GET TO KNOW THE SCHOOL
A closer look.
Ideal Aviation at St. Louis Downtown Airport in Sauget offers both airplane and helicopter instruction. Airplane options extend from private and instrument through commercial, multiengine and instructor preparation. Its separate helicopter curriculum explicitly includes private, instrument, commercial, CFI and CFII courses in Guimbal Cabri helicopters. The fixed-wing fleet spans Tecnam P92 and P-Mentor aircraft, Cessna 172s, Piper Pilot 100i and Archer trainers, and a Piper Seminole twin. A Southwestern Illinois College partnership provides a separate academic route for eligible flight and ground training.
Two distinct training categories
The school publishes airplane courses and a separate helicopter progression through CFI/CFII.
Named helicopter platform
The rotary-wing fleet page identifies the Guimbal Cabri as the helicopter training platform.
Expanded fixed-wing choices
The fleet page identifies P92, P-Mentor, Pilot 100i, Cessna 172, Seminole and PA28-181 Archer aircraft.
Published training options.
The school’s published options are summarized below. Each note explains the training type and what to clarify when comparing the school’s exact course.
Private pilot — airplane and helicopter
A private-pilot training path. Compare the aircraft used, ground-school arrangements and how lessons progress from initial skills to practical-test preparation.
Instrument rating — airplane and helicopter
Training focused on instrument flying, procedures and planning. Compare aircraft and simulator use, scheduling and the preparation expected before flight lessons.
Commercial pilot — airplane and helicopter
A commercial-pilot training option. Ask which aircraft category, prerequisites, experience-building flights and practical-test preparation are included.
Multiengine rating — airplane
Training in multiengine aircraft. Confirm whether the course is an initial rating, an add-on or a transition, and which aircraft will be available.
CFI — airplane and helicopter
Training in teaching, lesson preparation and instructional flying. Ask which instructor qualification is included and how practice teaching is assessed.
CFII — airplane and helicopter
Preparation for instrument-instruction responsibilities. Confirm the required existing instructor qualification and whether simulator work is part of the course.
MEI — airplane
Preparation to teach in multiengine aircraft. Ask about entry qualifications, aircraft availability and the ground and flight preparation included.
Southwestern Illinois College pathway
An academic pathway with its own entry and graduation requirements. Compare the flight qualifications, academic credits and flight fees included in your chosen track.
Discovery flight
An introductory lesson to explore the aircraft and teaching approach. Ask about flight time, who will instruct you and what the quoted price includes.
Published offerings are summarized from the school sources below. Confirm the specific course and aircraft when arranging training.
Aircraft & training scope
Aircraft categories: Airplane · Helicopter
Published aircraft models: Tecnam P92, Tecnam P-Mentor, Cessna 172, Piper Pilot 100i, Piper PA28-181 Archer, Piper Seminole, Guimbal Cabri
Sauget, Illinois, campus at St. Louis Downtown Airport. St. Louis marketing references describe the metropolitan service area, not a Missouri training address.
Confirm the current curriculum, aircraft assignment, college-credit terms and examiner availability for the selected aircraft category.
Training framework & verification
Part 141: Matched to the FAA roster dated 2026-10-19. Confirm the approved course and training location with the school. The workbook does not list individual course approvals or establish training quality.
FAA reference: faa.gov. Confirm the approved course and training location with the school.
PART 141 SOURCE CHECK
FAA roster information.
This listing is matched to the supplied FAA Part 141 roster record. Confirm the approved course and training location with the school; the roster does not list course approvals or establish training quality.
IDEAL AVIATION
Doing business as: IDEAL AVIATION
Certificate 3MYS371NLocation designator 3MYS
Address as recorded: 5600 VECTOR DR, SAUGET, IL 62206
Use the faa.gov facility dashboard for future cross-reference. The dated record above reflects the FAA workbook used for this directory update. How we check records
TRAINING FIT
Our school review.
Ideal’s two aircraft categories make it especially useful for students deciding between fixed-wing and helicopter careers. Compare the complete sequence for the chosen category rather than combining course claims across the two. The range of analog and glass-cockpit airplanes warrants a specific aircraft-assignment plan. Ask the school and college to explain credit and enrollment requirements independently. A submitted discovery-flight request is not a confirmed booking, and advertised checkride turnaround should be checked against current examiner availability.
An AI-assisted editorial assessment of the school’s published information. This is separate from student feedback. We have not attended or inspected this school.
WHAT THE AVAILABLE FEEDBACK TELLS US
Student review evidence.
Sauget Google reviews via FlightSchools.aero evidence: Sauget accounts discuss private-pilot and multiengine training, praising patient instructors, organized lessons, and responsive support. A long-term trainee describes a structured learning environment. The profile also includes an educator event, which is customer-service context rather than a student completion outcome. Five Google-selected comments, cached July 31, 2026; this is not the complete profile or a representative student sample. Confirm current scheduling, total costs, and course completion expectations with recent students at this location.
4.7 / 548 reviews
This location
Google snapshot collected July 31, 2026; page checked October 23, 2026. Individual reviews may be older.
Source snapshot: 2026-07-31What reviewers appreciated
- Students praise patient instructors and organized, structured training. [1]
How to read this evidence
Five Google-selected comments, cached July 31, 2026; this is not the complete profile or a representative student sample.
Follow up with the school
- Can I speak with recent students who completed this course at this location?
- What are the current booking delays, instructor continuity arrangements, and typical total completion costs?
Read the review sources
- Ideal Aviation: Flight School in Sauget, IL Third-party source
Five Google-selected comments, cached July 31, 2026; this is not the complete profile or a representative student sample.
AI-assisted summary of the cited material. Public comments are individual experiences; the sample may be small, selective, or dated.
How we prepare review summariesMAKE YOUR NEXT CONVERSATION COUNT
Questions for Ideal Aviation.
- Which airplane or helicopter pathway fits my intended certificate goal?
- Which aircraft and simulator will be assigned consistently at each stage?
- How do Southwestern Illinois College enrollment and training credits work for my plan?
- What are the current instructor, examiner and confirmed discovery-flight schedules?
Sources & listing information.
School facts are compiled from the source material below. Imported record identifiers are retained for traceability and are not presented as proof of current certification.
- School and college partnership
- Flight Training Programs | Ideal Aviation St. Louis
- Fixed-wing fleet
- Private Pilot License Training in St. Louis | Ideal Aviation
- Instrument Rating | Ideal Aviation
- Commercial Pilot | Ideal Aviation
- Multi-Engine Rating Training in St. Louis | Ideal Aviation
- Certified Flight Instructor | Ideal Aviation
- Helicopter curriculum
- Rotary-wing fleet
- Discovery booking policy
- Airplane and advanced-course catalog
- School website supplied in source recordsSupplied website; not independently rechecked for this import.
- Source-record reference: checkrides.ioReference retained from the supplied spreadsheet; current content not rechecked for this import.
- faa.gov — Find a FacilityFAA pilot-school facility reference. Part 61 instruction is not a separate FAA school certification.
View source record references
3MYS371N
Part_141_Flight_School_Websites (1).csv; faaverifiedp141.xlsx