Taking off from Van Nuys Airport in California, I felt the familiar tug of gravity ease as the single-engine Piper Warrior lifted off the runway. I sat behind the controls, but I wasn’t the one flying. Capt. Gema Goeyardi, founder and CEO of 14DayPilot Flight Academy, handled the plane as we glided over Hollywood, Santa Monica and Malibu. I watched the coastline and cityscape below, wide-eyed and eager, wishing I knew how to pilot us myself.
I had always dreamed of becoming a pilot as a child, though life led me elsewhere. United Airlines Capt. Ryan Tatnell, however, followed that dream. “It was this passion I’ve had since I was a kid,” he recalled. A sightseeing flight over the Catskills when he was 10, arranged by his mother, sparked a lasting fascination. “We flew around the mountains. That was very cool.” Although he had to wait until 17 to qualify for a license, his mother supported him by buying a flight simulator for his computer. Through that simulator he learned instruments, air traffic control procedures and airport layouts. He didn’t take his first in-person lesson until he was 20 and already in college, but once he started, it came naturally. “I was good at it, and it came easy.”
Despite balancing full-time work and school, Tatnell persisted. It took him nine months to earn his private pilot license, longer than some accelerated options but still achievable while managing other responsibilities. “There are definitely faster ways to do it,” he admitted.
© Ryan Tatnell
“We are here for the busy professional,” Goeyardi told me after our flight. Her academy focuses on students who have limited time but are able to commit resources to intensive training. Through their accelerated approach, students can earn a private pilot license in about three weeks. “People come here; they don’t have time, but they have money.”
The Federal Aviation Administration requires a minimum of 40 hours of flight time for a Private Pilot license. Goeyardi explained that in their program a student can fly four to five hours a day for 14 days, which readily meets and often exceeds that minimum. “We have a 95 percent success rate,” she said, reflecting the program’s efficiency and structured training.
A private pilot license allows flying under Visual Flight Rules (VFR), which means operating outside of clouds and in conditions with adequate visibility. To fly in instrument meteorological conditions, pilots must earn an Instrument Rating. Goeyardi’s accelerated instrument training can be completed in about 10 days, whereas traditional paths often take two to four months depending on a student’s schedule and weather availability.
For those pursuing aviation professionally, additional flight time is required. A Commercial Pilot license is contingent on accumulating at least 250 hours of flight experience. Many aspiring commercial pilots, including Tatnell, joined flying clubs to build hours affordably rather than buying or renting an aircraft outright. After reaching the required flight time, many pilots become flight instructors to continue building experience. Traditionally, regional airline candidates must reach around 1,500 hours to qualify, and from there they can advance to positions such as first officer and eventually captain.
Students often leave Goeyardi’s academy not only with skills but with renewed confidence. Hawra Tustari, one of the graduates in the program’s successful 95 percent, wrote in an email: “Never stop chasing your dreams. If you feel like the world is going against you, just remember that an airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.”
Whether someone pursues flight as a hobby, a weekend escape, or a full-time profession, accelerated programs like 14DayPilot offer a practical route for busy individuals to achieve their pilot certificates quickly and efficiently. The combination of focused instruction, steady flight hours, and mentorship from experienced pilots can make the difference between dreaming of the sky and actually commanding an aircraft.