Rollins College Student Earns Private Pilot License in Four Months

Abby DeGroat decided to pursue flight training after finding herself with an unexpected fifth year away from lacrosse during her MBA program at Rollins College. Introduced to aviation by her father and brother who had started training during the COVID-19 pandemic, she wanted the freedom to travel on her own schedule, specifically mentioning the ability to fly home to Boston whenever she desired.

Before committing to the full program, DeGroat booked a discovery flight at Cirrus Orlando. The flight crossed the Florida coastline to land at a waterfront airport in St. Petersburg for lunch before returning to Orlando, making aviation feel accessible and less intimidating.

To accomplish her goal while managing full-time graduate classes every evening, DeGroat trained four days a week. Cirrus Orlando adjusted her schedule by rearranging time blocks and increasing sessions when her commitments changed, allowing her to finish the program before heading home for the summer.

Drawing on her background as a college athlete to manage her time and stay focused under pressure, DeGroat noted that the initial learning curve was intimidating. While she found the actual flying and the avionics natural and intuitive, mastering sectional charts, air traffic control communications, and detailed preflight routines required more time.

The training program utilized interactive online coursework, simulator sessions, and in-aircraft instruction. DeGroat also watched online videos and landing tutorials outside of formal lessons to build consistency and confidence.

On the day of her checkride, weather conditions and runway construction required adjustments that forced her to complete portions of the evaluation away from Orlando Executive Airport. Despite the changes, a calming designated pilot examiner helped her settle down, and she passed the evaluation before sharing the news in her family group chat.

Sources: Cirrus Aircraft