A small and friendly flight school. I attained my IFR ticket here and Jeff was very helpful in matching me with a suitable instructor, and the owner Virgil stepped in to help arrange a DPE for my checkride that worked with my schedule.

Virgil Kennedy (the owner) is a fantastic guy with wealth of experience. At 79 years old you can see and sense his passion for flying, unfortunately tho that is not enough to manage a well-run and organised Flight School. It takes customer and students care which simply is not done right at this place. You’ll be waiting days on end to simply get a phone call. First impressions are everything and that couldn’t be more true considering my own experience.After attempting several times, I finally managed to get hold of somebody there, Virgil himself as matter of fact. Eventually arranged a visit. The school (during my visit) is made of a small bungalow with plans to expand which could take months. Their main CFI just left to airline and they were in process of hiring a brand new CFI which was not super experienced.They own 4 airplanes (Cessna, 2 glass and 2 conv) which is plus and it seem that they do a pretty good job at maintaining the planes.After talking to 6 different flight schools I decided to offer Virgil an upfront payment for my PPL and in order to make it slightly cheaper. Unfortunately it took emails, several calls and many more texts to come to a conclusion that he wasn’t prepared to offer a better rate for somebody who was willing to pay upfront. The prices difference was less than $600.Their rates are on the higher side if you ask me, more specifically the CFI, $98 for Virgil himself as CFI.If you’re looking to spend 12-16K to get your PPL, well, you better do it at a school that will actually return your call and value you as a customer/ student.I can see many issues with this school, cancellations and especially if booked with Virgil, lack of clear communication and not an organised management team.

A great flight academy. Instruction is hands on since day one and the program is under one superb individual, Mr. V. Kennedy. A seasoned pilot with a true love for flying and the most dedicated man to student pilots with a real passion for flight. I wouldnt hesitate to pursue more certifications with this academy...thumbs up!

Talented and devoted professionals. I recommend this flight school to anyone interested in flying. I also encourage anyone undecided to reach out and try it, the decision to come back the second day will be an easy one.

I called a month in advanced to schedule the Part 107 exam with this company. I was told I was all set after our conversation. I called twice the day before and nobody picked up so I left a voicemail. Nobody ever called back so I called once again in the morning on the day of my exam. I was told that I wasnt on the books, but I should be able to still come in and take it. I was told that someone would call me to confirm this, but never received the call. So, I called again since I took work off to take this exam. After multiple callbacks I was told that I wouldnt be able to take the exam for another couple days. After expressing my disappointment I was told to deal with being upset, which is pretty rude and unprofessional considering they are at fault. This is only for the Part 107 exam (for drones), but if I planned on learning to fly I would never go with this company. Id much rather go to a company who is organized and doesnt tell you to deal with it when they make a mistake.

Expensive / Unreliable / Unprofessional The most expensive and outdated flight school in Austin. A one-man flight school, Virgil Kennedy is the 74 year old owner and lead flight instructor. His best years are behind him and knowledge is sadly outdated. has various medical issues, and cancels flights lessons at the last minute. Unreliability is compounded by the fact Virgil manages the daily schedule, phone calls, administration, all of which occurs during scheduled flight training. Very unprofessional. Don’t expect Virgil to teach intricacies of GPS navigation except to demonstrate the one single button he knows to push. He does not respect anyone elses time but his own.Additionally don’t expect autopilot instruction since usage on one aircraft causes steep continuous left turns. Other instruments are defective and he claims they are too expensive to repair, beware of what you are getting into.

Update*** after getting no response from them for over a month I finally got someone on the phone, they where nice and we finally got an appointment on the books but unfortunately I had to reschedule it due to illness... so still haven’t gotten in the plane yet, but this time it’s my fault.... hopefully it will be smooth sailing (flying) from here.

Update; Still No Refund Disgraceful...Shame on you!I purchased a discovery flight from Austin Academy of Aviation for a Christmas gift for my husband back in January of this year. My husband has always dreamed of flying so this gift was very disappointing. There were a few companies to choose from so I called Austin Academy of Aviation to ask some questions before making my decision. I talked with Virgil (the owner) before choosing to buy the discovery flight with them. I felt I needed to explain my son was on deployment & I would be giving this gift in March after my son got home. I did specify the flight would probably not be used until the summer time as I wanted to make sure there wasnt a deadline to take the flight since I would be purchasing the gift several months before. Virgil said there would be no trouble that the flight could be taken at anytime & that he would PERSONALLY be piloting this discovery flight as he takes all military & ex-military clients (my husband is ex-Navy & my son is active Navy). Apparently, not. My husband has made three appointments with Virgil to fly, three separate trips to Austin Bergstrom International Airport (this is where the hanger is) to NEVER be able to take his flight. Twice was cancelled because of weather (though my husband still made the one hour trip each time as he wasnt called by Virgil to cancel) & the last time was due to the fact that Virgil never showed up. My husband sat in their hanger, alone, more than 25 minutes waiting for Virgil - continuously calling the office. Finally some kid answered that wanted to scold my husband for being late! My husband explained he had been waiting at THEIR hanger for more than 25 minutes for Virgil or anyone to show up! He was told with a shrug We dont have to fly today, maybe you should reschedule. At this point we knew the flight was never going to happen so my husband left. Virgil called my husband hours after later & asked if Austin Academy of Aviation could have a second chance. Apparently, he chose not to remember they already had THREE chances. My husband asked Virgil for a refund at that time - more than 30 days ago. Austin Academy of Aviation has not refunded my purchase & I doubt they ever will. We have never heard from them again.I DO NOT recommend this company. I feel I was lied to by the owner. They took my $205.00 and they apparently have no intentions of giving me a refund. I can only hope this does not happen to anyone else. I feel I was swindled by an ex-military pilot (which is sad in itself) & wanted to let others know my experience with this company.I guess will reach out to the Better Business Bureau to see if they can assist with my refund.

Virgil Kennedy has run this school for a long time and has helped probably hundreds of pilots get their wings and progress their careers during that time. If you are looking for a good school to either become a pilot or become a more proficient pilot, this is my preferred place in all of Austin.

Ive been a pilot for 40 years and have 3,000 hours in multiple aircraft, from small planes to jets. I recommended my son train with AAA.Rude, multiple cancelled lessons for no reasons, lax procedures; poor oversight.

I had a really nice introductory flight. Christopher, the instructor, patiently walked me through the pre-flight checks, answered my questions, let me add full power, and he even let me pull the stick for taking-off. Then we went above the Austin downtown and performed some steep turns, climbings and descents. At the end while parking the plane he answered me to all my questions.

Great instructors, great planes, great prices and great people.Austin Academy of Aviation is the complete package.Please try them out and you will find they are GREAT.CP Kelley

Professional flight training and instruction provided by top-notch individuals. Highly recommended.

Austin Academy of Aviation is a premier operation. If you want to learn to fly or rent an aircraft, THIS is the place to go. HIGHLY recommended!!!

I am currently a resident of Austin, TX. I am a practicing engineer in the high-tech industry here in town, and I have been an aviation enthusiast all my life. I have been a practicing hobbyist for some 20+ years. Currently, I am pursuing my instrument rating. After moving to Austin from Chicago in 2007 and evaluating various options for continuing my hobby, I came across Austin Academy of Aviation and have been flying with them ever since.My career demands that I pursue this interest “as time permits,” I probably average a couple of flight-hours a week, sometimes more, sometimes less. In the 10 years I have been flying with AAoA and Virgil, Jeff and Company, I have accumulated several hundred hours of flight experience. I have always been more than satisfied with the services and education provided.Aside from Virgil’s vast experience in aviation (including, but not limited to, his military experience), I have never once felt that my safety or my personal growth as a pilot were second to the needs of the business or anything else.As a standard part of my pre-flight procedures, I always review the flight logs of the aircrafts I have scheduled. They are always maintained as required AND to my personal satisfaction (which I believe may be the higher bar). Two of the conventional aircraft I normally fly have already been outfitted with ADS-B equipment (approximately 1.5 years ahead of the FAA mandate). And another is in the pipeline.From time to time, there are scheduling conflicts or times when things are busy, and I have to reschedule or adjust my plans. I generally don’t mind. Keep in mind that as part of any flight school, you are part of a larger community of other aspiring aviators who need access to the school’s resources as part of their own goals/pursuits. Overall however I feel that I am accommodated, far and away, to my greatest expectations.They have a couple flight simulators, one of which is a Redbird. When I started using them early on, I wasn’t thrilled with the idea of simulator work. And I don’t think any aspiring flyer ever jumps out of bed at the idea of simulation over really flying. However, I have come to really appreciate them and the value they bring as a supplement. Aside from allowing me to practice/experiment with things that I wouldn’t want to do the first time in a real plane - if at all (severe weather, mountain flying/high altitude, etc.), they also allow me to review real flight plans I intend to do in real life and get excellent feedback on things I should review before the trip. And they provide a continuity with practice when weather is not cooperating. Which does happen… even in Texas.Another added benefit of AAoA is they operate out of ABIA (a major, controlled airport). It is mildly intimidating learning to work the radios to that intensity from day one, but my advice to aspiring pilots is “dive right in and get to that right away!” It’s good for you and it’s much safer working with controllers that are watching you on radar. In the end, they are all there for your benefit. Learn to use and leverage them.Long story short, I think Austin Academy of Aviation is a great establishment, in a great location and with great people. I believe Virgil to be a man of the utmost integrity who genuinely cares about young aviators, their progress, development and their safety. I’ve flown with them for ten years. I will fly with them for ten more. No question. I hope to see you out there! - Cliff

They have always been very polite and helpful when I have talked with them.

Great! Amazing aircrafts and flight instructor!

Been calling for the past 4 days, NO answer. Cant have a good buisness that way!

Nobody answer the emails.