Train with CFI SBA
Cirrus training programs for every pilot
Our commitment is to guide you through every phase of your aviation journey, with precision and professionalism.
CFI SBA is a Cirrus flight school at Santa Barbara Airport (KSBA). Training is led by a Cirrus Standardized Instructor Pilot (CSIP) and flown in Cirrus aircraft, an SR20 G7 and an SR22, from the first lesson to the Private Pilot, Instrument Rating and Commercial Pilot certificates, plus transition training for Cirrus owners.
Our simulator
Fly the pattern before you fly the airplane.
Our Cirrus SR2x G7 simulator puts you in the same cockpit you will fly, with a curved wrap-around view of more than 270°, so you practice full traffic patterns, not just instruments. Unlimited, air-conditioned, and included in your training.
- The real G7 cockpit. Learn the buttons and the procedures on the ground; in the air, you fly.
- 270°+ wrap-around view. Three projectors and a curved screen: patterns, approaches and landings with a real view to the side.
- Unlimited, included. One price for your whole training instead of paying by the hour. Practice as much as you like.
- Fewer airplane hours. We plan the Private Pilot at 38.5 hours in the airplane. For the Instrument Rating, up to 20 of the 40 required hours of instrument time are flown in the simulator with your instructor.
Unlimited simulator time costs $3,500, about the price of 8 hours in the airplane.
Start with a discovery flight
Begin your aviation journey with a Discovery Flight in our Cirrus SR20 G7 or SR22, flown with a CFI SBA instructor. It is a first-hand look at how we train and at the aircraft you would train in.
$600 Discovery Flight, all-inclusive (fuel and all fees), includes:
- Pre-flight briefing (30 minutes): the aircraft, its systems and safety procedures.
- Flight (1 hour): hands-on flying with your instructor.
- Post-flight debrief (30 minutes): how the flight went and which training path fits you.
Call or text 1.805.335.1744
CFI SBA training programs
Private Pilot
Whether you are after a flying career, a personal passion or a lifelong dream, the journey starts with the Private Pilot Certificate.
We train students of every background, from first-timers to future professionals. One-on-one instruction and a structured, Cirrus-standard syllabus build the foundation for safe, confident flying in today's airspace.
We plan the certificate at 38.5 hours in the airplane, with unlimited practice in our Cirrus SR22 G7 simulator in between. The Cirrus Approach online course is included.
Requirements
- Be a U.S. citizen or meet TSA flight training requirements
- 16 years old to solo; 17 to hold the certificate
- Hold an FAA 3rd Class Medical Certificate
- Minimum 40 flight hours
- Pass the FAA Private Pilot knowledge test
- Read, speak and understand English
First steps
- Meet your instructor (a discovery flight is the easiest start)
- Choose ground school or self-study
- Get your medical certificate early
- Get the required materials
- Plan your budget and schedule with the cost calculator below
Training experience
- Normal, crosswind, short-field and soft-field takeoffs and landings
- Aircraft control throughout the flight envelope
- Flight maneuvers and emergency procedures, including the Cirrus parachute (CAPS)
- Flying by day and by night, and cross-country
- Aircraft systems, aerodynamics and the Cirrus avionics
- Aeronautical decision-making and risk management
Privileges
- Fly day or night under VFR
- Rent single-engine aircraft
- Carry passengers
Instrument Rating
Learning to fly solely by reference to instruments is the skill that changes your safety and confidence the most.
An Instrument Rating lets you fly in low visibility and poor weather, and prepares you to handle the unexpected with calm precision. The Cirrus flight deck and autopilot make it a natural place to learn instrument flying.
Up to 20 of the 40 required hours of instrument time can be flown in our Cirrus SR22 G7 simulator with your instructor, and you can practice in it on your own as much as you like. We plan the rating at 20 hours in the airplane.
Requirements
- U.S. citizenship or TSA clearance
- FAA 3rd Class Medical Certificate
- Hold a Private Pilot Certificate
- 50 hours of cross-country time as pilot in command
- 40 hours of actual or simulated instrument time
- 15 hours of instrument instruction with a CFII
- Pass the FAA knowledge and practical tests
How the course runs
- 10 training days: 10 days in a row if you stay with us, about 3 weeks at 4 days a week, about 12 weeks at 1 day a week
- Arrive ready for the FAA Instrument knowledge test: at least 85% on our internal practice test
- Simulator and airplane lessons every day, with unlimited simulator practice in between
Training experience
- IFR navigation, procedures and approaches
- Filing and flying IFR flight plans
- Weather: how it works, how to read it, how to decide
- Avionics, autopilot and airspace knowledge
- Flying without outside visual references
Privileges
- Operate in Class A airspace
- Fly in reduced visibility and instrument conditions
- Rent single-engine aircraft for IFR flights
Commercial Certificate
Want to be paid to fly? The Commercial Pilot Certificate is your next step.
You need it to receive any compensation for flying, even from friends or family. It brings your knowledge of performance, systems, aerodynamics and FAA regulations up to professional standards.
Requirements
- 18 years of age
- Hold a Private Pilot Certificate
- Hold a 1st or 2nd Class Medical Certificate
- 250 hours total flight time
- 100 hours as pilot in command
- 50 hours of cross-country time
- Pass the FAA knowledge and practical tests
Training experience
- Deeper understanding of aerodynamics and performance
- Emergency procedures to a professional standard
- Commercial maneuvers
- Precise, advanced aircraft control
- Night and cross-country flying
Flight Instructor (CFI/CFII)
Becoming a flight instructor is demanding and rewarding: it sharpens your own flying and lets you pass it on to others.
You will study how people learn, refine every maneuver from the right seat, and learn to teach to the standard you were trained to.
Available certificates
- Certified Flight Instructor (CFI), airplane single-engine
- Certified Flight Instructor, Instrument (CFII)
Requirements
- 18 years of age
- Commercial Pilot Certificate or ATP with an instrument rating
- Minimum 250 flight hours
- FAA 3rd Class Medical Certificate
- Pass the FAA knowledge and practical tests
Training experience
- Train with a senior instructor
- Fundamentals of instructing and lesson planning
- Master the maneuvers from the right seat
Cirrus Transition
New to Cirrus, or moving to another Cirrus model or flight deck? Transition training makes you fluent in the airplane before you fly it on your own.
Training follows the Cirrus transition syllabus with a Cirrus Standardized Instructor Pilot, in your aircraft or in ours.
Who it is for
- New Cirrus owners and buyers
- Pilots who want to rent our SR20 or SR22
- Pilots moving to a new Cirrus generation or flight deck
Training experience
- Systems, flows and checklists
- Avionics and autopilot
- Emergency procedures and the Cirrus parachute (CAPS)
- Takeoffs and landings at Cirrus speeds
Cost calculator
Choose an aircraft, a certificate and how often you can fly. The estimate and the timeline update as you go.
All costs from this calculator are estimates and are subject to change. Actual training costs vary with individual progress, aircraft availability, fuel prices, instructor scheduling and other factors. This tool is for planning only and is not a guaranteed quote.
Rate sheet
| Item | Rate |
|---|---|
| Aircraft | |
| N275MG Cirrus SR20 G7 | $380 / hour dry |
| N275MG in a training package Private, Instrument or Commercial, at least 20 hours in the airplane | $359 / hour dry |
| N788MG Cirrus SR22 | $390 / hour dry |
| Fuel at cost, billed by the gallon | $7.75 / gal |
| Instruction and simulator | |
| Flight instruction | $130 / hour |
| Flight instruction, more than 12 hours 10% off; applies to every training program | $117 / hour |
| Simulator access, Cirrus SR22 G7 AATD unlimited, for the whole practical training | $3,500 |
| Cirrus Approach online course | Included |
| Discovery flight, SR20 or SR22 30 min briefing, 1 hour flight, 30 min debrief; fuel and all fees included | $600 |
| Third-party fees (typical) | |
| FAA medical certificate | $250 |
| FAA knowledge test | $175 |
| Pilot examiner (checkride) | $1,000 |