Epic Flight Academy Expands to Become Largest Part 141 School in U.S.

Epic Flight Academy has officially become the largest FAA-certified Part 141 flight school in the United States, expanding to nine total campuses.

“It’s quite a milestone, especially considering the fact that we are actively developing additional flight training sites that will also be Part 141 schools,” said Epic founder and CEO Danny Perna.

Epic director of satellite operations Brock Rees also lauded the prospects of the academy’s expansion.

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“FAA Part 141 training is a structured, FAA-approved program that offers a faster, more efficient path to earning pilot certificates with fewer required flight hours,” Rees said.

Rees said he was tasked with traveling the country looking for suitable locations and setting up Epic schools—all Part 141. This included assembling teams of Epic-trained flight instructors, hiring student services coordinators, and working with local schools and city officials to pave the way for a new facility opening.

The process also included FAA inspections before the campuses could be certified as Part 141 training facilities. The new locations are Centennial Airport (KAPA) in Englewood, Colorado, St. George Regional Airport (KSGU) in Utah, and Tuscaloosa National Airport (KTCL) in Alabama.

Epic director of education Cindy Lovell noted the grand openings for the three newest schools are scheduled for June and July.

The new locations join EFA academies at the following locations:

• Addison, Texas: Addison Airport (KADS)
• Jacksonville, Florida: Herlong Recreational Airport (KHEG)
• New Smyrna Beach, Florida: New Smyrna Beach Municipal Airport (KEVB)
• Ocala, Florida: Ocala International Airport (KOCF)
• Tallahassee, Florida: Tallahassee International Airport (KTLH)
• Tucson, Arizona: Tucson International Airport (KTUS)

More locations means an increase in the number of instructors and support staff employed by EFA.

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“We try to hire Epic-trained instructors whenever possible because they are familiar with the rigor and expectations,” said Lovell. “We currently employ 245 people around the country, and 118 [nearly half] of them are flight instructors. We like to maintain a low student-to-instructor ratio.”

The History

Epic Flight Academy was established in 1999 to provide training for both pilots and mechanics. According to company officials, they have trained approximately 7,500 pilots, most of whom were Part 141. EFA averages approximately 1,000 check rides per year, and its clients come from all over the world for training.

The flight students have access to fresh-from-the-factory Cessna Skyhawks and state-of-the-art simulators to learn on. Each facility also has weather stations, classroom space, and study materials.

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“As someone who has earned seven pilot ratings at Epic, I know firsthand the value of a Part 141 program,” said Epic chief flight instructor Ray Altmann. “Our students appreciate the efficiency of Part 141 training, and offering this at all nine of our flight schools is something we’re all proud of.”

Although Epic is well versed in Part 141, which requires a more structured approach to both training and recordkeeping, the academy does provide for the occasional part-time student training under Part 61.

“Our students are well informed about Part 141 standards and how they impact them,” said Lovell. “That’s why so many choose to train with us. We keep detailed student records, track FAA-approved curriculum, maintain lesson plans and instructor logs, and remain at the ready for FAA audits at any time. Having our schools authorized by the FAA under Part 141 assures students of an excellent foundation and efficient training.

Since its founding, EFA has used external DPEs, however, the school has met FAA requirements and submitted a letter of intent for self-examining privileges and is waiting to hear from the FAA.

EFA also provides Part 147 training for aircraft mechanics. The mechanics school was launched in 2020, and an aviation maintenance technician (AMT) program in 2024. There are two locations for maintenance programs—New Smyrna Beach and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (KCVG).