The Gateway Difference: Gateway Flight Solutions Provides Comprehensive Flight Training and Aircraft Maintenance Services to the Midwest Aviation Community

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By Carmelo Turdo 

ateway Flight Solutions provides comprehensive flight training and aircraft maintenance services to the Midwest Aviation community from their Creve Coeur Airport location. From Discovery Flight to ATP, annual inspection to avionics upgrade, Piper Cherokee to multi-engine commercial and more, the highly experienced crews and technicians of Gateway Flight Solutions are there to support your mission.     

 

Flight Training

"It's all about customer service and consistency, " said Brian Borton, Gateway Flight Training's Operations Manager who holds Air Transport Pilot, Certified Flight Instructor/Instrument and Multi-Engine Instructor certificates. Gateway Flight Solutions was founded in 2010 to assist pilots in meeting the requirements posed by aircraft insurance companies for complex and multi-engine aircraft. They now offer flight training and ground school courses for the Private, Instrument, Commercial, CFI, Multi-Engine and ATP certificate levels. 

The flight training offered by Gateway Flight Solutions is more than just punching tickets along the way.  Gateway Flight Solutions specializes in Beechcraft initial and recurrent training, and courses also include pressurized piston and turbine engine aircraft operations. The training fleet includes a Piper Cherokee and Archer along with Beechcraft Debonair complex aircraft. Newly updated Cessna 172RG and a 310K twin will be joining the fleet very soon, and all aircraft are available for rental. Student and recurrent pilots also have access to a full-motion Redbird MCX flight simulator for Instrument and Multi Engine training.

Gateway Flight Solutions certified flight instructors offer a wealth of knowledge and experience from decades of industry service. The CFI staff have a combined 60,000 hours of corporate, charter and military flying experience, and the Chief Flight Instructor is a former Chairman of the National Association of Flight Instructors. The flight instructors complete annual recurrent training, and the instrument Instructors have flown thousands of actual instrument hours. Their flight training curriculum was developed using industry best practices, and it is regularly reviewed by a curriculum advisor with a Master's in Education from Washington University. Whether the instruction is conducted in the flight school fleet or the owner's aircraft, customers receive the most valuable service for their time and money.

Brian Borton emphasized the importance of getting to know the student to ensure that he or she understands the expectations and costs involved in pilot training. Having  a complimentary instructor-student match is essential to success. "The young students have great hand-eye coordination, learn fast and want on-line curriculum," Borton said. And Gateway Flight Solutions delivers. He also recommends glider flight training for the 13–16-year-old students so they can gain a natural feel for coordinated flight. Financial and moral support from parents and family are also very important for the younger students. 

Maintenance and Avionics Service 

Gateway Flight Solutions offers aircraft maintenance services for single and multi-engine piston and turbo-prop aircraft at their Creve Coeur Airport facility. FAA Certified Maintenance Technicians/IAs inspect and maintain the training fleet and customer aircraft, ensuring their safety and reliability. Gateway Flight Solutions maintains a large parts inventory, so there is a good chance they have, or can quickly obtain, the parts needed for most aircraft maintenance procedures.

Gateway Flight Solutions is an authorized dealer for Aspen, Avidyne and Dynon products that serve as practical and affordable solutions for panel upgrade projects. Licensed and certified avionics installers are working with new customers at their Creve Coeur Airport maintenance facility.  

"Gateway Flight Solutions is an Aspen, Avidyne and Dynon dealer and offers all levels of avionics upgrades, repairs and service to the aviation market in St. Louis," Brian Borton added. "We have certified avionics technicians in our shop, along with IAs and A&P mechanics. We do everything from a full overhaul to minor service - we install E5 all the way to the E1000 Aspen and full Avidyne line."

 

Some recent examples of avionics upgrades include this Beechcraft E33A Bonanza and Cessna Cardinal. 

Gateway Flight Solutions believes it is important to act as a good corporate citizen as well as providing quality service to their customers. They are a member of multiple local chambers of commerce, Greater St. Louis Business Aviation Association, National Business Aviation Association and individual memberships in the Greater St. Louis Flight Instructors Association. Gateway Flight Solutions sponsors periodic FAA safety seminars, and their instructors provide value-added, real-world training scenarios that turn theory into practice. The corporate motto of "Safety in Aviation Through Education" guides all activity, in and out of the aircraft.

Contact Gateway Flight Solutions for more information on their flight training and maintenance/avionics services.