Flight Training Blog

Two of our most recent graduates took their Commercial Multi Engine checkrides yesterday and passed with flying colors.  Both students, Craig Thissen and Isaiah Carlton, already have class dates with SkyWest for next week!  Good luck with the airlines gentlemen, and congrats on the Halloween checkrides.

More good news for our veterans!  The Veteran’s Administration has approved our ATP (Airline Transport Pilot) course for VA funding.  All veterans with VA benefits can now use those benefits to obtain the highest rating available for pilots.  The course assumes the applicant will get the required ATP-CTP ground course on their own.  When finished… Read more »

The Orlando Flight Standards District Office has approved Sunrise Aviation to train Airline Pilots under Part 141.  Sunrise has been working on this designation for the past 12 months and we are proud to announce that it has finally gained approval from the FAA.  We are now working with the Florida State Approving Agency to… Read more »

Sunrise Aviation has done it again!  For 3 out of the last 4 years, Sunrise Aviation has won the prestigious “Distinguished Flight School” award from Airplane Owner and Pilots Association.  We couldn’t have done it without the support of our students and our training partner, Florida State College Jacksonville.  Most of our Flight Instructors are retired military… Read more »

Sunrise Aviation is proud to announce that we are the newest flight school approved for the Trans States Airlines transition program.  This program will allow active and retired helicopter pilots with 750 hours to obtain fixed-wing transition training for free.  Trans States Airlines will pay up to $38,000 for qualified pilots to transition to airplanes,… Read more »

Sunrise Aviation Jacksonville is proud to announce that we have received AOPA’s “Distinguished Flight School” Award for 2017!  This award places Sunrise Aviation in the Top 4% of all flight schools in the United States.  We would like to thank our training partner, Florida State College Jacksonville (FSCJ), for providing our training facilities over the… Read more »

Congrats to David Dixon for successfully earning his Instrument rating. David will now move on to his Commercial pilot training with Sunrise Flight Academy.

Congratulations to John Turner and Alec Therre on passing their Instrument checkrides on the first attempt!  Turner and Therre finished training under CFI Mike Saylor and will now be transitioning to the Commercial Pilot syllabus.

Congrats to Doug Battig on passing his Private Pilot checkride in the Cessna 172R with DPE Randy Miner today.  Doug is a Navy Flight Officer and was trained by CFI Mark Boundy.  Doug will now transition to the Instrument course with Florida State College.  Congrats Lt. Battig!

Congratulations to Jackson Sands on his first solo today in the C-172. Jackson’s CFI is Mike Saylor. Mr. Sands will now progress to the cross country stage of training.

Big congratulations to Thomas Brumfield and his instructor Alivia Cole for completing his first solo flight! Thomas, from Middleburg, works two jobs in the service industry but one day plans on flying commercially and joining the Air Force Reserves. Thomas said that here at Sunrise, “everything and everyone has been a great help.”

Congratulations to Carlious Burton, Jacksonville’s newest Private Pilot.  Burton is from Huntsville, Alabama and is a business owner who enjoys flying.  Burton was trained by CFI Juliana Vazquez and he took his checkride with DPE Jay Lawrence and passed on the first attempt. Mr. Burton is now enrolled in the Instrument Rating program and has… Read more »

Sunrise Flight Academy welcomes Chris Lacroix to the Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) ranks.  Lacroix is an F-15 pilot with the Air National Guard and passed his ATP checkride on Saturday morning with examiner Matt Blythe. Cheng Chen passed his Private Pilot checkride with examiner Jay Lawrence this past week.  Chen is in the Navy and… Read more »

After a 2 year hiatus, Sunrise Flight Academy has re-opened this blog and will be updating it weekly.  Stay tuned for news from around the school-house!

Congrats to Chief Ben Miller for earning his Instrument Rating with Designated Examiner Jay Lawrence. Chief Miller is now enrolled in our Commercial Pilot Program.

Congratulations to Jeremy Pugh and Jeremy Wicker on passing their Instrument Rating checkrides at Herlong airport. They will both be moving on to the Commercial program.

Congratulations to Mr. John Hanna for successfully completing the Instrument Course and passing his practical checkride.  John will now be transitioning into the Commercial Pilot program.

Congrats to Mark Fish for successfully completing his Instrument checkride w/ examiner Matt Blythe. Mark will now be transitioning to the Commercial training syllabus.

Mr. Greg Valent passed his Instrument Rating checkride with Designated Examiner Richard Tillery yesterday afternoon in the C-172R.  Greg will continue into the Commercial Pilot syllabus with CFI John Miller.  Congrats Greg!

Congratulations to Florida’s newest ATP pilot, Lcdr Jeremy Kim. Mr. Kim is a Navy P-3 Pilot and was trained by CFI Billy Walker. He will now transition from the Navy to the airlines.