Welcome to Black Hound Aviation!
We’re thrilled to be a part of your aviation journey, whether you’re working on your Private Pilot Certificate, Instrument Rating, Complex or High Performance Endorsement, maintaining currency or training for an advanced rating such as Commercial Pilot or Certified Flight Instructor.
We’ve created an “Onboarding Check List” for your reference as you get the ball rolling on your training. Please review the checklist below and let us know if you have any questions.
Onboarding Check List:
☐ You’ll receive an email from Flight Circle, our scheduling software. Follow the prompts to establish your account.
☐ You’ll receive an electronic agreement via email. Please read, fill and E-sign the agreement.
☐ The FAA requires you to undertake a flight physical exam before you may legally fly solo. This exam is performed by a local Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) of your choosing.
☐ Prior to taking your flight physical exam, go to https://medxpress.faa.gov/medxpress/ to fill out the government paperwork. The medical isn't required to begin training, but it is required prior to your solo. I always recommend getting this as early as possible, to make sure there are no surprises.
☐ Schedule your Flight Physical. This is easy and will cost around $100. Go to this link, https://designee.faa.gov/#/designeeLocator and select “AME” from the drop down, then put in the city where you’d like to take the exam. Usually selecting Austin or San Antonio works best.
☐ The next thing to do is set up an account in IACRA. https://iacra.faa.gov/IACRA/Default.aspx This is where you'll be able to arrange for your written test, your student pilot certificate, and when it's time, apply for your private pilot check ride. As with the physical exam, you need to have the student pilot certificate prior to your first solo. Once you've set up the account (select the role "applicant" and follow the prompts), you'll need to sit side by side with your instructor to complete the application for your certificate.
☐ Set up a ground school account with your flight instructor. We can provide you with a substantial discount off the ground school course offered by Sporty's, simply call or text us at 512-810-7406.
☐ Please look at our Black Hound Operations Procedures (BHOP) for guidance on mutual expectations.
☐ Your instructor will set up your initial flight lesson. To prevent miscommunication, always coordinate directly with your instructor to schedule a flight. (Exception: your instructor may explicitly allow you to schedule on Flight Circle.)