Kilo Charlie Aviation, headquartered at the New Century AirCenter in New Century, Kansas, is opening a second location at Lee’s Summit Municipal Airport (KXLT) in neighboring Missouri.

“This expansion to XLT is significant for us,” said Robert Renfro, founder of Kilo Charlie Aviation and a corporate pilot. “XLT is one of the fastest-growing airports in the region. We are building a 10,000-foot hangar to house our administrative offices and store our aircraft. We will immediately begin offering lessons once we move in. This expansion reinforces our reputation as the premier flight school in the Kansas City metro area, and the greater Midwest.”

“There is room for growth at XLT,” added Renfro, “and it is ideally located. Added to that, its 5,500-foot runway is excellent for teaching new pilots. It also serves a wide variety of general aviation and corporate aircraft.”

Offering All Levels of Flight Training

Kilo Charlie Aviation, founded in 2008, is an accredited flight school with a staff of ten instructors. The school has been headquartered at New Century AirCenter since its founding. The training fleet of ten planes includes Piper Warriors and Piper Arrows, a Cirrus SR20 and a Cirrus SR22. For multi-engine certifications, Kilo Charlie trains in a Diamond Da-42 VI. All the planes feature the latest technology in avionics, flight instrumentation, and navigation.

Kilo Charlie also offers the Redbird FMX Flight Simulator. This advanced flight simulator provides a full-motion experience. It is an affordable alternative to in-flight time, and safer. Student pilots get exposure to real-life emergency situations they might encounter in the skies, but which can be difficult to duplicate in a training situation in live aircraft. The Redbird allows students to improve their navigational abilities, simulate weather, and add to their hours.

Kilo Charlie Aviation trains pilots at all levels of flying ability and knowledge, from recreational pilots who are starting with a Private Pilots License, all the way to Commercial Pilots, many of whom will go on to become pilots for the major airlines.

“We are very excited to have Kilo Charlie Aviation open an office at the airport, said Joel Arrington, assistant airport manager.  “Their professionalism and the services they bring will add to the diversity of flight training and rental options here at the airport.”

Flight Schools Lead to Career Opportunities

There are multiple career opportunities in aviation,” added Renfro from Kilo Charlie.  “The military has been the traditional training ground for commercial and airline pilots. Not as much any more. With the downsizing of our armed forces, that has changed in the last decade, along with the development of excellent flight schools such as Kilo Charlie.”

Renfro goes on to explain that the mandatory retirement age for commercial pilots is 65. That means that all the pilots that came out of the Viet Nam era have already retired. The next wave of military pilots came from the Middle East conflicts starting in the late ‘80s. Many of them are also retiring and over the next two decades, they will continue to age out.

Dennis Muilenburg, CEO of Boeing, recently stated that in the next twenty years the airlines will have to recruit more than 800,000 airline pilots worldwide.

“There is an immense need for qualified pilots,” said Renfro. “If you are interested in how to become a pilot in Kansas, Kilo Charlie Aviation offers you the opportunity.”