About Us

We are One Crew.

Flex Air Aviation was founded by Charlie Copeland on the belief that flight training is more than just how to fly an airplane. It’s about joining a community, and becoming a respected professional, and not just a job. Since Flex Air’s humble beginnings of one plane and a family loan in 2016, our company has doubled in size every year. In 2018, Charlie met Paul Wynns and decided to team up to take Flex Air to the next level. Together, we added operations in San Diego, CA, and Kansas City, KS with the main base location in Manhattan, KS. Through it all, as Flex Air leadership we have yet to lose focus on our belief that every student pilot is an individual. In aviation, every pilot’s work/life goals are unique so therefore the career paths may also vary. At Flex Air, we measure our success by the career opportunities that we create for every student.

We are an aviation company led by minorities and veterans focused on increasing minority representation in every corner of our industry. We seek out industry partners and hiring managers most closely aligned with our core beliefs of equity, inclusion, and diversity. We create career opportunities for all students no matter what their background.

What you can expect…

  • Flexible Part time and Full Time Education
  • Goal support, not just achievement tracking.
  • Integrity, Teamwork, and Audacious Goal Crushing

We’re driven by our commitment to values.

 

People first, respect for all • Hard work, no shortcuts • Teamwork • Accountability • Community • Personal approach to training • Adaptability, resiliency, and innovation • Do the right thing • Mastery of the fundamentals • Career outcomes matter most • Remember the prize

 

Paul Wynns, CEO & Co-Founder

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Our goal is to be a leader in all-electric aviation pilot training, operating the eFlyer line of all-electric training aircraft by 2025. With our quiet, zero-emission aircraft, Flex Air will have the ability to deliver safer and more affordable training to our students while making a positive impact in our communities.

Charlie Copeland, Co-Founder

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Flex Air supports the goals, aspirations, and dreams of every Flex Air student pilot. We train the next generation of safe, skilled, and professional pilots. We also continue our commitment to being instrumental in removing barriers to inclusion and diversity wherever found in the aviation industry. We are simply the best in aviation pilot training.

All Flex Air Flight School Locations
Are Offical Cessna Pilot Centers

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Industry-Leading Instruction

Our partnership with Cessna ensures that you receive the best flight training available. Cessna Pilot Centers are renowned for producing highly skilled pilots, with more graduates earning their wings here than anywhere else.

State-of-the-Art Aircraft

Train in the world’s leading trainer aircraft, the Cessna® Skyhawk®. Our fleet is equipped with advanced avionics and safety features, providing a superior training platform.

Innovative Training Methods

Benefit from the Cessna Flight Training System, which combines scenario-based interactive instruction with real flight experience. This approach prepares you thoroughly for every stage of your pilot training journey.

Faster and More Efficient Learning

Students at Cessna Pilot Centers earn their wings approximately 30% faster than the national average. Our structured programs and advanced training techniques ensure you reach your goals swiftly and confidently.

 

We are an AOPA Distinguished Flight School

Flex Air's training bases and instructors have received multiple awards for distinguished instruction from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Flight Training Experience survey.

AOPA flight training award
AOPA distinguished CFI award

The Flex Air Core Mantras
that we live, teach and fly by.

We train hard, every day. ​

There are no shortcuts in an aviation career. Nobody is going to build our skills for us. It’s up to us to put in the hard work every day.

We succeed as a crew.

​Aviation career is a team sport. We back each other up in our successes and hold each other accountable for our mistakes.

Master the fundamentals.

​We treat every maneuver, procedure, and rule with respect and give them our full effort and focus. It’s about careers and opportunity. ​We measure our success by the aviation career opportunities we create for every student.

Remember the prize. ​

We set clear career goals, and pursue them relentlessly. Aviation training is a long path and we’ll keep our eyes on our objective every step of the way.

Meet the Flex Air Fleet!

We keep our plane costs reasonable so your education costs are reasonable. We use the planes that get the job done every time. Meet our Cessna 172s and our multi-engine planes, the Beech 95 Travel Air.

Cessna 172
Cessna 172

Tier 1 Training Planes

Used for Standard IFR/VFR.

We keep our plane costs reasonable so your education costs are reasonable. Meet our Cessna 172s, which we use for PPL, IR, COMM, and CFI courses.

Beech 95
Beech 95

Multi-Engine Training Planes

Multi-Engine Training Machine

We use the planes that get the job done every time. Meet our multi engine trainer, the Beech 95 Travel Air, which we use for Complex Aircraft COMM training, AMEL, and MEI courses.

EFlyer 2
Bye Aerospace EFlyer 2

Electric Plane, Coming Soon!

For our advanced students

We’re a launch customer for the eFlyer 2, a clean, renewable energy, electric training aircraft, manufactured by industry leader Bye Aerospace. Our new fleet will feature Garmin G500TXi flight decks and Soteria whole-aircraft emergency recovery parachute systems. This translates into safer, more efficient training for our students on every flight, in all weather conditions. Service entry for our eFlyer fleet is scheduled for 2025.

One Crew: For the Future

ALL ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT

We’re committed to aviation’s more inclusive, diverse, and innovative future. We call this vision One Crew, and it also means we’re doing our part to make aviation more sustainable. Flex Air is a proud launch customer for the Bye Aerospace eFlyer 2, the world’s first Part 23 certificated all-electric, zero-emissions training aircraft. 

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We’re a reflection of our student’s success…

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See the Career Journeys' of Flex Air Students

Jason DuVernay, Pilot for Frontier Airlines

As a Flex Air Mentor, Jason wants to make sure Flex Air students are on the path that fits their needs and desires. He does that by building off a wealth of experience, that hasn’t always been pretty.

Career placement? Our partnerships set us apart.

Our strategic partners and hiring network will get anywhere in the aviation industry.

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Get Social With Us!

We love sharing the accomplishments of our shiny new pilots.

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