Learn to Fly.
Keep Your Dreams. Skip the Drain.
Westerly Aero is a Part 61 flight school at Westerly State Airport (WST), built around one idea: flight training should move you forward, not wear you down.
We are not here to swipe your card. We are on this journey together.
Every student who walks through our door has a reason for wanting to fly. Ours is to make sure that reason survives the training process. That means clear goals for every lesson, honest debriefs, and a plan that gets you to the certificate you're after without padding hours or draining your savings.
Why Westerly Aero
Safety First, Always
Every lesson starts with a plan and ends with a debrief. You will always know what you're working on and why.
Ground School That Makes Sense
The books can be overwhelming. We use Sporty's Pilot Training to give your ground education real structure, so the written test feels like a milestone, not a wall.
Goals, Not Guesswork
Before you fly, we sit down and review the lesson, the goals, and what success looks like that day. After you fly, we spend 30 minutes talking through what went right, what to sharpen, and what to study before next time.
We Don't Pad Hours
Our instructors walk alongside you. We track your progress against real milestones, not the clock.
The Student Journey
There is no single path to becoming a pilot. We’re here to help you find yours.
At Westerly Aero, flight training is about more than logging hours and checking boxes. We want to know why you want to fly, where you hope aviation will take you, and how we can help you get there.
Maybe your dream is to earn your Private Pilot Certificate and fly your family to Nantucket for the weekend. Maybe you want to own an airplane someday. Maybe this is the first step toward becoming a professional pilot.
And being a professional pilot doesn’t mean there is only one career path. Airlines are one option, but aviation also offers careers in corporate and business aviation, charter, cargo, flight instruction, aircraft sales and demonstration, aerial survey, medevac, and more.
Our role is bigger than teaching you how to fly an airplane. We want to mentor you, introduce you to the aviation community, help you understand the opportunities ahead, and give you a strong foundation for wherever you decide to go.
Along the way, we’ll celebrate the milestones that get you there:
- Your first flight
- Your first solo
- Cross-country training
- Checkride preparation
- Certificate in hand
- And whatever comes next
Training in Westerly, RI
Learning to fly here is its own kind of gift. Westerly State Airport is uncontrolled, which means you build real confidence on the radio, in the pattern, and making decisions from day one. But your training won’t be limited to a non-towered airport.
With Quonset State Airport (KOQU) and Groton-New London Airport (KGON) nearby, you’ll also gain experience flying into tower-controlled airports, communicating with ATC, and operating in more complex airspace.
Add in the coastal scenery and a community that shows up for its pilots, and you’ve got one of the best places in New England to learn to fly.
Ready to see what flying feels like?
A discovery flight is the easiest first step. Come fly with us and see for yourself why Westerly is one of New England's best places to learn.