburg VA for my discovery flight and ground school then PDK in Atlanta for all my pre-solo flying and finally to WNC where I soloed and did my cross country. The leadership was so bad I left the school with hundreds of dollars in my account and never returned. I have never experienced being talked down to or talked "at" instead of with as bad as I was here. The ex-military staff should be reminded we are paying customers and not in the military anymore and watch their words and their tone. If there was a safety issue, sure, get to the point and keep it safe. But for general learning and gaps from the staff instructors vs the leaderships expectations that is not on the student and it's not worth thousands of dollars to be treated this way.

Lee Trout

★★★★★ 5 out of 5 6 months ago

Whole staff is a wonderful group of people. I flew in with a student from Raleigh for his instrument checkride and our gps database was expired. These friendly folks were kind enough to let us borrow a card from them so my student could complete his checkride. To me this act really embodies what the spirit of aviation is all about and we are so thankful. Thanks again guys!

Gavin Burns

★☆☆☆☆ 1 out of 5 a year ago

I attended this flight school from 2020 to 2025 as part of the Part 141 program through AB-Tech. Enrolling as a non-U.S. citizen came with the additional TSA clearance process, which I understand is standard across U.S. flight schools and not specific to this one. However, my overall experience here was disappointing. While the affiliated college program can be completed in about three years, I finished the academic portion in just one year due to prior credits — yet the flight training took significantly longer. Progress was consistently delayed due to operational constraints. With only a limited number of functioning aircraft and many students, it was not uncommon to fly only 2–4 times per month. This low frequency made it difficult to maintain proficiency or move forward confidently. Instructor turnover was also a major issue — I had seven different flight instructors during my private pilot training alone. Although high turnover can be expected in aviation, the frequent transitions left me feeling unsupported and often starting over. Instruction was inconsistent: some instructors offered little to no post-flight feedback, while others charged for ground instruction without actually providing it. Progress felt secondary to profit at times. There also seemed to be favoritism among instructors, and I personally overheard negative remarks made about students behind closed doors, which created a toxic learning environment. As a person of color, there were moments when I felt I was being treated differently — this, coupled with a lack of communication and transparency, made the experience even more discouraging. The chief pilot presents himself as highly experienced, but often comes across as more concerned with image than student success. I know of students who started in 2020 and are still trying to finish their training in 2025 — which says a lot. While the airspace and the kindness of Asheville ATC were bright spots, they were not enough to outweigh the frustrations of delayed progress, poor resource allocation, and inconsistent instruction. This flight school continues to accept more students than it can realistically support, and unfortunately, many are left stuck in a long, costly process. If I could go back, I would choose a school with better aircraft availability, consistent instruction, and a more supportive environment. Flight training is a major investment — both financially and emotionally — and every student deserves to be treated with professionalism and respect.

Person Hi

★☆☆☆☆ 1 out of 5 a year ago

Took a discovery flight just over a month ago with them, immediately wanted to enroll and told me they could only enroll me over the phone with their front desk which was 5 feet away, also refused to enter in my log book for the hour we were in the air. After taking lessons in SC all I can say is stay away go to Greenville aviation, wnc aviation really only cares about their part 141 school with ab tech. Called over 10 times that week to try and enroll with no one answering and receiving no calls back. Do not recommend sadly

Brady Smith

★★★★★ 5 out of 5 a year ago

Took a Discovery Flight today to test out my ambition if I want to pursue a passion from my youth. Which was further enhanced when I was able to take control of the aircraft mid-flight. Timothy was great in showing me around the aircraft and responsive to my questions. Due to weather conditions in Western North Carolina, and my personal work schedule, it did take some time to finally get good enough weather to take this flight. No fault to WNC Aviation. I look forward in working with the staff in the future.

Christine Clark