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
Yifanova19 July 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Flying here is an extremely pleasant experience!Truman is a very caring and professional flight instructor!+1Posted 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
Gracie Scharrenberg27 June 2025I have been happy to be able to learn here at Chicago executive flight school, my instructor Adrian Rogers has been wonderful to fly with. He is someone who really cares about his job as well as seeing his students progress. The large amount of experience he has is evident by his developed teaching style and large wealth of knowledge. You can count on him to explain any challenging subjects and be encouraging! If you are thinking about taking lessons I would highly recommend taking them here!Posted on Google
Joseph Ryu25 June 2025Extremely kind and knowledgeable instructors. Very satisfied to study under their expertise. Shout out to Raphael!Posted on Google
Olga Galko16 June 2025Chicago Executive flight school got the most professional instructors and I love their plains . Highly recommend this school to get your licensePosted on Google
Jo Ba27 June 2025Zach is a good instructor. He's able to break down complicated issues like weather and systems and explain them in a way that helped me understand.Posted on Google
Adi27 June 2025Just wanted to give a huge shoutout to my guy Raphael Schroepfer — pretty sure I was one of his first students at CEFS, but now I just get to say, “I knew him before he was fully booked.” 😄 Jokes apart, we still manage to find time that works for both of us, and it’s been an awesome experience learning with him. He’s incredibly calm, patient, and always eager to help out, no matter how many questions you throw at him. Whether it’s giving that added explanation or breaking something down even further, he’s always got your back. I’ve flown with a few other instructors at CEFS too — and I genuinely enjoy flying with them as well! Credit to Raphael for always looking out for ways to make sure I can keep flying, even when he’s busy with other students. That said, I’ve spent most of my flying hours with him, and I’m really happy to have him as my assigned primary instructor. We’ve built a solid understanding, and that makes every flight smoother and more fun. Also, hats off to the Chicago Executive Flight School for maintaining the planes well, and also creating such a supportive and fun vibe. Whether you're up in the air or just hanging out with the CFIs and other students, it’s a place you actually look forward to being at.Posted on Google
Megans Bubble1 September 2026We were gifted an experience as Chicago Executive flight school and it was a memory for a lifetime! I’m not sure why anyone wouldn’t choose this experience to fly over a tour. Not only do you learn SO much cool information about how flights work, the plane, weather and so much more, but being in the plane for an hour getting to ACTUALLY fly the plane is an unbelievable life experience! I also love that you get to bring a passenger and if you can continue on with more flight lessons too. Absolutely one of the coolest and best things to do in Chicago! Thank you Chief Pilot Jim for an incredible and safe experience! Would highly recommend to anyone!+5Posted on Google
Chase Slagter18 June 2025Zach Nystrom is a fantastic flight instructor! He is very professional and informative. He really understands how to instruct and demonstrates that every lesson!Posted on Google
Asha McCaughan30 June 2025Jakob Kjeldbjerg is an excellent instructor! He always makes sure his students are understanding concepts and having fun! ✈️🌎⭐️Posted on Google
Sam E30 June 2025Chicago Executive Flight School is an absolute gem. The instructors are top-notch, the environment is supportive, and flying out of Chicago Executive (PWK) makes you feel like a mini rockstar every time you hit the throttle. Major shoutout to Ryan — one of the best instructors I’ve ever met. He’s incredibly knowledgeable, patient, and somehow makes steep turns and emergency procedures feel... fun? Not sure how he does it, but if you’re flying with Ryan, you’re in very good hands (and probably laughing a little along the way). Also want to give props to Dan, my first instructor, who got me off the ground both literally and figuratively. Dan set the tone early with his calm, steady teaching — and probably deserves a medal for not flinching during my first landing. The whole school runs like a well-trimmed checklist — super organized, encouraging, and genuinely focused on helping you succeed. Bottom line: if you’re thinking about flight training, stop Googling — this is the spot. Just be ready to fall in love with aviation... and maybe pick up a few inside jokes along the way.Posted on Google
Nelson J.27 June 2025I am having an incredible experience at Chicago Executive Flight School, and I can’t recommend it enough! From day one, the entire team has been very professional, supportive, and genuinely invested in my success. The training is thorough, well-structured, and tailored to help me progress confidently. My flight instructor Adrian is absolutely incredible! Patient, knowledgeable, and encouraging, he has made every lesson not just educational but genuinely fun. Adrian has a talent for breaking down complex concepts into simple, understandable steps and always makes sure I feel confident before moving on. Safety is always his top priority, and his calm, reassuring presence makes even the most challenging maneuvers (and yes, there are quite a few!) feel manageable. Thanks to his expert guidance, I feel fully prepared and excited to continue my journey as a pilot. If you’re looking for top-notch flight training with a supportive team, this is the place to be.Posted on Google
Kess McBride1 July 2025I started my flight training here at Chicago Executive Flight School summer of 2025 and I have enjoyed the experience so far I have flown with Truman and have learned a lot after taking a 7 month break off flight. This has been a great experience that I recommend anyone that wants to learn to fly!Posted on Google
Patrick Desamito23 July 2022First and foremost! Thank you Logan for such an amazing experience during our flight! It was so surreal, you were a great instructor, and I look forward to flying again! For those who want to try, you should!! Just don’t be deterred by the possibility of rescheduling a few times because this experience is very weather dependent. They want you to have a great time with clear skies so you can truly appreciate the view of the Chicago skyline! It’s so worth it!Posted on Google
Nate Broski1 July 2025Raphael is the man!!! If you're looking for a flight school full of dedicated and extensively knowledgeable instructors, this is the school for you. I've been with Raphael since my intro flight, and he's always been gladly willing to go over the top to keep me on track to hit my goals. Scott has also been there from the first call, and always greets with a smile. Overall an incredibly professional and fun environment to learn in, with a nice fleet of aircraft as well. 10/10!!!+0Posted on Google
Luke Monckton28 June 2025This flight school is truly one of a kind. Not only did it prepare me for a Part 141 flight school in Boca Raton, FL, but it gave me a completely new outlook on aviation. From the upbeat, welcoming people, to the deep pool of aviation knowledge, CEFS has you covered. I’d like to personally thank who I believe to be the coolest person on earth, Ryan. He’s one of the most humble, professional, and respectful people I’ve had the pleasure of flying with. Every time I made a mistake, he would both correct me in the moment, and in advance. I could go on, but you get the idea. This is what I call a true, and well thought out flight school. Honorable mention to Jakob Kjeldbjerg, always answered questions when Ryan wasn’t there for me, he cared for me as if I were his student. Thank you to all the amazing flight instructors I’ve had the honor to meet. Thank you Ryan.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
Illya Scherban15 June 2026I had a discovery flight on a Cessna 172 as a gift, and honestly, I didn’t expect it to be this amazing. What surprised me the most is that I was actually able to control the airplane myself for most of the flight. That feeling is just unbelievable. My instructor, Ryan Horvath, was fantastic. You can truly see his passion for flying and teaching. He explained everything clearly and made me feel comfortable the entire time, even though my English is not perfect. I highly recommend this flight school to anyone. Even if you’ve never thought about flying before, you should try it at least once. The feeling of freedom and being in the sky is something you will never forget.+2Posted on Google
Tilemissov Almas8 August 2026Great experience with Jim. Highly recommended and definitely will be back.+0Posted 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.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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