Friends Fly Free
At Venture West Friends Fly Free!
Get 50 free flight hours when you refer a friend to fly with us.
Refer a friend to train in a Venture West plane and you’ll both receive 50 hours of time building. That’s a $8,000* total bonus value toward your flight goals. Whether you’re a student or instructor, there’s no limit to how many friends you can refer. It’s our way of helping you fly further, faster, together. Refer a friend by filling out the form on this page or contact Bud Ford at Venture West in person or by clicking one of the buttons below. Read through the FAQs for answers on this promotion below.
How do I refer a friend and claim my 50 hours?
Introduce your friend to Bud Ford (In person, Email, Text chat group) He will take it from there helping them find the program and financing that fits best for them.
Are the 50 time-building hours flight hours or simulator hours?
These 50 hours are flight time hours up in the plane. Our goal is to get you to the airlines faster and you need experience to do that!
Do I get the hours all at once, or are they distributed over time?
The hours can be redeemed as the friend that was referred to Venture West completes certificates. After each certificate is completed both the referring pilot and the friend get to redeem 10 hours until all 50 hours have been used. Have fun flying with your friend!
Can I refer more than one friend? Do I get more hours?
Absolutely! There is no limit on the number of friends you can bring to Venture West. The more friends you bring the more free flight hours you get. For example, if 1 friend equals 50 hours then bringing 3 friends will earn you 150 hours of free flight time. For the ambitious pilot finishing their training with 250 hours, the remaining 1,250 hours to get to the airlines can be daunting, but you can get all of those hours for free from Venture West when you refer 25 future pilots to do their training here.
What’s the catch? Are there any conditions or restrictions?
There is no catch, but there are guidelines: Refer a friend to Venture West Aviation’s Airline Pilot Academy program and receive 50 hours of free time building flight hours both for you and your friend. Hours are redeemable upon certificate completions as outlined under the question “Do I get the hours all at once?”.
Can I use these hours with any instructor or aircraft?
These hours do not include an instructor. You and the friend that you referred, get to fly one of our 180hp rental airplanes and fuel at Falcon field is even included. The Hobbs time you receive is 10 hours per rating completed (50 hours total). Your logbook times may vary as you will be flying “crew” one pilot simulating instrument and the other as safety pilot. Be sure to ask more questions along the way for even more clarity.
How do I track the hours I’ve earned through referrals?
Our team will keep track of who referred who, but be sure to redeem your hours when your friend completes the certificates listed above.
Can I promote this to my prospective students?
Yes, now you and your friend can benefit from them coming to fly with us at Venture West. We built this incentive to help you get even more out of training your friends.
What if someone has already completed a portion of their training at another school? Can I still get hours for referring them?
YES! You and your friend can still redeem the remaining hours, 10 per rating group. For example; If they have their PPL, you will both receive 40 hours.
Can instructors refer students too, and do they also receive the 50 hours?
Yes, instructors will receive the same benefit of 50 hours for referring students. These hours will not be considered billable hours and will not include instruction rate.
Is there a cap on the number of referrals instructors can make?
Nope! There is no limit on the number of friends you can bring to Venture West. The more friends you bring the more free flight hours you get. If 1 friend equals 50 hours then bringing 3 friends will earn you 150 hours of free flight time. For the ambitious pilot finishing their training with 250 hours the remaining 1250 hours to get to the airlines can be daunting, but you can get all of those hours for free from Venture West when you refer 25 friends to do their training here.
What’s the value of 50 hours, how far does it get me in training?
Considering Venture West’s hourly rental rate and the cost of fuel, this is an $8,000* value. Get 50 hours closer to your goal of 1,500 hours and a seat at the airlines.
Are there limits on when or how I use the hours?
You can book your flight in one of our listed rental airplanes on your Hilo account. Both pilots MUST sign our aircraft rental agreement. We even include the fuel costs for your flying as long as you top off at Falcon Field. Fuel at other airfields will not be covered by Venture West.
How soon will I receive the hours after my friend signs up?
When you invite a friend to do their training at Venture West you will be able to redeem your 50 hours in 10 hour increments as your friend completes the following certificates:
Private + 10 hours
Instrument + 10 hours
Commercial + 10 hours
CFI + 10 hours
CFII + 10 hours
What qualifies as a successful referral? (e.g., enrollment level, deposit paid)
A referral is considered successful when the friend starts our Airline Pilot Academy. From that point forward both our team and you should be supportive and helpful as that friend continues on their journey of becoming a pilot.