Excellence in Flight Training Since 1994.
Come fly with us!
Located at Chicago Executive Airport in Wheeling (IL), we offer comprehensive training programs for aspiring pilots. At Chicago Executive Flight School (CEFS) we have trained students to become pilots since 1994. CEFS has truly stood above the rest, focusing 100% on quality, safety, and time so you can be assured you are receiving the best training available.
For more information, call us at 1-800-901-0730.
For more information, call us at 1-800-901-0730.
4.6
125 reviews
Please call 1-800-901-0730 or fill our our contact form below and someone will get in touch with you.
Reviews
Posted on Google
Mauro Salvatore10 September 2021Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Had my first flight lesson here and had an absolute blast!! Our instructor Logan was the absolute man! Professional and informative but hilarious and fun at the same time. He truly made our experience unforgettable and I'll be requesting him and only him for every ensuing lesson. Amazing school. Amazing instructor. Amazing experience. 10/10 would recommend.Posted on Google
Justin Jetters30 June 2025Not to sound cliché, but i spent a long time searching for a flight school in the Chicago-Land area and this was it for me. Proximity to my house and job, I couldn’t beat it. My instructor Dan accommodates to my crazy work schedule and still ensures that I am learning the necessary things to propel my journey.Posted on Google
Maddy Ben-Yoseph17 June 2025Jakob is the BEST INSTRUCTOR EVER!!!!!!!! He is incredibly kind, reliable, patient, and dedicated. He always creates a calm and supportive environment that has made a huge difference in building my confidence as a pilot. His consistency, professionalism, and passion for aviation makes him someone you can trust and genuinely look forward to flying with. Jakob is always willing to go over lessons (both in the plane and on the ground), no matter how many times it takes. He constantly goes the extra mile by creating resources, diagrams, and customized study plans for his students, which has helped me stay organized and on track with training. During my first solo, Jakob made the day feel so special. You can tell how much joy he takes in seeing his students succeed during milestone moments like that. I can’t recommend Jakob highly enough. ⚡️ I also want to give a shout out to the amazing team at Chicago Executive Flight School. Every instructor is kind, approachable, and always ready to help. Scott is a fantastic operations VP who genuinely enjoys keeping up with student progress, and Dave is an outstanding safety officer, flying with him is always a joy.Posted on Google
Aiden Thomas1 July 2025My flying journey started at this flight school and I cant recommend this place enough for anyone who wants to get into flying. My instructor Tom has been a great mentor and guide in the sky, as well as on the ground. He does a great job of teaching and being serious about operating a plane, but also creates an environment that makes me feel comfortable and confident at the controls. I look forward to continuing my journey here with Tom and obtaining my PPL.Posted on Google
Lesley Ayala25 June 2025I am a student pilot at Chicago Executive Flight School and my CFI Caley Halloran is an inherent instructor. She has been patient and supportive through my journey of earning a private pilot license. She continues to supply me with resources to become an excellent pilot. Request Caley as your CFI!!!+0Posted on Google
Steve Franco1 July 2025Switched schools from another school to go here. They got me through private pilot and I’m continuing through my instrument rating with them.Posted on Google
Alejandro Rodriguez31 August 2025Hello! I recently went on a total immersion flight and let me tell you, this has got to be one of the best experiences i’ve ever had. Caley was our Flight Instructor and not only is she really down to earth, but she does such a wonderful job explaining what is going on to someone who’s never flown before. TJ is also a great person to have! TJ helped with the ground portion of the flight and explained how clouds and all kinds of factors go into having a nice and safe flight. I will definitely have to come back. Again, thank you Caley for such an amazing flight and Tj as well!Posted on Google
Matt Vanderveen16 June 2025I have had a wonderful experience here. Everyone has been very helpful and friendly. My instructor Raphael has been great to work with and has done a good job focusing my training in the areas that need more work.Posted on Google
M_K G30 June 2025Have been taking lessons with Jakob for a while which has been great! He is detail oriented, patient, professional, punctual, and safety-minded. Briefs and debriefs are always clear and helpful. Highly recommended.Posted on Google
Megans Bubble1 September 2026We were gifted an experience as Chicago Executive flight school and it was a memory for a lifetime! I’m not sure why anyone wouldn’t choose this experience to fly over a tour. Not only do you learn SO much cool information about how flights work, the plane, weather and so much more, but being in the plane for an hour getting to ACTUALLY fly the plane is an unbelievable life experience! I also love that you get to bring a passenger and if you can continue on with more flight lessons too. Absolutely one of the coolest and best things to do in Chicago! Thank you Chief Pilot Jim for an incredible and safe experience! Would highly recommend to anyone!+5Posted on Google
Dimitur Lechev24 May 2026I recently took my discovery flight with the Chief Pilot, Jim Kwasek, and it was such a phenomenal experience. For my first time it was a pretty windy day and I was frightened by the turbulence from the small aircraft but Jim made it look like nothing but another day, kept calm and was very patient with me. He taught me everything I needed to know before, during, and after the flight. He also took really creative and memorable pictures of me (he’s an amazing photographer), couldn’t thank him and the team enough for making my experience amazing, I recommend them for the first timers, very fun and friendly people!Posted on Google
Deep Patel1 July 2025Truman has been my flight instructor as of recent and he is extremely helpful and explains the material and lessons in depth. Having a very fun time learning this new skill! He is always helpful and really tries to help you understand the more basic concepts and then brings in the advanced content - so there is always a flow. I would highly recommend Truman as an instructor to anyone!Posted on Google
billandr28 October 2025CFI: Ryan Horvath As a working parent over 50, I never expected flight training to become more than a hobby — but my experience with Ryan Horvath and Chicago Executive Flight School has truly transformed it into a lifelong passion. Ryan’s patience and passion for aviation are unmatched. He’s not just focused on checkrides or hours — he’s dedicated to building safe, confident pilots. He’s the only instructor who ever made me love ground school — something I never thought possible. Every lesson is structured to ensure understanding, safety, and steady growth — never rushed, never just “for the hours.” This flight school is not about the money — it’s about quality instruction and mentorship. If your only goal is to check the PPL box, sure, other schools may do. But if you want to become a safe, well-trained pilot for life, this is the place to be. I can’t recommend Ryan or CEFS highly enough. They’ve changed the way I fly — and why I fly.+5Posted on Google
NIKHIL PURI23 September 2025Zach Nystrom is an outstanding flight instructor! I’m working toward my private pilot license, and with my constantly changing work schedule, he’s been incredibly patient and flexible. He’s mature beyond his years, very easy to talk to, and always willing to explain things clearly—even multiple times when needed. Zach is highly knowledgeable and truly focuses on building the skills needed to become a safe, confident pilot. He also brings in other instructors to give students different perspectives, which is a huge plus and helps you learn to work with different styles and personalities—just like in the real world of flying. Highly recommend Zach to anyone starting their aviation journey!Posted on Google
Caroline Jensen1 July 2025I started working on my Private License a few months ago. The school is set up in a way for you to be successful. I have had a great experience and am learning quickly. My instructor Adrian is great!Posted on Google
Illya Scherban15 June 2026I had a discovery flight on a Cessna 172 as a gift, and honestly, I didn’t expect it to be this amazing. What surprised me the most is that I was actually able to control the airplane myself for most of the flight. That feeling is just unbelievable. My instructor, Ryan Horvath, was fantastic. You can truly see his passion for flying and teaching. He explained everything clearly and made me feel comfortable the entire time, even though my English is not perfect. I highly recommend this flight school to anyone. Even if you’ve never thought about flying before, you should try it at least once. The feeling of freedom and being in the sky is something you will never forget.+2Posted on Google
Cochise Wanzer29 June 2025Dan is dedicated, knowledgeable, reliable, and professional. He is always willing to go above and beyond to help and I have had a lot of fun learning to fly with him.Posted on Google
Michael Mroz1 July 2025Ryan Horvath is a top tier instructor at the Chicago Executive Flight School (C.E.F.S.), and is what I consider to be a product of his own environment. That is to say, Ryan's capabilities and competencies as a flight instructor were forged from the very foundation that C.E.F.S. sets in terms of excellence as it relates to their training, hiring, and selection of flight instructor candidates. As someone who actually completed his CFI rating at C.E.F.S., Ryan has proven to be the embodiment of the standard that C.E.F.S. continues to uphold as one of the premiere flight schools in the greater Chicagoland area. If there is one thing that distinguishes Ryan from his peers and most flight instructors, it's that he brings with him a level of enthusiasm that is unparalleled. Indeed, Ryan genuinely WANTS to teach and flight instruct, as opposed to most CFIs in this world who are merely instructing as an economical means to build their flight time to get to the airlines. For that reason alone, I would highly recommend you sign up to take a discovery flight with Ryan at C.E.F.S. to see if flying is for you!Posted on Google
Laura Denver23 August 2020Jordan s a good instructor.Posted on Google
Kess McBride1 July 2025I started my flight training here at Chicago Executive Flight School summer of 2025 and I have enjoyed the experience so far I have flown with Truman and have learned a lot after taking a 7 month break off flight. This has been a great experience that I recommend anyone that wants to learn to fly!Verified by TrustindexTrustindex verified badge is the Universal Symbol of Trust. Only the greatest companies can get the verified badge who has a review score above 4.5, based on customer reviews over the past 12 months. Read more
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