Cape Fear Aviation Flight Training

Cape Fear Aviation Flight Training is a flight school at Gray's Creek Airport near Fayetteville, North Carolina. The airport was founded in 1984 and began as a dirt strip less than two thousand feet long. In 1987 the runway was extended to three thousand five hundred feet long and thirty feet wide. The school promotes itself as the home of friendly flying.

The school has earned the AOPA Distinguished Flight School Award for five years in a row. It currently lists the 2026 AOPA Regional Distinguished Flight School award. This recognition marks four consecutive years for the regional honor. The school is proud to be rated highly for customer satisfaction in the Fayetteville area.

The school provides training for private pilot, instrument rating, commercial pilot, and multi engine add on certificates. Advanced ratings include certified flight instructor, instrument instructor, and multi engine instructor. Students are paired together so they can study and fly together. This approach helps them save money while building time for various ratings and airline careers. The school also trains students who want to become professional pilots.

In 2019, Cape Fear Aviation became the first flight school on the East Coast eligible for the United States Army Credential Assistance Program. Active duty, National Guard, and reserve soldiers can use the program toward private pilot, instrument rating, commercial pilot, or certified flight instructor certificates. The school also offers flight financing for students who want to pursue aviation full time. Soldiers can use the assistance to pay for a portion of their training.

The fleet includes four Cessna 150 aircraft for basic training, with one model certified for instrument flight. A Cessna 172 Skyhawk offers four seat training with both traditional and technically advanced avionics options. The school also operates Piper Warrior aircraft and a Piper Aztec multi engine plane for complex and multi engine training. Several aircraft feature modern GPS units and autopilots. Instrument rated aircraft are available for advanced students.

An FAA testing center is located in the main office at Gray's Creek Airport. The airport is attended Monday through Friday and offers 100LL fuel. An on field maintenance shop supports the fleet. Some graduates stay to work as instructors while building the fifteen hundred flight hours needed for airline employment. The airport asks that pattern work be limited to one aircraft at a time.

Services

• Private Pilot Training
• Instrument Rating Training
• Commercial Pilot Training
• Multi Engine Add On
• Certified Flight Instructor Training
• Instrument Instructor Training
• Multi Engine Instructor Training
• FAA Testing Center
• Flight Financing
• Army Credential Assistance Program