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
Federico Tamborrel27 June 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
It has been an incredible experience learning to fly with Chicago executive flight school. All the instructors are incredibly knowledge and talented and ensure you are able learn at your own pace. They are all also attentive and flexible for scheduling. I have been flying with Ryan for the past year or so and he has done a great job at teaching me and working to improve areas of weakness. Cannot recommend this flight school enough if you are eager to learn to fly.Posted on Google
David DiBiase24 June 2025Adrian Rogers has gone above and beyond helping me with my ground training lessons for my Private Pilot quest. He has also helped me with my Piloting skill sets, and he makes sure your understanding and retaining the lesson at hand.Posted on Google
Megan O’Toole27 June 2025Executive flight school is so fun to fly at! My instructor is Jakob and im so glad!! He’s very level headed and calm which is really nice during flying and ground lessons. Whenever I’m unsure of something he always points me in the right direction without judgement which is so awesome and really appreciated. I feel as though I do not have to worry when I fly about anything bad happening because I trust his flying skills and judgement. He’s always very kind and never in a terrible mood. Jakob is also very patient and understanding, and always encourages me to do my best. He always makes sure I know what im doing in advance to make sure I have time to prepare which is incredibly appreciated! Flying has been definitely an awesome experience and I always learn so much during my lessons. I also find ground very helpful as well. Jakob explains all the materials very well and I know what is required of me to get to where I need to go. He has me set goals for what I should do during flying and outside of flying. I also appreciate his sense of humor. Everyone at executive is super kind, calm, and helpful which is awesome! I had the pleasure of taking my 10 hour check with Dave, who is really neat to talk to! I couldn’t have asked for a better flight school and instructor.Posted on Google
Ralph lipford30 June 2025Jakob is a great CFI for me because he explains concepts clearly and adjusts his teaching style to how I learn best. He’s patient during flights and helps me stay calm and focused, even when I make mistakes. I always leave each lesson feeling more confident and motivated to improve.Posted on Google
Nick Wienold11 March 2018Highly recommend Jim and his teamPosted on Google
Danylo Mykytash27 June 2025From day one, the entire team made me feel welcome and supported. The school is extremely well organized, and you can tell they take safety and professionalism very seriously, while still making learning to fly a lot of fun. Tom McNeill is an outstanding instructor. He’s patient, knowledgeable, and has a great way of breaking down complex concepts into simple, easy-to-understand steps. Whether we were working on basic maneuvers, landings, or preparing for the checkride, he always took the time to answer my questions and made sure I felt confident before moving on. What I appreciated most is that Tom never made me feel rushed or intimidated. He genuinely cares about his students’ success and progress, and that comes through in every lesson. Thanks to his guidance, I’ve become a much more skilled and confident pilot than I ever thought possible. If you’re considering flight training, I highly recommend Chicago Executive Flight School. Ask for Tom—he’s one of the best instructors you could hope for.Posted on Google
Anton Llakmani27 June 2025Jacob is a great instructor. He's very thorough and consistent and has a lot of knowledge. I have learned a lot and enjoy working with him.Posted on Google
Izabella Rossi1 July 2025Truman is an amazing instructor. A great teacher for ground school, and very patient and professional in the flight lessons. I always look forward to flying with him. Adrian also did my intro flight and it was such an amazing experience I’ll remember forever! He was very encouraging and his flight experience and professionalism shows through strongly. They’re both the best!!Posted on Google
Эмилия Ивах26 August 2026Amazing experience with Luke! The flight was absolutely incredible, with beautiful views of Chicago and the lake. Luke was very friendly, professional, and made us feel comfortable the entire time. I even got to fly the plane myself for almost half of the flight, which made the experience even more special! Everything was explained clearly, and I felt safe and confident throughout the flight. It was such a unique and unforgettable experience. I would definitely recommend Chicago Executive Flight School to anyone who wants to experience flying and see Chicago from a completely different perspective! ✈️ Highly recommend!+2Posted on Google
Nadeem Shad30 June 2025What can I say this place is awesome. They have a great staff and great setup. Adrain goes above and beyond his duties. Get you very comfortable and at ease in the plane. I would recommend this flight school to anyone trying to get a PPLPosted on Google
Liam Eadie27 June 2025Had a great experience getting my PPL here! Jakob Kjeldbjerg was my instructor and he did a great job.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!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
Jenny Johnson27 June 2025Ryan H is the best. He's very patient, knowledgeable, encouraging and has saved my ass a few times. If you're looking for an instructor I'd highly recommend Ryan/CEFS.+0Posted on Google
Benjamin Galbreath1 June 2025I’m a current student at Chicago Executive Flight School and my instructor is Zach Nystrom. He’s great and very helpful, always answers my questions and understands how to teach!! Would recommend him for sure.Posted on Google
Sam E30 June 2025Chicago Executive Flight School is an absolute gem. The instructors are top-notch, the environment is supportive, and flying out of Chicago Executive (PWK) makes you feel like a mini rockstar every time you hit the throttle. Major shoutout to Ryan — one of the best instructors I’ve ever met. He’s incredibly knowledgeable, patient, and somehow makes steep turns and emergency procedures feel... fun? Not sure how he does it, but if you’re flying with Ryan, you’re in very good hands (and probably laughing a little along the way). Also want to give props to Dan, my first instructor, who got me off the ground both literally and figuratively. Dan set the tone early with his calm, steady teaching — and probably deserves a medal for not flinching during my first landing. The whole school runs like a well-trimmed checklist — super organized, encouraging, and genuinely focused on helping you succeed. Bottom line: if you’re thinking about flight training, stop Googling — this is the spot. Just be ready to fall in love with aviation... and maybe pick up a few inside jokes along the way.Posted on Google
Aidan Fayhee29 June 2025Had a great intro flight! T.J. did a fantastic job explaining and demonstrating the different components of flying the plane. Awesome experience, would highly recomend.Posted on Google
Marty Chin (Zepto)6 November 2018Amazing experience. Very hands on! Jim showed me how to port the fuel to make sure their was no water , explained different parts of the plane and instruments very well. Not to mention an amazing flight around the skyline and back, Jim let me take control of the plane most of the time and even did some cool 0G nose dives for me and my friend . I would definitely recommend coming here to have a one of a kind experience!+2Posted 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
Jo Ba27 June 2025Zach is a good instructor. He's able to break down complicated issues like weather and systems and explain them in a way that helped me understand.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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