TRUCKEE FLIGHT TRAINING - Truckee, California

Eric M.

I found Sarah when looking for a CFI to familiarize myself with the Truckee better. It didn't take much looking to get interested in her Mountain Training course. Besides wanting to fly comfortably to Truckee from the Bay Area, I wanted to find out all the things I didn't know that I didn't know about flying in the mountains. Sarah accommodated both myself and my son for the three day course and it is near or at the top of my flying experiences. The ground school was great, the general flying tips and instruction were welcomed to break a few bad habits as well. THEN we did the cross country trip the last day and that was the most beautiful flight ever. Over lake tahoe, down to the Saw Tooth ridges and peaks, 2000 feet about and around Yosemite (Half Dome), then on to Mono Lake. Her style was calm but direct, which worked fantastic for the two of us. It's hard to recommend her any higher. If you are thinking of a mountain training course or just a CFI for that area, give her a try!

Sophee H.

I have been a student of Sarah’s for about a year now. I came to Sarah after a bad experience at a different flight school and I can say with complete confidence that I definitely made the right decision.

Sarah genuinely cares for her student’s success and happiness. She wants everyone to be knowledgeable and safe while finding their passion for aviation. Her experience in the mountains is extremely valuable! It has been amazing learning how to fly while also learning how to mountain fly.

I am now a month out from my private pilot checkride and I feel confident and prepared because of my training with Sarah. She has become a mentor in my life and I am so grateful for her. If you’re looking for someone to give you their all when it comes to flight training, Sarah’s your gal! Her patience and passion for teaching is impeccable.

Not to mention, flying in the Truckee area offers beautiful views. Why not learn how to fly with the best instructor and practice maneuvers over beautiful landscape? Truckee Flight Training will be my home while I further my training , and I think you should call it home too!

Rajashree K.

I did my private pilot training with Sarah Halas. It was an amazing experience that has left me feeling confident flying in the mountains.

Sarah is an incredible CFI with deep experience and knowledge about aviation. I really appreciated her ability to simplify concepts so I could expand my understanding without ever feeling overwhelmed. As I gained experience, she thoughtfully expanded into topics.

Sarah is adventurous, incredibly kind, positive and thoughtful. She understand that different people learn differently and adjust her methodology to maximize their success. She genuinely cares about her students and their lives.

I am very happy with my decision to train with Sarah and highly recommend her for any aviation training. You will leave her with great aviation insights and a deeper appreciation of our beautiful world from above.

Julian H.

I took Sarah's 3-day mountain flying course and not only had a blast flying with Sarah, but learned a lot of extremely valuable tools to improve on my technical pilot skills. I left the course with a good understanding of the things to look out for when flying in the mountains and a basic familiarity with a few of the airports up in Tahoe.

I would absolutely recommend Sarah to anyone looking to get their flight training or a mountain flying course. Her knowledge and experience served to provide extremely valuable practical skills that went above and beyond the requirements and regulations of my private pilot training.

Dimitar B.

Had the pleasure to get mountain flying instruction from Sarah last year (2016 spring). I greatly enjoyed the experience during which she shared insights on the mountain flying best practices. Sarah knows the mountain from various angles, not just aviation... Her other fortes are extreme hiking and skiing, and that makes her a very engaging person for conversations related to the topic of the mountain. Most importantly though, she has a great personality that puts one at ease, a rare find amongst experts in any field...

Brian C.

First things first: Sarah is the best flight instructor you or I will ever meet. I moved to Tahoe just after getting my PPL in Atlanta and started flying with Sarah to learn mountain terrain. But she's taught me so much more than mountain flying. I am so much more consistent and comfortable because of her. She truly understands airplanes as well as people- which you'll find is a rare quality in flight instructors. 💯

Davis M.

I flew with Sarah with my dad for a three day mountain flying course. Unsure what to expect, I went in with an open mind and blown away. Never having flown in the mountains, it was an eye opener to realize the respect the mountains need, as well as how beautiful the area is. Sarah was very helpful to correct my bad habits that I've picked up over the last few years, as well as learn new techniques for flying over ridges, close to terrain, and emergency procedures over mountains. Each day was filled with ground training, then a flight to practice what we reviewed. I am very grateful for the experience as I start to dip my feet in mountain flying. Thanks Sarah!

Neil W.

I started my journey of getting my private pilot license with Sarah at TFT, continued with her, and finished this year. The reason I began with sarah was that I wanted to learn from someone who was a true professional instructor. Not just someone building time as a means to an airline job. She also has extensive experience flying in mountain environments. For someone wanting to fly in the Sierra, this is imperative IMO.
I highly recommend sarah.