Orange County Flight Center

John Wayne Airport (SNA) · Santa Ana, Orange County

If you can train at OCFC,
you can fly anywhere.

An FAA-approved flight school at John Wayne Airport — a busy commercial field in real Southern California airspace. Written syllabi, stage checks, published pricing, and a standardized instructor corps, from your first hour to the flight deck.

Enter the Pipeline Book a Discovery Flight

Video: PDX Spotting / PDX Aviation / Jan Tisler, CC BY 3.0 · Music: “Primal Earth”

1981 Training pilots at John Wayne Airport since
12,000+ Students trained at OCFC
25 FAA-certificated flight instructors
17K+ Airport operations per month at SNA — Class C
American Airlines Boeing 737-900 rotating on takeoff

Private · Instrument · Commercial · CFI · Airline

This is the office.

Photo: formulanone, CC BY-SA 2.0

Filed and cleared

The training pipeline

Every certificate is a gate. Clear them in sequence — or join the pipeline wherever you are today.

GND Ground School Complimentary in-person ground school at John Wayne Airport — where knowledge becomes real-world flying. 36 hrs classroom · Complimentary PPL Private Pilot License A lifetime accomplishment — the certificate that never expires. 40 hrs FAA min · 65–75 hrs typical · from $17,000 IR Instrument Rating Fly right through the clouds — under Instrument Flight Rules. 47 hrs incl. simulator · from $10,800 CPL Commercial Pilot Rating Get paid to fly. 182 hrs Part 141 · 250 hrs Part 61 · from $17,000 MEL Multi-Engine Rating Add the twin — in our Garmin-equipped 1969 Cessna 310P. 18–25 flight hrs · from $8,930 CFI Flight Instructor Certificate (CFI) Teach, build time, and get paid to do it. 27 flight hrs + 63 hrs ground · from $11,500 CFII Flight Instructor Instrument (CFII) An add-on to your CFI — teach instrument students. 10–15 flight hrs + ground · from $3,500 ATP Airline Transport Pilot Program From zero experience to commercial airline pilot in 8–12 months. ~250 flight hrs + 20 hrs sim · from $55,000

Expert instructors

Certificated flight instructors with real-world experience

Our FAA-certificated flight instructors bring extensive aviation industry experience to every lesson. You don't just learn how to pass a checkride — you learn how to operate as a professional pilot, inside a Part 141 program where every stage is checked and every lesson has a plan.

  • Advanced aeronautical decision-making and in-depth aircraft systems knowledge.
  • Professional cockpit discipline — one written syllabus, FAA Airman Certification Standards, stage checks by a second instructor.
  • Real-world operational awareness from training at a busy Class C commercial airport.

About our team →

1 certificated instructors on staff
3,200 combined instructional hours
CFI·CFII·MEI ratings held across the corps

The training fleet

Thirteen aircraft: Garmin G1000 Cessna 172S Skyhawks, classic 172N/M/SP trainers, a Twin Cessna 310P for the multi-engine rating, and the Redbird MCX simulator — all maintained to Part 141 standards at John Wayne Airport.

N1129K

2006 Cessna 172 SP

Single Engine (TAA · G1000)

N916RR

2021 Cessna 172S

Single Engine (TAA · G1000)

N916UT

2021 Cessna 172S

Single Engine (TAA · G1000)

N227WC

2005 Cessna 172S

Single Engine (TAA · G1000)

N952JA

2005 Cessna 172S

Single Engine (TAA · G1000)

N53614

2003 Cessna 172 SP

Single Engine

N363SP

1998 Cessna 172 SP

Single Engine

N739HS

1978 Cessna 172N

Single Engine

N57BM

1973 Cessna 172M

Single Engine

N734XX

1977 Cessna 172N

Single Engine

N733HA

1977 Cessna 172N

Single Engine

N586JR

1969 Cessna 310P

Multi Engine (TAA · G500)

REDBIRD-MCX

Redbird MCX Simulator

Simulator (AATD)

Fleet specifications →

Current offers

40-Hour Private Pilot Scholarship Challenge

Complete your Private Pilot License in 40.9 hours or less and OCFC sponsors your next two ratings — Instrument and Commercial, a value of $11,670 in flight training credits. Limited 90-day enrollment. See the 40 hr Challenge page for qualifications.

Debt-Buster: Zero to Hero in 8–12 Months

Train to be a commercial airline pilot with no prior experience — PPL, IR, CPL and CFI included — for $55,000 paid in full or $2,500 down with monthly installments. No co-signers, no interest, no long-term debt.

Block Rate Credit

Deposit $1,500 at a time toward aircraft rental and instruction and receive a $150 block rate credit on every block — about 10% back toward program completion.

5% Education Discounts

Active high-school and college students, Women in Aviation members, U.S. military, law enforcement, fire, and veterans train at a 5% discount on all aircraft rental and instruction rates.

Why train here

  • Since 1981 at SNA. A women-owned FAA Part 141 school with more than 12,000 students trained.
  • Part 141 and Part 61 paths. Structured, airline-focused programs for full-time students; flexible, personalized instruction for working professionals.
  • Debt-Buster pricing. Zero to commercial airline pilot in 8–12 months from $55,000 — no co-signers, no interest, no long-term debt. Veterans, students, and international pilots welcome.
  • Real airline airspace. Training out of a Class C commercial airport under the LA Class B — dense operations and year-round weather build pilots that airlines notice.
  • A career plan, not just lessons. From first solo to CFI employment, you follow a written pipeline with clear gates.

Ready to become a professional pilot?

Train at a commercial airport, with experienced instructors, where the airlines operate. Every program application includes a FREE demo flight.

Enroll Now Book a Demo Flight

Questions? Call (949) 421-0646