Elite Aviation Is St. Louis Region's Cessna Pilot Training Center and Aircraft Maintenance Provider

By Carmelo Turdo

 Elite Aviation is the St. Louis area's premier flight training center, conveniently located in the Spirit of St. Louis Airport West Terminal. They offer experienced instructors, a structured Cessna Pilot Center ground school program, a modern aircraft fleet and advanced Redbird MCX full-motion flight simulator training through Alpha Flight Simulation. Elite Aviation also provides aircraft rental and maintenance services, and they are an FAA-approved written examination testing station. 

Elite Aviation now offers a growing number of Cessna 172S Skyhawks along with a Piper Turbo Saratoga and Tecnam P2006T multi-engine trainer. Their in-house experienced service team maintains the fleet and customer aircraft from around the region. 

Elite Aviation is more than a flight school, or even an aircraft rental and maintenance center. They are a family business that treats their customers and staff like family, extending that invitation to the community through numerous educational and charitable endeavors. Elite Aviation is a major sponsor of the St. Louis Red Tail Cadet program, now having graduated the fourth class of high school student participants. A growing number of former Elite Aviation CFIs have moved up to fly with jet charter companies and the major airlines. 

During a recent visit, we caught a few of the Skyhawks departing for afternoon training flights, and later a beautiful sunset on the north apron.

Elite Aviation provides general aviation aircraft maintenance services, including annual and periodic inspections, airframe and sheet metal repairs, engine cylinder and accessory replacement and avionics diagnostics. The training and rental fleet aircraft receive frequent standard inspections, and a Cessna 172 undergoing an engine change is a common sight in the Elite Aviation hangar. Here we feature post-maintenance engine run-ups and a customer aircraft being positioned in the hangar.

Alpha Flight Simulation offers the full-motion Redbird MCX configured in the Cessna 172 (steam gauges and G1000 panels) and the Beech Baron G1000. The MCX is ideal for Instrument training/approaches and ATP-level Crew Resource Management. Contact Alpha Flight Simulation for a visit and demonstration. 

Contact Elite Aviation today for more information about flight training, aircraft rental and maintenance services. The Aero Experience thanks Elite Aviation for being our longest-running sponsor of Midwest Aviation coverage.