Fort Myers, FL · Page Field (KFMY)
Hands on the controls of a Piper Cherokee at Page Field, with a certified instructor at your side — for $175. The fastest, realest way to find out if becoming a pilot is for you.
Takes about 60 seconds · No spam, ever
About Core Aviator
Core Aviator Training is based at Page Field in Fort Myers — one of the best-located GA airports in Florida for year-round flying. We're a focused team of working pilots and instructors who'll get you from your first discovery flight to your checkride at the pace that fits your life — without the bottlenecks and waitlists of larger academies.
Where you'll fly
A Private Pilot License turns weekends into adventures. Here's where Core Aviator students fly when they're not training.
Wheels up after breakfast, on a theme-park ride by lunch — skip the four-hour I-75 drive entirely.
Sunset dinners on Duval, conch breakfast at Schooner Wharf.
Customs by mid-morning, conch fritters and crystal water by lunch.
Make a noon kickoff at Raymond James — beat the I-75 traffic that everyone else is sitting in.
A perspective on the Glades nobody who drove there ever sees.
Five months from today
Most students start exactly where you are right now. The hardest part is taking the first step.
Programs
Here's the part most schools bury in the fine print: you don't pay for any of this up front. Training is pay-as-you-go — you book a lesson, you fly, and you pay for that lesson's hours at $225/hour. That's the whole deal.
The foundation of everything else in aviation — fly yourself, your family, and your friends across Florida and the Bahamas, on your schedule.
Pay as you go. No package to buy, no big check up front — you only ever pay for the hours you actually fly.
60 min · one flat price
$175
Your first time at the controls. The fastest, cheapest way to find out if flying is for you — and it counts toward your training.
Same $225/hr · pay as you go
$225/hour
Learn to fly in the clouds. Plan on at least ~40 instrument hours — same deal, paid by the hour as you go. Required for serious cross-country flying.
Career Pilot Path
This one isn't a single class you buy — it's a stack of ratings, each with its own hour requirement, that you earn one at a time. Most people even get paid to fly while building the hours.
Reviews
The Gold Standard of Flight Training – I passed at 40.2 hours! I cannot recommend Core Aviator and Cristian Duran enough. If you are looking for a flight school that actually cares about producing safe, competent, and efficient pilots, stop your search right now. I am a pilot today solely because of Cristian. His teaching style is a perfect blend of patience and no-nonsense professionalism. He doesn't just teach you how to pass the test; he teaches you how to fly. The proof is in the results: I passed my Private Pilot Check Ride with just 40.2 hours on the Hobbs meter. In an industry where the national average is 60-70 hours, Cristian got me to a safe, test-ready standard in record time. If you want to save money, save time, and actually become a great pilot, fly with Cristian. He is the real deal.
Started flight training at a different school, and switched to Core Aviator after 7 months not making any progress. In less than two months, I was able to get my private pilot license with Cristian. Great instructing, flexible scheduling, and very affordable prices.
If you are looking for a fantastic flight instructor, look no further than Cristian! He recently took my two sons (ages 6 and 7) flying for their very first time, and it was an incredible experience from start to finish. He was patient and funny with the boys, keeping them excited and relaxed, yet he remained a true professional who takes safety very seriously. We flew over our home in Cape Coral and Ft. Myers Beach. The boys enjoyed it so much that I already booked their second flight!
The path
Most students walk in having never flown a small airplane. About five months later, they're licensed pilots. This is what happens in between.
Day 1
One hour at the controls with a CFI in the right seat. By the end you'll know if this is for you.
Hours 10–20
You learn to handle the airplane — takeoffs and landings, the maneuvers that keep you safe, talking to ATC, and finding your way around. Once you can do it on your own, your instructor climbs out and you make your first flight solo. You'll remember it for the rest of your life.
Hour 30
Now we get you ready for a real trip far from home — reading the weather, working through busy airspace, and keeping an eye out for the other airplanes around you. Then you plan it, fly it to a distant airport, and bring it home.
Hour 40
The final step. You show what you can do — flying the airplane while an official examiner rides along and supervises. Pass it, and you walk out a licensed Private Pilot. Most of our students do.
After
Your license doesn't expire. Fly your family to dinner two states over, take a weekend in the Bahamas, or keep going for your instrument rating. The country gets a lot smaller — and this is where it starts.
FAQ
None at all. Most of our students walk in having never touched an airplane. The discovery flight is built specifically for first-timers.
There's no big package to buy up front — you pay per lesson, as you go. The airplane and instructor are billed by the hour ($225/hr). Most students need at least 40 hours to be checkride-ready, so if you do the math, initial private training usually lands around $10,000 total — spread out a lesson at a time, over whatever timeline fits your life.
Absolutely — that's how most of our students train. We schedule around your availability, including evenings and weekends.
There is no upper age limit to learning to fly recreationally. Many of our students are 40, 50, even 60+. The only thing that matters is your medical and your motivation.
That's completely up to your schedule. If you can fly the three or four lessons a week we recommend, you'll progress the fastest and remember the most. But plenty of students train once a week, or even once a month — it just takes longer. A typical student flying about four 1.5-hour lessons a week finishes in around two months.
The Gold Standard of Flight Training – I passed at 40.2 hours! I cannot recommend Core Aviator and Cristian Duran enough. If you are looking for a flight school that actually cares about producing safe, competent, and efficient pilots, stop your search right now. I am a pilot today solely because of Cristian. His teaching style is a perfect blend of patience and no-nonsense professionalism. He doesn't just teach you how to pass the test; he teaches you how to fly. The proof is in the results: I passed my Private Pilot Check Ride with just 40.2 hours on the Hobbs meter. In an industry where the national average is 60-70 hours, Cristian got me to a safe, test-ready standard in record time. If you want to save money, save time, and actually become a great pilot, fly with Cristian. He is the real deal.
Started flight training at a different school, and switched to Core Aviator after 7 months not making any progress. In less than two months, I was able to get my private pilot license with Cristian. Great instructing, flexible scheduling, and very affordable prices.
If you are looking for a fantastic flight instructor, look no further than Cristian! He recently took my two sons (ages 6 and 7) flying for their very first time, and it was an incredible experience from start to finish. He was patient and funny with the boys, keeping them excited and relaxed, yet he remained a true professional who takes safety very seriously. We flew over our home in Cape Coral and Ft. Myers Beach. The boys enjoyed it so much that I already booked their second flight!
I spend a lot of time in Fort Myers with family, and as a PP working on my IR I wanted to do some flying while I was in town. Thanks to Cristian for making time for me. His Cherokee is immaculate. I don't think I've ever flown a plane that had a cowling so clean you could eat off it. No matter if you're looking to get into aviation or you have hours like me and you're just looking to do some flying in a beautiful place, this is where you should go.
Cristian is a great instructor—super knowledgeable and patient. Flying over Captiva and Sanibel was an amazing experience, and he always made sure my questions were answered clearly. Highly recommend!
Great experience with the chief pilot and owner Cristian. He was most helpful in directing me toward my goals.
Great communication, great plane, enjoyed every minute of all the flights! I would highly recommend!
Enjoyed my discovery flight and started lessons. Cristian is friendly and explains things well. The aircraft is clean and well maintained. Can't wait to get back up in the air.
I have really enjoyed my lessons with Cristian. He's a patient, knowledgeable, and inspiring flight instructor. I highly recommend Core Aviator for anyone interested in taking flight lessons.
Cristian offers some of the best flight instruction. He is calm, smart and very safe. Makes great decisions and has lots of experience to learn from.
I did my discovery flight yesterday and man what a nerve racking experience when I took the controls. With Cristian's guidance we flew around the local area and it was amazing. Highly recommended as the value for the experience is hard to replicate. I will definitely be returning and going for a pilot's license with his help and guidance!
