Young Aviators
42 lessons across 3 stages. Each lesson focuses on one skill for 20 minutes. Ages 8-17.
How Is the Young Aviators Program Structured?
The Young Aviators program at Aviator.NYC introduces kids ages 8-17 to flying through 42 structured lessons across 3 stages. Each 20-minute session focuses on one specific skill using an FAA-approved Advanced Aviation Training Device (AATD) with Garmin G1000 avionics in Manhattan. Stage 1 covers the fundamentals — straight-and-level flight, turns, climbs, and descents. Stage 2 builds on those skills with traffic patterns, navigation, and radio communications. Stage 3 introduces advanced concepts like cross-country flight planning and instrument basics. Every lesson is taught by a professional pilot instructor in a real training environment, not a game or toy simulator. Students who complete all 42 lessons have a strong foundation to begin Private Pilot training as teenagers.
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StudyGradePilot Prep
| # | Ground Brief / Sim Session | Study | Grade | Pilot Prep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 — Learning to Fly | ||||
| L1 | Ground: Discover the Cockpit Sim: Find and name the main controls: yoke, throttle, rudder pedals, flaps, trim. | K1 | ||
| L2 | Ground: Make It Move Sim: Practice elevator (pitch) and aileron (roll) in flight. | K2 | ||
| L3 | Ground: Rudder and Trim Sim: Use rudder pedals and trim wheel to fly smoothly. | K3 | ||
| L4 | Ground: Start the Engine Sim: Complete the engine start checklist from cold and dark. | K4 | ||
| L5 | Ground: Taxi Practice Sim: Taxi on the ground using rudder pedals and brakes. | K5 | ||
| L6 | Ground: Wind on the Ground Sim: Position the yoke correctly for wind direction while taxiing. | K6 | ||
| L7 | Ground: Going Up! Sim: Perform a takeoff and climb to 4,000 feet. | K7 | ||
| L8 | Ground: How High Can We Go? Sim: Read the altimeter and climb at the best speed. | K8 | ||
| L9 | Ground: Level Off Sim: Smoothly transition from climb to level flight at a target altitude. | K9 | ||
| L10 | Ground: Flying Straight Sim: Maintain heading and altitude in straight and level flight. | K10 | ||
| L11 | Ground: The Instruments Sim: Identify and read the six primary flight instruments on the G1000. | K11 | ||
| L12 | Ground: Power and Attitude Sim: Change speed and altitude independently using throttle and pitch. | K12 | ||
| L13 | Ground: Your First Turn Sim: Perform shallow turns (15-degree bank) left and right. | K13 | ||
| L14 | Ground: Coordinated Flight Sim: Use rudder with aileron during turns to stay coordinated. | K14 | ||
| L15 | Ground: Steeper Turns Sim: Perform medium turns (30-degree bank) while maintaining altitude. | K15 | ||
| L16 | Ground: Coming Down Sim: Perform a controlled power-off descent from cruise altitude. | K16 | ||
| L17 | Ground: Flaps and Approach Sim: Use flaps during approach and understand each setting. | K17 | ||
| L18 | Ground: The Landing Sim: Fly a visual approach and attempt a landing. | K18 | ||
| Stage 2 — Advanced Skills | ||||
| L19 | Ground: Flying Slow Sim: Slow the airplane to minimum controllable airspeed. | K19 | ||
| L20 | Ground: On the Edge Sim: Recognize the buffet and stall warning at minimum speed. | K20 | ||
| L21 | Ground: Slow Turns Sim: Perform gentle turns in slow flight configuration. | K21 | ||
| L22 | Ground: What Is a Stall? Sim: Understand angle of attack and the stall concept. | K22 | ||
| L23 | Ground: Power-Off Stall Sim: Perform and recover from a power-off stall. | K23 | ||
| L24 | Ground: Power-On Stall Sim: Perform and recover from a power-on stall. | K24 | ||
| L25 | Ground: Why Planes Spin Sim: Understand what causes a spin entry. | K25 | ||
| L26 | Ground: Don't Spin! Sim: Recognize and recover from an incipient spin. | K26 | ||
| L27 | Ground: Unusual Attitudes Sim: Recover from nose-high and nose-low unusual attitudes. | K27 | ||
| L28 | Ground: The Spin Sim: Observe a fully developed spin from entry to recovery. | K28 | ||
| L29 | Ground: PARE Recovery Sim: Perform the PARE spin recovery procedure. | K29 | ||
| L30 | Ground: Practice Recovery Sim: Perform multiple spin entries and PARE recoveries independently. | K30 | ||
| Stage 3 — Airport Operations | ||||
| L31 | Ground: The Traffic Pattern Sim: Fly a complete traffic pattern around the airport. | K31 | ||
| L32 | Ground: Radio Calls Sim: Make radio calls at each leg of the traffic pattern. | K32 | ||
| L33 | Ground: Touch and Go Sim: Perform a full traffic pattern with a touch-and-go landing. | K33 | ||
| L34 | Ground: Engine Out! Sim: Handle an engine failure after takeoff. | K34 | ||
| L35 | Ground: Go-Around! Sim: Perform a go-around from short final. | K35 | ||
| L36 | Ground: Emergency Landing Sim: Select a landing site and perform an off-airport landing. | K36 | ||
| L37 | Ground: No-Power Approach Sim: Fly a power-off approach from pattern altitude to the runway. | K37 | ||
| L38 | Ground: Aiming Point Sim: Control the aiming point using pitch and flaps. | K38 | ||
| L39 | Ground: Smooth Touchdown Sim: Execute a smooth flare and touchdown on a power-off approach. | K39 | ||
| L40 | Ground: Short Runway Sim: Perform a short-field takeoff and landing. | K40 | ||
| L41 | Ground: Grass Strip Sim: Perform a soft-field takeoff and landing. | K41 | ||
| L42 | Ground: Graduation Flight Sim: Complete a full flight from cold start to shutdown with minimal instructor help. | K42 | ||