My name is Peter Aretz. I'm currently enrolled in the CPP at Smithfield, NC. I started in July 2025, and am nearing the end of my student experience here at Blue Line Aviation. I came in with ZERO experience and am now just a short month away from graduation. My decision to attend Blue Line came after many months of research, developing pros & cons lists, and deep contemplation. I could not think of a different approach that would be more appropriate to my career goals. I want to say that I was very fearful before coming here. The speed of the program, the packed schedule, and a new home with new people, but I was most afraid that Blue Line had a system, and if I didn't fit in it I wouldn't make it. That is far from the truth. After arriving I was feeling slightly overwhelmed and reached out to Leslie; the level of attention my concerns were met with was extremely reassuring, and it was in that moment that I knew I picked the right school. Day 1: My class's first ground lesson was orientation, we became familiar with the other students, some of the instructors, and experienced the initial exposure to Blue Line as an education provider. After setting up our documents and paperwork we moved straight into our first lesson, systems. Blue Line created a master document with everything I needed to know about the aircraft. The instruction was fantastic, throughout, overwhelming but met with immense support, and a sincerity that I hadn't experienced in any other education program. Private Academy: Each ground lesson is organized per the syllabus page, which outlines exactly what you're going to do. This type of structure helped me make the most out of each and every one of my lessons and undoubtedly contributed to my success in training. Knowing exactly what I was going to do the next day allowed me to prepare for it before bed. This type of structure also made me confident that every one of my flight hours was spent progressing towards the goal. Instrument Academy: Instrument makes you a safer and more knowledgeable pilot. Gaining valuable knowledge about the G1000 and how to fully extract its worth in flight. Night flights, fun cross countries, developing a deeper understanding of the National Airspace System was extremely enjoyable, challenging, and rewarding. Commercial Academy: It was in Commercial that I earned my "aerial sea-legs". The long cross countries, towered airport operations, and getting to fly into the airport that the Wright Brothers first took flight. This was when my skills became sharpened, refined, and polished into an aviator ready for commercial operations. Certified Flight Instructor Academy: This academy is where my level of understanding and application of the things I learned in the previous academies became so in depth, that confidence naturally ensued. The kind of confidence that is built upon Safety. Me and my class-mates were friends before, in this academy, we became family. Long hours building and supporting each other. Identifying weak points and strengthening them until all of us were ready to take the big test "check-ride". The instructors: The team of instructors at Blue Line Aviation in Smithfield, NC are some of the most sincere people I've ever met. They want you to succeed and in every interaction with them you'll see it too. They are immensely knowledgeable, professional, and most of all, caring. If they can't help you with something they will find someone who can. Present day: My roommates are my best friends, the school is like a second home, and the instructors are like professional friends ready to help in any way, every day. Extra notes: I have never had a flight canceled for lack of aircraft, lack of instructors, or maintenance. The upper management team wants to see you succeed just as much as your instructor does.
Smithfield, North Carolina · KJNX
Blue Line Aviation
4.4 from 153 Google reviews
Blue Line Aviation is a flight school in Smithfield, North Carolina. A full write-up of this school has not been published yet; the contact details and Google reviews on this page are current as of the last sync.
What students say
Google shares a school's five most relevant reviews with sites like this one; the full set lives on the school's own Google profile. Collected July 31, 2026.