LOCATION: Southern Michigan FLIGHT SCHOOL TYPE: Part 61 Part 141 ACTIVE STUDENTS: ~300 CFIs: 75

Before: Blind Spots Slowed Down Student Progress and Drove Up Flight Training Costs

Crosswinds Aviation built its reputation as one of Michigan’s most forward-looking schools, scaling across five locations and attracting both university and independent career-track students. But inside the cockpit, progress often hit turbulence.

Ground school was the weak spot. Students logged in where they could, grabbed lessons from FAA handbooks, or relied on whatever CFI happened to be available. The result? Everyone learning, but without one clear playbook.

CFIs were left guessing what students had actually studied. That uncertainty meant stage checks turned into stalls, with students arriving unprepared. Extra review flights stacked up, adding cost, stress, and delays. The dream of a professional pilot career was still alive but getting there felt like an endless detour.

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After: One Standard Student Pilot Journey Across Every Campus

When Flight Schedule Pro launched its online ground school integration, Crosswinds didn’t hesitate. They rolled it out across all five campuses, embedding ground school directly into the same system students already used to schedule flights.

That move rewired the student experience. Every pilot-in-training now starts Sporty’s ground school through Flight Schedule Pro on day one. (Crosswinds chooses to use Sporty's among available options.) Whether you’re at their Howell or Flint campus, you’re learning from the same curriculum, tracked on the same system, with the same clear expectations.

For instructors, the shift has been game-changing. No more chasing paperwork or guessing who’s ready. They see real-time student progress at a glance and can step in exactly where help is needed. For students, it’s structure, clarity, and a smoother runway to graduation.

Crosswinds Aviation’s Top 4 Areas of Impact with Integrated Ground School

1. Students Graduate Faster

CFIs can spot gaps before they stall progress. Stage checks and checkrides stay on schedule, timelines are predictable, and students hit airline hiring windows right on time.

2. Nearly 100% First-Time Written Pass Rates

By requiring Sporty’s prep and score submissions before endorsements, Crosswinds has virtually eliminated retakes. Students save money, boost confidence, and walk into checkrides sharp.

3. Training Consistency Across Five Locations

300 students. 75 instructors. Five campuses. One standard curriculum. That consistency has leveled the playing field and strengthened the school’s reputation for serious, structured training.

4. Instructor Oversight Without Extra Work

No more blind spots or paperwork chases. CFIs see exactly where each student stands, keep accountability high, and spend their time teaching — not tracking.

Students are now completing lessons more consistently, and CFIs don’t even need to intervene to keep them on track.

Matt Dahline | Owner, Crosswinds Aviation

Elevating the Pilot Experience & Keeping Student Pilots On Track

At Crosswinds, the student journey now feels less like a patchwork and more like a career pipeline. Enrollment is one click. Ground and flight training run in sync. Student progress is visible to instructors, students, and families alike.

For parents, this creates confidence — proof that their student’s investment is turning into real, trackable momentum.

For students, it unlocks something even bigger: belief. They can see themselves moving forward, milestone by milestone, from private pilot to professional.

And for a career-track program, that's everything. Students aren’t just checking boxes. They’re stepping into a system designed to carry them all the way to the airline job they’re working for.

The online ground school integration with Flight Schedule Pro speeds up comprehension and makes monitoring progress possible. It’s a major resource for students.

Matt Dahline | Owner, Crosswinds Aviation

Why Integrated Ground School Means Fewer Dropouts

For flight schools aiming to stay competitive, Crosswinds Aviation shows the way forward. Integrated ground school isn’t just a feature. It’s the standard schools need if they want to compete, and win, in the race to produce tomorrow’s pilots.

Flight training is expensive, complex, and full of roadblocks. Schools that run disconnected systems make it harder for students to stay on course. The result? Dropouts, delays, and dreams deferred.

But integrated training has flipped that script for Crosswinds. With ground and flight connected, students move faster, instructors teach smarter, and schools prove their value with consistent, career-ready outcomes.

Crosswinds Aviation