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
Cyd Runion2 July 2026Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Scott and the instructors here are really great. They took their time with our Girl Scout troop and the girls have a great experience to look back on. I fly myself so it was nice to hear such knowledgeable instructors share their love of flying and kept the girls entertained while still treating them as future pilots. That kind of care carries over into the cockpit. I wouldn't hesitate to fly with this outfit!Posted on Google
Line Guy9910 May 2025Great instructors and the owner is great to deal with too no issues!Posted on Google
Brad Smith16 June 2025Very positive experience! My instructor Dave knows this industry inside and out and will help you every inch of the way! He is one of the icons of aviation. Thanks CEFS-Posted on Google
Sam Soulari1 July 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Chicago Executive Flight School offers a solid and accessible pathway for those pursuing a Private Pilot License (PPL), especially for residents of Chicago’s northern suburbs. With its convenient location, varied fleet, and energetic team of Certified Flight Instructors (CFIs), the school provides strong value for aspiring pilots. However, some operational challenges come with the territory. Pros: • Convenient Location: Located at Chicago Executive Airport (PWK), the school is an ideal choice for those living in the northern suburbs, minimizing commute time and making frequent flying more manageable. • Reasonable Pricing: Rates are competitive for the region, offering good value given the quality of instruction and aircraft access. • Motivated CFIs: The school features a group of young, passionate, and knowledgeable instructors who are committed to helping students succeed. • Fleet Variety: A diverse selection of aircraft is available, generally well-maintained and suitable for PPL training. • Exceptional CFI – Jakob: One of the standout instructors is Jakob, who is consistently patient, professional, and clear in his teaching. His calm demeanor and methodical approach make him especially effective with newer students or those looking to build confidence in the cockpit. Cons: • Congested Airspace: Proximity to O’Hare’s Class B airspace means students must learn to navigate busy skies, which, while valuable experience, can be overwhelming at first. • Runway/Taxi Delays: High traffic levels at PWK, including jets and other GA aircraft, often result in wait times for departure, impacting scheduling efficiency. • Older Aircraft: While functional and maintained, many of the aircraft lack modern avionics like autopilot or glass cockpits, which may be a downside for students looking to train on more current systems. • Cook County Taxes: Higher local taxes add to the overall cost of training and can come as a surprise for some students. • Variable Professionalism: Though CFIs are generally skilled and professional, there have been isolated instances where certain instructors have acted less professionally in the presence of students. Overall Assessment: Chicago Executive Flight School is a strong choice for flight training, especially for students looking for convenience, affordability, and solid instruction. The experience offers both challenges and advantages—training in busy airspace builds valuable real-world skill, though it can increase stress and wait times. For those who have the right expectations and are ready to work in a dynamic training environment, this school offers excellent value—particularly if you’re lucky enough to train with CFIs like Jakob, who brings an exceptional level of patience and professionalism to the program.Posted on Google
Maddy Ben-Yoseph17 June 2025Jakob is the BEST INSTRUCTOR EVER!!!!!!!! He is incredibly kind, reliable, patient, and dedicated. He always creates a calm and supportive environment that has made a huge difference in building my confidence as a pilot. His consistency, professionalism, and passion for aviation makes him someone you can trust and genuinely look forward to flying with. Jakob is always willing to go over lessons (both in the plane and on the ground), no matter how many times it takes. He constantly goes the extra mile by creating resources, diagrams, and customized study plans for his students, which has helped me stay organized and on track with training. During my first solo, Jakob made the day feel so special. You can tell how much joy he takes in seeing his students succeed during milestone moments like that. I can’t recommend Jakob highly enough. ⚡️ I also want to give a shout out to the amazing team at Chicago Executive Flight School. Every instructor is kind, approachable, and always ready to help. Scott is a fantastic operations VP who genuinely enjoys keeping up with student progress, and Dave is an outstanding safety officer, flying with him is always a joy.Posted on Google
Aidan Fayhee29 June 2025Had a great intro flight! T.J. did a fantastic job explaining and demonstrating the different components of flying the plane. Awesome experience, would highly recomend.Posted on Google
Graham Gausnell28 June 2025This school is lucky to have an instructor like Jakob.Posted on Google
Yifanova19 July 2025Flying here is an extremely pleasant experience!Truman is a very caring and professional flight instructor!+1Posted 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
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
james Frugoli27 June 2025I am a current student, and Zach is my instructor. Zach does a great job of pushing his students to do the best, and is a very good teacher. he is awesome.Posted on Google
Ed Chévere26 October 2025Great instruction from my primary instructor Ryan as well as Caley and Adrian!Posted on Google
Jolie Boyke28 June 2025ADRIAN ROGERS IS THE BEST FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR EVER!!! Adrian has been my instructor for almost two years, he soloed me, and he's going to sign me off for my checkride. Adrian always makes the lessons so much fun, and he never ceases to make me laugh or make a joke in the airplane. He takes flying and safety very seriously and although he does make learning to fly fun, it's always done with safety first. Adrian has made me a better student pilot by constantly pushing my limitations, such as flying in low ceilings and high winds. This I believe has made me a better, more competent pilot. The phrase, "A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor" comes to mind, and he has definitely put that into practice, not just with me, but will all of his students! Thank you Adrian for everything you've taught me, experiences that you've given, and connections made!Posted on Google
Michael5 July 2025I completed my private pilot training at Chicago Executive Flight School, and I truly can’t speak highly enough about the quality of instruction I received particularly from my instructor, Zachary Nystrom. I got assigned zach with a few hours from a previous instructor but hadn’t made much real progress. That completely changed when I started flying with Zach. From the start, he brought a level of consistency, and patience that made every lesson feel purposeful and enjoyable. He has a unique ability to keep things grounded and understandable without oversimplifying. He’s not just knowledgeable he’s relatable, approachable, and has a sense of humor that made long days around the airport feel more like time well spent than a task to get through. He created an environment where learning actually felt enjoyable, which is particularly rare for me and incredibly valuable. What really set Zach apart was his investment in my progress. He went above and beyond not only during regular lessons, but especially as my checkride approached. He put in extra time with me on both ground and flight prep, and even chose to stay back from attending Oshkosh so he could make sure I had the time and support I needed to feel completely ready. That kind of dedication isn’t something you come across often, and I credit much of my success on the checkride to the work we put in together. The aircraft at the school were overall in good condition. While the avionics leaned more toward the traditional side, I found that to be a benefit rather than a drawback. Training without modern automation pushed me to really build strong core skills particularly with navigation and situational awareness that I know will serve me well going forward. Chicago Executive Flight School is a solid place to train, and I’d definitely recommend it. But more importantly, if you have the chance to work with Zach Nystrom, take it. He’s a knowledgable instructor, a great communicator, and someone who clearly takes pride in his students succsess not just a checkride pass.Posted on Google
Paul1 July 2025You're in control of your progress and it's up to you to take charge of that. The instructors are there as your personal resources to help you reach your goal.Posted on Google
Michael Mroz1 July 2025Ryan Horvath is a top tier instructor at the Chicago Executive Flight School (C.E.F.S.), and is what I consider to be a product of his own environment. That is to say, Ryan's capabilities and competencies as a flight instructor were forged from the very foundation that C.E.F.S. sets in terms of excellence as it relates to their training, hiring, and selection of flight instructor candidates. As someone who actually completed his CFI rating at C.E.F.S., Ryan has proven to be the embodiment of the standard that C.E.F.S. continues to uphold as one of the premiere flight schools in the greater Chicagoland area. If there is one thing that distinguishes Ryan from his peers and most flight instructors, it's that he brings with him a level of enthusiasm that is unparalleled. Indeed, Ryan genuinely WANTS to teach and flight instruct, as opposed to most CFIs in this world who are merely instructing as an economical means to build their flight time to get to the airlines. For that reason alone, I would highly recommend you sign up to take a discovery flight with Ryan at C.E.F.S. to see if flying is for you!Posted on Google
Izabella Rossi1 July 2025Truman is an amazing instructor. A great teacher for ground school, and very patient and professional in the flight lessons. I always look forward to flying with him. Adrian also did my intro flight and it was such an amazing experience I’ll remember forever! He was very encouraging and his flight experience and professionalism shows through strongly. They’re both the best!!Posted on Google
Artem Riabykh26 July 2026My wife made me a gift and scheduled a flight with this school. The fight itself was a little short compared to all the preparations, but it was exciting and memorable+0Posted on Google
Aiden Thomas1 July 2025My flying journey started at this flight school and I cant recommend this place enough for anyone who wants to get into flying. My instructor Tom has been a great mentor and guide in the sky, as well as on the ground. He does a great job of teaching and being serious about operating a plane, but also creates an environment that makes me feel comfortable and confident at the controls. I look forward to continuing my journey here with Tom and obtaining my PPL.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.+5Verified 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
Our Total Immersion Flights Are a Great Way to Begin Your Training You Fly the Plane with a Certified Instructor
World class training with experienced instructors that put you in command!
There is no better way to see Chicago! Try one of our Total Immersion Downtown Chicago Flights!
Choose from our fleet of well maintained and safe aircraft.
Take control of the skies!
Photo Gallery
