Chief Pilot at Front Range Fight School, Brian Eaton talks with student Briana Fraire, who will be graduating from Metro State University with a degree in aviation this spring.

Brian Eaton opened the Front Range Flight School in May for the same reasons he became a flight instructor 12 years ago. “I take a lot of satisfaction in teaching people how to safely operate an aircraft and enjoy aviation,” says the school’s president and chief flight instructor. “I want to contribute to aviation by making sure we put out quality pilots and safe people who can give it a good name.”

Located six miles southeast of Denver International Airport, Eaton feels his school is ideally located to serve the needs of people in northeast Denver. Front Range Flight School provides flight training from primary (private pilot licensing) up to commercial and airline pilot training, flight instructor training and preparation for NASA, the Air Force and naval aviation.

Approximately 60 percent of the school’s students are there to pursue a career in aviation and 40 percent just want to learn to fly for fun. “They want to be able to fly up to the Black Hills to see Mt. Rushmore from the air or fly to Kansas City to see a football game, for instance,” says Eaton.

Flight training can start as young as age 13. Solo flying can start at age 16, and 17 is the minimum age for receiving a pilot’s license.

Regardless of the reasons for learning to fly, Eaton says the level of training and emphasis on safety and professionalism is consistent. “Even if you just wanted to fly a plane for fun, we train people to the same standards as those trying to be a commercial pilot,” he says. It’s just the type of licensing one moves onto that determines how their experience will be used.

Training can cost thousands of dollars but people can get a taste of aviation with $99 Discovery Flights where they sit in the pilot’s seat with the instructor next to them and use the controls to the extent they and the instructor are comfortable for taking off and landing. “But once we’re at altitude, you’re doing the flying, getting to experience it. It’s fantastic!”

Eaton wanted to create an atmosphere at Front Range Flight School where people interested in aviation, whether they are learning to fly or not, can hang out. “It’s a friendly, almost fellowship atmosphere,” he says. “Talk with people and be part of what’s happening and stay involved even if you aren’t spending money,” he says. “Training and enjoying the general aviation environment is really what we’re about.”

Visit www.frontrangeflightschool.com or call them at 1-720-646-2350 to schedule a tour of the facilities.