Excellence in Flight Training Since 1994.
Come fly with us!
Located at Chicago Executive Airport in Wheeling (IL), we offer comprehensive training programs for aspiring pilots. At Chicago Executive Flight School (CEFS) we have trained students to become pilots since 1994. CEFS has truly stood above the rest, focusing 100% on quality, safety, and time so you can be assured you are receiving the best training available.
For more information, call us at 1-800-901-0730.
For more information, call us at 1-800-901-0730.
4.6
125 reviews
Please call 1-800-901-0730 or fill our our contact form below and someone will get in touch with you.
Reviews
Posted on Google
Mick Little23 June 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Me and my CFI Ryan Horvath both share a strong passion for aviation wich makes Training with him a great experience. His deep knowledge of aviation, calm demeanor, and ability to explain complex concepts with clarity make him an outstanding instructor. Whether it's ground school or flight time, Ryan brings a perfect balance of professionalism, encouragement, and attention to detail. He genuinely cares about my progress and safety and it shows in every lesson. I highly recommend him to anyone serious about becoming a pilot.Posted on Google
Luis J Marquez4 July 2019do you have a problem with the students what speak little English I wanna a be pilot but not i speak a gob English yetPosted on Google
Line Guy9910 May 2025Great instructors and the owner is great to deal with too no issues!Posted on Google
Brooke30 June 2025Great instructors. Really enjoy my time learning to fly.Posted on Google
Graham Gausnell28 June 2025This school is lucky to have an instructor like Jakob.Posted on Google
P R Condo10 September 2021My son took his first flight lesson here and absolutley loved it! He couldn't stop singing his instructor Logan's praises. He said everyone was friendly and professional and he will be coming back for more lessons very soon.Posted on Google
billandr28 October 2025CFI: Ryan Horvath As a working parent over 50, I never expected flight training to become more than a hobby — but my experience with Ryan Horvath and Chicago Executive Flight School has truly transformed it into a lifelong passion. Ryan’s patience and passion for aviation are unmatched. He’s not just focused on checkrides or hours — he’s dedicated to building safe, confident pilots. He’s the only instructor who ever made me love ground school — something I never thought possible. Every lesson is structured to ensure understanding, safety, and steady growth — never rushed, never just “for the hours.” This flight school is not about the money — it’s about quality instruction and mentorship. If your only goal is to check the PPL box, sure, other schools may do. But if you want to become a safe, well-trained pilot for life, this is the place to be. I can’t recommend Ryan or CEFS highly enough. They’ve changed the way I fly — and why I fly.+5Posted on Google
Stuart Barlow12 July 2025Our instructor Jim was very welcoming from the onset. He explained everything really well and made things simple, and easy to understand.+0Posted on Google
Troy Chinnici13 July 2026Max was an incredible instructor. He gave us a great ride with tremendous views.Posted on Google
Keith Miller20 May 2019Chicago Executive Flight School is definitely a trusted source for Pilot training in my book. Jim and his instructors will go out of there way to make sure you get the training you are looking for.Posted on Google
NIKHIL PURI23 September 2025Zach Nystrom is an outstanding flight instructor! I’m working toward my private pilot license, and with my constantly changing work schedule, he’s been incredibly patient and flexible. He’s mature beyond his years, very easy to talk to, and always willing to explain things clearly—even multiple times when needed. Zach is highly knowledgeable and truly focuses on building the skills needed to become a safe, confident pilot. He also brings in other instructors to give students different perspectives, which is a huge plus and helps you learn to work with different styles and personalities—just like in the real world of flying. Highly recommend Zach to anyone starting their aviation journey!Posted on Google
Benjamin Galbreath1 June 2025I’m a current student at Chicago Executive Flight School and my instructor is Zach Nystrom. He’s great and very helpful, always answers my questions and understands how to teach!! Would recommend him for sure.Posted on Google
Ethan Yates1 July 2025Truman (Chiang) YuCheng is an outstanding flight instructor. He is extremely knowledgeable when it comes to everything aviation related and always has a way of making complicated topics seem much simpler. He is very kind, easy to talk to, and always patient when answering lots of questions. He has undoubtedly made learning how to fly both fun and enjoyable.Posted on Google
Priyankar Sarkar27 June 2025Great instructor , great with my twin boys Rafael was the bestPosted on Google
B B7 May 2024Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Do not believe them when they say your flight lesson will “NEVER” be cancelled due to weather. I’ve rescheduled 4 times now after driving an hour here because they refuse to call or communicate ahead of time. **Edit to respond: I’ve already done the ground training and it should be easily seen by your people when booking. There is zero reason why someone can’t call and tell me we can’t fly today vs waiting for me to drive an hour there. It’s inconsiderate of your customers time. Update: I Rescheduled and they called 2 hours before to inform me that we would fly. They listened to my feedback and I greatly appreciate that. I flew with Ryan and it was a blast, I then rescheduled another lesson with Ryan!Posted on Google
Erin C23 April 2018My son had his first flight lesson today. He loved it! Jim was great. He spent some time showing him different ways pilots track weather. Then showed him different parts of the plane. The flight itself was fun and exciting! Afterwards he emailed us the flight pattern and other aspects of the day. We will definitely go back for more lessons! My son said this was one of the best days of his life! He loved it!Posted on Google
James McFarland7 June 2025Jakob Kjeldbjerg is a fantastic flight instructor! He takes the time to thoroughly explain everything and is a joy to fly with. I’d highly recommend Chicago Executive Flight School for learning to fly. The people there are the best!Posted on Google
Megan O’Toole27 June 2025Executive flight school is so fun to fly at! My instructor is Jakob and im so glad!! He’s very level headed and calm which is really nice during flying and ground lessons. Whenever I’m unsure of something he always points me in the right direction without judgement which is so awesome and really appreciated. I feel as though I do not have to worry when I fly about anything bad happening because I trust his flying skills and judgement. He’s always very kind and never in a terrible mood. Jakob is also very patient and understanding, and always encourages me to do my best. He always makes sure I know what im doing in advance to make sure I have time to prepare which is incredibly appreciated! Flying has been definitely an awesome experience and I always learn so much during my lessons. I also find ground very helpful as well. Jakob explains all the materials very well and I know what is required of me to get to where I need to go. He has me set goals for what I should do during flying and outside of flying. I also appreciate his sense of humor. Everyone at executive is super kind, calm, and helpful which is awesome! I had the pleasure of taking my 10 hour check with Dave, who is really neat to talk to! I couldn’t have asked for a better flight school and instructor.Posted on Google
derrk radja12 October 2025After having some issues in the beginning of training, I switched my flight instructor to Tom. He brought the rating to five stars. With his guidance I was able to breeze through my check ride! Thanks Tom!Posted on Google
michael maitar17 June 2025I took many flight lessons there years ago. The CFIs were absolutely incredible and patient. Unfortunately I was too busy in my work to finish, but hopefully planning to come back in the next 4-5 months, this time to go all the way. I believe the management is still the same and that’s where the winning chip is. Great school and great airport.Verified by TrustindexTrustindex verified badge is the Universal Symbol of Trust. Only the greatest companies can get the verified badge who has a review score above 4.5, based on customer reviews over the past 12 months. Read more
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