AT THE PRESENT TIME WE ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTING INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS UNDER PART 141.
If you are a non-U.S. resident and you'd like to earn your pilot certificates at California Airways, welcome! We can sponsor you for the M-1 student visa, and we provide comfortable housing for all international students upon request.
Here's how to apply to our training programs:
1.) Submit your Application for Enrollment via this website. We will review your application and contact you if we need more information. When we approve your application, you must submit a deposit of $500 (non-refundable) via check (US only), money order, wire transfer, or credit card.
2.) Email us a photocopy of your birth certificate (registration of birth) or passport.
3.) Pass an FAA medical exam. A list of FAA medical examiners in your country may be found here. If it is inconvenient for you to make an appointment with an examiner in your country, we will arrange an appointment for you with a U.S. medical examiner when you arrive. The fee will be approx. $120, payable to the examiner. (Indian students: Please note that the cost of the medical exam is included in your package cost.)
4.) You must be able to read, speak, and understand English. If you have any concerns regarding your English ability, please contact us to schedule a phone interview. We will help determine your English ability.
5.) A minimum level of education is required for issuance of an M-1 visa. If you do not have at least the equivalent of 12 years of basic education, email us to schedule an informal interview, so we can determine your readiness for flight training.
6.) Before beginning flight training, you must be approved by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Please follow the instructions for the Alien Flight Student Program at the TSA's web site. Register as a Candidate, and select California Airways, Inc. as your course provider. If you have questions regarding the TSA's program, contact us for assistance.
ACCEPTANCE INTO OUR PROGRAM
7.) Once your Application for Enrollment has been accepted, your deposit has been received, and the TSA has granted preliminary approval to begin training, a confirmation email will be sent to you. The email will confirm your course enrollment, start date, and housing arrangements if requested.
8.) We will mail your I-20 sponsorship form for the M-1 Student visa when the TSA has granted preliminary approval to begin training. You must then take your passport and visa application to your nearest American Embassy or U.S. Consulate for issuance of your visa.
10.) Once your visa has been issued, you may travel to the United States and begin training. Your first installment in the amount of $2,500 will be required before training begins.
11.) All pilots must carry renters' insurance with a minimum of $5,000 hull coverage, and $25,000/250,000/250,000 liability coverage (property damage and bodily injury). This policy is portable within the U.S., and valid for 1 year.
A copy of the declarations page will be required prior to commencing flight training. Renter's insurance can be purchased quickly and easily through the Aircraft Owners' and Pilot's Association (www.aopa.org). The AOPA Insurance Agency will usually issue your policy on the same day that you order it.
Please note: If you are not a U.S. resident, but you are already a licensed pilot, and you simply wish to rent our aircraft without earning a new pilot certificate or rating, this page does not apply to you. You may rent our aircraft without completing the TSA approval process, and you do not need any special visas. However, you will need to convert your foreign pilot certificate to a US FAA certificate. Click here for specific instructions.
