BRUNSWICK

Maine Coastal Flight has been churning out the next generation of pilots at the former Brunswick Naval Air Station since the P-3s left five years ago.

Erik Vroom and his father, David, run the flight company that began in Bar Harbor 12 years ago. The elder Vroom is a full-time pilot for United, so when Erik began flying 12 years ago it became a family business.

Erik Vroom said pilot training is just one aspect of the business, which also rents aircraft, charters scenic flights and, for the last two years, has been getting more into aircraft management.

In essence, Maine Coastal Flight cannot only teach you how to fly, but they can help you find and purchase your new aircraft, as well as offer a myriad services for your new plane, like schedule maintenance.

Vroom says typically, if someone comes in the door and wants to fly, he’ll schedule an introductory flight lesson which includes a 30- minute briefing on the aircraft from the ground, followed by an hour in the air.

Maine Coastal offers two or three private pilot ground schools a year, depending on scheduling. Unlike driver’s education, flight lessons are one-on-one and scheduled by the student.

It takes 60 hours of flight training to get your private pilot license.

Vroom said it’s feasible to finish your hours in as little as three weeks if you fly five full days a week. The more traditional route, however, is to fly two or three times a week, which will put you on track to complete your flight time in about three months.

Training also depends on which aircraft you will be using. Vroom said the more traditional approach is with their Cessna 150. It’s a more economical, two-seat aircraft.

The model many business-minded students are flying is the Cirrus SR 20. Vroom said the Cirrus is a faster, more advanced aircraft. Inside the cockpit, the Cirrus has twin computer screen displays, satellite radio and a parachute built into the top of the aircraft.

Maine Coastal also has a simulator, where students can receive one-on-one instruction with full instrumentation without the distractions of actually being in flight.

Recently, Vroom said he picked up a Cirrus student and one of his employees and flew to a concert in Massachusetts, followed by a trip to Concord, New Hampshire, the next morning for a breakfast meeting, a couple hours in Portland and back to Bangor to drop them off.

For Maine Coastal, a definite plus to teaching people how to fly is it can become a statewide endeavor.

Vroom said it helps that they are the only Cirrus trainers north of the Boston area, so many new Cirrus owners come through their doors.

For pilots looking to get acquainted with their new Cirrus, Vroom said it’s as easy as staying at a local hotel and putting in a couple intensive days on the aircraft for some personalized instruction.

Currently, Vroom said the Brunswick branch is run by two flight instructors. In the fall, he plans to bring one of his scenic tour pilots to bolster aerial leaf peeping and help out with instruction.

dmcintire@timesrecord.com

Fly facts

• MAINE COASTAL FLIGHT at Brunswick Executive Airport offers two or three private pilot ground schools a year, depending on scheduling. Unlike driver’s education, flight lessons are one-on-one and scheduled by the student.

• IT TAKES 60 hours of flight training to get your private pilot license.